What a wonderful week. I've so enjoyed having this time off from work so I can minimize stress and focus on healing from the inside out, and spend time with my family. It's been fun to have my husband off work this week, too. We have gone to the movies, taken the kids on family dates, rested and relaxed, played with our friends, and have caught up on to-dos that always seem to pile up.
As grateful as I am to have these weeks off of work, I am very thankful for my job. Many people have said, "You should just quit your job. It's not worth the stress." I am fortunate to have a job that I enjoy and offers flexibility so I can put my children first. Getting the kids on and off the bus each day is a priority for me. And, these days, I am very thankful for my health insurance . I have an HMO that has been amazing. I have never had to battle a claim, and all of my top specialists participate. It has been the biggest blessing and life saver...literally.
Yesterday, one of the to-dos I finally caught up on was submitting an insurance claim for my wigs. My insurance company has a great online tool, and before too long I found myself number crunching.
It's been a long road since my mammogram nearly two years ago. Since January 2008, I've had 3 mammograms, 2 MRIs, 2 core needle biopsies, 1 genetic test for the BRCA gene, 2 PET scans, 1 bilateral mastectomy with expanders, 2 port placements, 1 port removal, 1 implant exchange surgery, 1 partial mastectomy, 9 rounds of chemotherapy, and 38 radiation treatments. Not to mention many prescription drugs, consults, follow ups, second opinons, and blood draws. When you put it like that, no wonder I'm exhausted and tired of dealing with all of this! No wonder I'm ready to look ahead to 2010, and pray that it is filled with good health and care-free happiness! No wonder I want my body back...
The price tag? Total amount billed: $422K. Total amount paid by neogiated insurance rate: $146K. Total out of pocket by patient: ~$5K. Wow. All I can say is that I am so blessed. Lucky. Whatever you want to call it. What do women do who have no insurance? Or insurance that doesn't pay much? I wish I had millions of dollars, because I wish I could help women out there who are uninsured or underinsured.
If I think about the "what ifs" too much, it will make me crazy. So, for now, I will thank God, and continue to work hard to keep my good insurance. Something to think about...
For now, I'm going to focus on getting through my last chemo treatment next week and putting all of this behind me.
The cost of living a cancer-free, long, happy life with my husband, children, family and friends? Priceless.
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