I know some of you have checked in with me and are aware I had a (virtual) appt with a doctor in Portland¹ this afternoon. My oncologist sought him out for me after yet another treatment failed back in Nov. At that time, she consulted with another specialist in Seattle (who's no longer available) who advised her after MD Anderson was off the table². I took a break from conventional chemo and I was put on a targeted chemotherapy. The good news is that overall my side effects have been considerably milder than past medications and my increased energy has allowed me to work on projects around the house. Unfortunately, it also appears to be unsuccessful amd my tumor markers are on the rise, drastically higher than what they were the beginning of December when I started this combo. I'll have labwork done tomorrow to see if it has changed direction.
New concern...
It appears I had a seizure 2 weeks ago. My onc says I need a brain scan to confirm but all things point to seizure activity. She wants to hold off on the brain scan til I find out about clinical trials open to me. Often times, brain tumors will disqualify breast cancer patients from clinical trials. Either way, I'll need scans done soon. We are hopeful that this was an isolated incident and not indicative of a brain tumor.
1- Back to the Portland doctor...
He will be going over my records and connecting with my onc to get any additional scans and labs done asap to see if there are clinical trials I qualify for. I really liked him, felt he listened and heard my concerns, and I look forward to working with him. I should hear something soon, hopefully next week.
Disability & Medicare update...
I met my goal for 2020 to earn the needed work credits to qualify for disability. Unfortunately, I'm still 2 credits short (equaling approximately $3K net income) so I'm on a mission to earn those before 3/31. Once I'm eligible, I have to wait 5 months before I start receiving benefits (checks) so Oct would be the soonest. I have to be receiving benefits for 24 MONTHS before I qualify for Medicare. That puts me into Sept 2023 before I can qualify. ☹
2- Insurance & MD Anderson
MD Anderson in Houston, TX, is where my onc recommended I go for top notch cancer care. Unfortunately my insurance (state-funded medicaid) won't cover ANY care outside Oregon. Likewise, MD Anderson only offers assistance to TX residents. Charlie and I briefly considered relocating but decided it was more important to maintain our local support network. So, as an alternative, a dear friend of mine suggested putting me on Charlie's medical. This would potentially allow me to seek care anywhere, including MD Anderson. Since the monthly expense is equivalent to a hefty car payment, we would need to use funds I have saved for medical expenses (possibly needing to do more fundraising) until my disability checks kick in in Oct and then I'd use that to pay for it. I'm not sure yet that this is the way to go. I need to go over his policy with a fine-toothed comb, check that I can afford the co-pays and deductible and that the coverage is adequate for my needs. In the meantime, I'll move forward with the Portland doctor and see what he has to offer.
Prayer requests...
Please pray for my upcoming scans and tests. Pray also for no more seizures.
Please pray for everything to move forward smoothly with this new doctor and for wisdom to choose an appropriate treatment.
Pray for strength and energy for me to continue purging through my art and business supplies as I liquidate assets in effort to earn the last 2 work credits. Pray for buyers!
Pray for my abdominal pain to lessen. My liver is inflammed and swollen, making my whole belly and right side super tender.
Thank you all for your love and support 💕 To be honest, I am just sooo tired of this chapter. I long for true healing and wellness but I'm thankful for each additional day God sees fit to bless me with...even with the pain, stress, and overwhelming decisions that never seem to end.
One of my favorite places to rest at home 🏡
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