ejpritz

See as far as we knew, her company was paying her premium. We knew nothing about her paying Cobra. She is still with the company and stil considered an employee, so we jsut do not know what is going on

I posted about this about 6 weeks ago, and we still are having the worst time.. My mother has been living with cancer since last October, she made it the year that her oncologist told her was not going to happen!! I am going to call that woman and let her know that my mother had surgery and just had a CAT scan that shows she is all clear. Imagine if we listened to that Dr. But on a negative note, she has no health insurance. She wokred for a large corporation for 23 years, and with her illness went out on short and then long term disability. About 6 weeks ago we found out that her Company cancelled her, retroactive to January 2004. Mind you the surgery was in April 04, so this is bad. I have an attorney helping, but he is my boss and to be honest is not spendning enough time on this like usually happens when you have a friend do work for you as a favor. Anyway, these are the facts. they told us she should have been paying cobra. a coba notice was never sent out. After several requests for the copy of the cobra notice, they finally admitted to the Attorney one was never sent. The fisrt correspondence was a HIPPA Cert. I called upon recieving this and this is when we found out it was cancelled. Well her file has been in appeal for 6 weeks now, and I call once a week and every time and told they will have na answer in 5 days. this has been going on for a month and a half. Has anyone ever had a similiar situation?/ And can I name the corporation so maybe you guys can boycott them??

I know I have not really posted in a long time, but I hvae been reading ever day. I guess I have kind if felt like everything was normal again. My mother has been well, no appointments, almost like the cancer was over. today, right this minute, she is getting Cat scans to see if any cancer has recurred since her surgey in April. This is the first Cat Scan since the surgery and I feel like its that time again when we were waiting to find out her diagnosis. I am really worried about this, it didn't hit me until this morning. All the anxiety is coming back, and I haven't fel that in a few months. As far as I understand if there is a reocurrence, there are not many options avaialbe to us. surgery would not be an option, nor radiation. She had her max radiation levels already for life apparantly. Guess I just felt the need to become part of this again and get some encouragement. thanks

Hey everyone: I have not posted in a long time, though I hvae been reading almost every day. My mom had surgery in April to remove a larg portion of one lung and two ribbs. She seemed to be at almost a full recovery about two monhts ago. Actually, that is not fair to say since she suffered nerve damage form the surgery and therefore is in constant pain in her arm, neck and back. She also does not have full use of her left arm. She is supposed to be starting physical therapy but cannot due to her Company merging with another and somehow her health insurance being terminated. We do have an attoreny working on this for us. Am I allowed to bash a huge nationwide Company on here? She has been there for 23 years and gets her health insurance cacncelled during this. I hate them!! Questions is, all of a sudden about a month ago her cough started coming back. Following the surgery, for months I did not hear this cough and now it is returning. I should mention that despite what she has been through, she is still smoking. How concerned should I be about the cough? I should also mention that thanks to the Bank that she has worked for for 23 years, she just cancelled her cat Scan that she had scheduled for last week until the insurance issue is resolved. Is this something we can wait on for another month?

Hello there: I am no expert in this by any means. All I can tell you is that my mother was diagnosed in November with non operable stage 4. It has now been two motnhs since her successful surgery. She has been told by the surgeon that at the moment she is cancer free. My mother got a second opinion without looking for one. She was getting a second needle biospy after her diagnosis to confirm exactly what type of cancer they found. She suffered from a collapesd lung during the procedure and was admitted to the Hospital. The man who collapsed her lung showed her scand to a collague of his, who turned out to be the best dr. any one could hope for. He walked into my mother's room at 9 pm, and introduced himself and told her that he could "cure" her. He told her he could do very aggressive chemo and radiation to shrink her tumors (one in each lung) and then operate. We were given negative feedback from almost everyone we mentioned his approach to. To make a long story short, he proceded with Radiation 5 days a week and Cehmo once a week. At the end of six weeks one tumor had disappeared and the other shrunk significantly. HE has since informed us that he does not believe the timor that disappeared was ever cancer in the first place. He operated two months ago, removed a third of one lung and two ribs. She is doing well. If we never met this man, or stuck with her Oncologists prognosis she would probably not be here right now. Please get a second opnion.

Well, my mother is on her way to the six year mark. though it has only been about 2 months since they removed her Pancoast tumor. One thing we have noticed, her left eye droops now. I wonder if this is nerve damage? Also, she is complaining alot about the numbness on her back. Is this usually permanent? Every day with this there are jsut more and more questions.

Thanks everyone. As I said, I am angry but not going to abandon my mother. In a few days I am sure the anger will be less and less. I just hope she quits, and I wish I could help her do it somehow. I know I can't make her quit, but I will be praying for her to decide to. Erin

What I said is "I feel like telling her she is on her own" Not that I am going to. That is honestly how I feel right now. Would I ever do that to her? No. But I am angry and yes, I am a little angry at her right now for still smoking. Sorry, can't control my feelings. I would not make her go throuh this alone. Her surgeon says he doesn't want to treat smokers because its a loosing battle, and I kind of feel like him right now. Its hard to try to help someone who isn't too interested in helping themselves and that causes people to feel upset. So if it seems harsh to people that I am mad at her right now then I don't know what to say. Its my true feelings and this is a place where I can express them so I did. I just wnat her to get better and enjoy life again. Its been years and years sice she has felt good or happy due to a large number of other problems, depression, alchohl abuse. Treatnment for these things is how they found the cancer in the first place. So it has been a rough ride, of course more so for her than anyone. Don't think I don't now that. The reason I have such a hard time with her getting sick is that all I can think about is how terrified she must be and there is nothing I can do to help her. Thats all we want, is for her to get better. I know the anger will subside but it is a little of a shock right now.

Hey everyone: I cannot believe it, but we have found out that my mother is still smoking. She hides it by going in the bathroom when she is alone, but we have caught on to it. I just don't get it. She had that surgery two weeks ago today. Everything went so well and she knows that smoking lowers her chances significantly. I really thought that what she went through last week and this week would have scared her enough to quit. She is still in tons of pain. Any advice? Now I am angry at her. I feel like she put her three kids and friends and family through hell the past few months, especially the week of the surgery. Now everyone is feeling good about it all and she starts smoking again. I feel like telling her that unless she quits she is on her own witht his whole thing. I feel as though I should not give up so much time and energy to fight a battle that she is going to make impossible to win.

Thank you all for the support. Well today is day 3 of her being home and she could finally take a shower. She can walk around and eat and do things for herself. I am truly amazed at how someone can go through so much trauma and still be functioning. I do not know if I could handle it half as well. I just wish her surgeon could somehow understand how gratfeul we are that he came into her life and did what he did. So I guess now we just pray for no reoccurence? I guess we will just be happy and take things day by day and see what happens. I wonder how common it is for reoccurrence? Also, I wonder how successful the radiation pellets are. I guess time will tell. Right now she id great and Its reason to be happy and not think of all of the other things for a while..

Thanks, She is now sleeping comfortably (and I use that term very loosly) on her own couch. She is very happy to be home. She was more excited to be back with our dog, Milo, than my sister and I. He is a good dog an I think he gives her alot of comfort. He is very, very affectionate and its funny but I could swear he knows something is wrong. So I guess we are in for a tough few days. We will just try to keep her as comofratbel as possible and hope for a quick recovery and a quick end to her pain.

I am so sorry!!! I wish there was something someone could do to lessen the pain. Please know you are in my thoughts.

Ok, I think I am in the right forum now..Sorry If I am not. Thank you everyone for all the support. we jsut got word that my mother will be coming home form her surgery tomorrow (Monday 3/29) She looks great, all the tubes are gone and she is able to walk around on her own. It is amazing how quicky one can recover form something so traumatic. I aslo think her surgeron deserves a great amount of thanks. He has visited her every day, Saturday and Sunday included. This has really lifted her spirits. It is a good thing that we will no longer need to deal with him, but at the same time a little sad. My mother looks at him as a lifesaver and listens to him more than anyone in the world. So when he tells her the surgery went great and that he is thrilled with it all, it really makes her feel so much better. I am not prepared for the home coming. All I can think of doing is making sure the Fridge is stocked and pleanty of food is prepared and waiting for her tomorrow. I have no idea what to expect. We live in a three family home. My sister on the first, my mother on the second floor and myself on the third. I will be working from home for at least a week. I guess I am just kind of looking for advice on what to expect. Also, what happens from here? Every other scan and biospy she has had has showed that the cancer has not spread. The Surgeon is now insisting that whatever was in her other lung was not cancer. that it was something else. He said when he went in, he discovered the tumor was "Dead". He said we could not ask for better results form the surgery. SO is she going to be considered "Cancer Free" or does she have to wait a while without any reoccurrences for that? I guess all I have done the past few months is prepare for the surgery and did not give much thought to life after it. Is it possible for someone to have this type of surgery and eventually be considered cured? Thank you all. I hope that knowing how well she did mat give someone out there comfort who may be going through the same type of surgery in the near future.

thank you all!! sorry about all the typos. I am a little tired. Any way to do spell check on these? Well I just got an update, that she is officially out of ICU and in a normal room. It seems like what she needs right now is a lot of rest. So it looks like she may have a speedy recovery, though one thing I have learned is you never know what can happen tomorrow. I will keep everyone posted. I cannot say enough how much my whole family is so happy to have been introduced to the Surgeon and everyone at Dana Farber. They have been great. Anyone who lives in or near Mass. I highly recommend it!!

Hey everyone, thank you all for your well wishes. The surgey went great. It took 7 hours, they ended up only haveing to remove two ribs instead of three. He said that the tumor in the lung was "Dead", which form what I understand it means that it should not have spread. They also implanted some radiation pellets into the lung. I have to do some research on those, because I do not really understand how they work. We called today and were told that she is already being taken out of ICU because she is doing so well, and they are right now getting her up to walk around. I guess these are all good signs as far as her recover. I am hoping that since she has been ahndling it so well in theses crucial first 24 hours that she will be home soon. So this is the update that I have as of now. All I can say is thank God for this surgeon coming into our lives when he did. He is so great. I cannot believe the amount of time he spends talking to us and how he actually returns phone calls.. He is jsut great. And Thank God we did not isten to the first opinion we got. He said there is a 60% chance of her being cured. The first Dr. had said she had a 5% chance of living two years. So anyone new, PLEASE get two opinions!!!!!!!! Thanks all, Erin

thanks for the prayers everyone!! surgery stared at 12 PM (Eastern Time) and it is currently 12:44. So I asssume the surgery has begun, but am not positive. I have not been this nervous in many years, maybe even ever.

Ok. I have a B.A. in Religious Studies. I took more Bible Classes then I can remeber. This has me stumped. I can get 19 and now I am at a stop. Good one, is there anywhere to find the answers?

Hi everyone: Whatever showed up onmy mothers spine is not cancerous!!!!! surgery is back on, tomorrow at 1PM. I am not even sure what it was on the spine. My mother basiclly heard it was not cancer and that surgery is back on and then everything went cloudy. So this is the best news we have had since this whole horrible thing started. Say some prayers that the surgery is a success!!!!!!

Hi everyone, I have posted how my mothers surgery was cancelled Monday night due to something new showing up on her spine. She had a bone scan and we will be getting the reults on Monday. Donna G. replied and mentioned the possibilty that it could possibly be scar tissue from the radiation. My question is if anyone else has developped scar tissue from radiation. Is this common? Is the fact that this is new and did not show up on any of the Pet Scans done prior to the radiation mean that this is a plausible scenerio? She also underwent chemo at the same time as her radiation. I thought it was very sucessful since One tumor in one lung completely disappeared and the other tumor shrunk significantly. All Lymph nodes are clear, confirmed through scans and biopsies. It seems to me that if the chemo was working effectively that it would be unlikely for the cancer to spread during the treatment. Is this usually the case, or can the cancer spread even while you are under seemingly effective Chemo. And Sorry, One more question. From what I understand Cancer spreads through the lymph nodes. Maybe I am not getting this right. Is that the normal course? Or can someone explain to me how it spreads, can it just junp from one part of the body to the other without touching the Lymph Nodes or being in the blood? Sorry to have so many questions. It is just hard that the surgery was cancelled and I am trying to figure out if I have any room to be positive that we will get good news Monday. Thank you all for all of the info you provide. I cannot say enough how much I apprecaite it. Erin

Thanks, I am praying it is scar tissue or something benign. I cannot believe the let down this has been. We were so excited about the surgery and my poor mother had already packed when she got the call. It feels like we are starting over, the anxiety about waiting for results again. It hit so hard when the diasgnosis came, then we had such high hopes for the surgery. To have it cancelled like this the night before it was to take place was awful. We will receive the results of her bone scan Monday and will find out what is what. I guess all we can do this weekend is stay positive. I just wish I knew how to handle her emotions. I do not not how to act or what to say, I cannnot imagine how terrified she must be.

I am so sorry for you. My mother had a tumor in each lung. She was told it was inoperable. We got a second opionion and she went to a great surgeon who told us it is operable. She underwent radiation and chemo, and one of the tumors disppeared and one shrunk significanlty. Her surgery was scheduled for yesterday(Tuesday). Then Monday night the surgeon called my mother and told her he now sees someting on her spine. He cancelled the surgery (the poor thing was already packed and so excited for the big day) and at this very moment she is getting a bone scan. A neurosurgeon will be looking at the scan and they will call us tomorrow to let us know if surgery is still an option. They are not even sure if what is on hers pine is cancer or not. But my point is please seek another opinion. If we did not get one, my mother may not have even survived the past six months for all I know, or she may have been terribly ill. The first Dr. offered little communication and told her there was nothing that could be done. We started seeing this other one and he is being very aggressive. Though there was a huge setback with the spine, we are still in a much better situation then we were when this all first came about. It may turn out that they say it is inoperable as well, but I can tell you from first hand experience I had a Dr. say it was inoperable and one say it is. Proof that you can get another answer. Hopefully you willl get one that you are hoping for. Where are you located?

This is unbelievable. I cannot believe what I was jsut told at 4pm today. My mother called the surgeon's office to confirm everything as she was supposed to the day before and he told her that he has found it in her spine, so the surgery is cancelled. I guess he has een trying to get in touch with her for over a week and she has not been answering the phone. So now what? I don't know what this means...does anyone have any advice?

Hi Everyone: Tomorrow is the big day for my mother. She is having a lobe removed form her lung as well as two ribbs. I guess I am looking for good vibes for her, the whole thing has me very nervous. she is a nervous wreck!!!! What can be expected as far as recovery? Any insight? I guess I am trying to figure out how bad she will be in the next few weeks. Thanks, erin

I know the site is awful. Go to where it says "Breakthrough In Cancer Research"a nd click on it. Then on the right side it will say" The Victory Over cancer is at hand" Click on thsi and it will give you a summary of the product. I guess it is compsoed of Vitamon C and L-lysine.

Hey Everyone, I own my own business, and I have a computer guy that I call for all problems. Well, I was just speaking to him and he said he had just returned form staying with his mother who passed away from Lung cancer. He told me to do some research on this stuff. What he said is that she was extremly frail and ill, and after a few weeks of taking it she became very healthy and lived another 8 months feeling very good. He said he wished he had known about this before. But he did tell me the change in her was remarkable. She took it in conjunction with more standard treatments. I was wondering if anyone knows anything baout it, or perhaps ahve had some personal experience. I would apprecaite any feedback. Here is the link (the site is a little difficult to navigate) http://www.stopping-cancer-naturally.org/ Thanks guys, Erin