Let's hear it for the insurance company

Okay, okay. I know I'm lazy about posting new blog entries. Well, I'll try to be more informative.

I got home from work yesterday to find the standard summary of charges paid by the insurance company in the mail. They usually pay for MRI's and CT scans and various blood tests but, much to my surprise, they paid for the first two chemotherapy sessions....about $32K in charges. Pennies from heaven. Somebody at the Archdiocese did something.....Noooooooooooooo. After I chatted with the administrator of the plan I learned they had paid in error and will be wanting the money back. No kidding. I love these guys. Their excuse, "The charges on the bill were not well defined so they were paid in error". So, the message is clear. Be vague and you will be paid. It's becoming a very expensive, very bad joke. I hope they are at least embarrassed.

P. Oui is about as fatigued as one can be without being asleep. Nausea was not a problem during this last treatment (we have the nausea drug thing figured out) but her body has just about had it with the poison pumped into her. She had a CT scan today to see what the tumors are up to. We'll probably find out the result next Wednesday when we show up for the next session. Her back is not as good as we had hoped by now. I will pursue the vertibroplasty thing (literally crazy glue injected into the bad vertebrae) next week. It is known to provide instant and substantial relief in many cases. Life would be so much better if leisa weren't so limited by her back. The next 5 days should be better.

No water in our basement, plenty of great food, and lots of people praying for leisa...we are blessed to have so many friends. Thank you.

Jeff

Latest treatment

Liesa got unplugged today from her 5-FU pump. Feeling quite well but extremely fatigued, as usually this time in the cycle. Her Doc is very pleased ("I'm excited") with the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. Often this type of cancer does not respond. Leisa's is.

A little more neuropathy this time but it is subsiding as I type today. Nausea drugs are working well. Hoping for a good weekend.

Still battling with the insurance company but we have some new "insider" help.

We send our joy to the Boylans on the occaision of their son Matt's wedding this weekend.

Thanks to all for the great meals. I can't stand it. Its wonderful.

Jeff

Great end to the week

This weekend we went to a dinner party, leisa drove her car for the first time since the end of March, and she generally felt quite good. The insurance company said no thank you once again so we have a final appeal before more drastic action needs to be taken.

Suburban hospital started harrassing me three (3) days after I received their bill. It seems alot of people don't pay their hospital bills feeling insurance companies should pay every last cent. Anyway, it was so nice to hear from them so quickly and to feel like a criminal. Thank you Suburban Hospital. The care liesa got there was second to none but I guess the billing department needs a cut-throat attitude in order to get paid.

Next round of chemotherapy Wednesday through Friday. We can count on days 3-7 of the cycle to be nasty and the week following to be pretty good. New set of scans a week from Wednesday to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. We already know there a fewer cancer cells because of the markers' decline. Dr. said its a slow grower and a slow shrinker so don't expect too much from the drugs this early. The scans may not show a whole lot of tumor shrinkage yet.

I am not updating the blog very often because the cycle is becoming predictable as described above and there is really very little to report. I will certainly update the blog with any important changes.

The front porch might be done for Thanksgiving. Glaciers move faster. Glad we're not paying hourly.

Thanks for all the food.

Jeff

Tumor Markers

Leisa's most recent blood tests show a decrease in the tumor marker count. Tumors apparently release chemicals to the blood and can be an indication of their size. I gather that lower count means smaller tumors. Good news.

Life-long friends Maureen and Gary and Maureen's sister Lynn paid a wonderful visit from Jersey Saturday as did most of the Gilders (with crab cakes attached). Great to see all of them. Such thoughtful people.

We're just lounging around this weekend waiting for chemotherapy side effects to leave. Should be a quiet week. The hospital bed and wheelchair are gone. The walker is rarely used. Hoping to get the &$#@*& out of the house and do something, anything soon. Hoping for a good week.

Jeff

Sleep, sleep, sleep

Fatigue has taken over the past few days. Lots of sleep. Still eating pretty well (I'm eating extremely well). Walking better and better each day. Chemotherapy session Wednesday. Yippee.

Good visits this past weekend from cousin Lala (near Atlanta) and leisa's brother Brian and wife Dorothy (Jersey). Thanks for coming from so far away. Meant the world to Leisa (and me). Eloise (my cousin and leisa's best pal from college) arrives in town rom Cape Cod tomorrow on a school trip and will break away from her charges to visit.

We're in somewhat of a boring stretch where we are learning very little about the effectiveness of treatment. Its too early for scans, etc. Getting quite bored by hanging around the house as leisa's back heals enough that we can get out. We are going out tomorrow to visit our lawyer to sign a new crop of wills, powers of attorney, and advanced medical directives. Can't think of a more exciting venture. I hope you all have these documents in place and that all your records are perfectly organized in folders with legible labels in your safe deposit boxes....right.

My sister and brother-in-law's adoption of Tommy from Reno became legally proper last week. Tommy dropped a huge diaper WMD just prior to seeing the judge. With tears in his eyes, the judge dismissd them quickly. "W" could have easily found this one.

Thanks to all food providers. I should write you a thank you note but I'm way too lazy and ill-bred.

Go out and have some fun for us. Thanks, Suzi, for being a geat friend. And Cathy, you're the best.

Jeff

I'm getting lazy

I'm getting a bit lazy with my postings. Yesterday we visited the Doc to check blood counts. All is well. The numbers are good. We are also encouraged by the improvement in leisa's spine. She's sleeping upstairs now and stayed out of the hospital bed all day yesterday. Walking unaided for good stretches.

We're even talking about going to a wedding June 24 and rearranging chemotherapy so she will feel good that Saturday. Might happen.

Our front porch is moving along nicely. It will be a grand space (38' x 13') perfect for banjo picking and good conversation. Can't wait to get leisa out there to hang out. We've had our porch furniture for a year and a half. The guy who sold it to us will be happy to finally deliver it.

I'm working about 60% of the time. Business is good. Clients are understanding. My cohorts are amazing at taking up my slack, of which there is plenty.

Insurance still up in the air. Have a feeling something good will happen soon.

Give us a call and come by anytime. I will not hesitate to tell you if the time isn't right so don't be relunctant to call.

Meals- still embarrassed by the process but love the food. Thanks to all the recent deliverers. Bob and Jan Allnutt showed up with bright red fingers straight from the strawberry patch. Boy, were they good. Peach pie, rubarb pie, blueberry and strawberry tart, brownies, cookies....when leisa is better I'm gonna get sick just for the goodies. Thanks so much.

TTFN