Hi SY
We got home yesterday afternoon. First thing to do was fire up some music!! Our kids drove in from Louisville, so we're having the family thing, and I suspect I'll have a string of visitors all week long. Then back to the surgeon Thursday for followup, and on to living with the dx.
The percoset tends to warp time and space, but in this case, that's a good thing. As predicted, the graft site hurts the most, but I've been there done that b4, so after 63 years of abuse, this ole body's been pre-disastered, to quote Garp.
Thanks to all who gave support here, much appreciated
John L.
We got home yesterday afternoon. First thing to do was fire up some music!! Our kids drove in from Louisville, so we're having the family thing, and I suspect I'll have a string of visitors all week long. Then back to the surgeon Thursday for followup, and on to living with the dx.
The percoset tends to warp time and space, but in this case, that's a good thing. As predicted, the graft site hurts the most, but I've been there done that b4, so after 63 years of abuse, this ole body's been pre-disastered, to quote Garp.
Thanks to all who gave support here, much appreciated
John L.
Good luck John! Having been at the wrong end of a medical emergency myself, I know it can quite upset your life. Then again, from your description, it seems you're on the better side of the statistics.
Wish you strength!
Jan
Wish you strength!
Jan
Half a dozen years ago, my g/f got a new collegue, who just finished his specialist training in a UK hospital.
Within a year, during jogging, he dropped dead on the pavement (6 years medical school and 4 years minimum specialist training flushed).
A friend of ours lost a foot and part of his leg in his 20s, on the job of his family's contractor company.
So he quit the building industry, and took on a job as a shoe-making apprentice.
Couple of decades later, he was the No1 manufacturer of orthopedic shoes, prostheses and ortheses here.
Couple of years later, he sold his company for big moolah to the biggest competitor.
A year later, he managed to wurm himself out of the non-compete agreement, and started up a new company.
Two years ago, he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Simultaneously, his MBA degree son, who is managing director of the business, turned depression mode and had to move back in with his parents, and he had made a financial mess of the company.
Our friend turned 65 and is doing fine again.
He gave his son a good whooping, the company is doing fine, and he recently opened a new center for the support of top athletes at another location. SMC Maasstad
Both having been on the wrong end of the wires, with a medical background, my g/f and I learned that you are not dead till you're dead.
So, hang in there, just pretend you're the black knight, John.
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For those facing this (hopefully not!) in the future, the first bill for the excision and skin graft (5 days in the hospital) was $57,000... no high end audio for this guy
I'm starting to heal, get some energy back, and will have 30 radiation treatments over 6 weeks in June for prophylaxis... then every 3 month scans for several years to confirm no new cancer
I'm starting to heal, get some energy back, and will have 30 radiation treatments over 6 weeks in June for prophylaxis... then every 3 month scans for several years to confirm no new cancer
This sounds very promising, and is great news given the circumstances. It is amazing what these treatments cost.
We move towards what we think about,
Hopefully things are moving forward in a positive way.🙂
Regards
M. Gregg
Hopefully things are moving forward in a positive way.🙂
Regards
M. Gregg
I just checked in for the first time in ages, and saw this thread.
It's great to see you've made it.
The Mrs. just took the same journey like half a year ago, and if it wasn't for the scars, you wouldn't know today.
Like Jacco wrote, you're not dead till you're dead!
Best wishes
Magura
It's great to see you've made it.
The Mrs. just took the same journey like half a year ago, and if it wasn't for the scars, you wouldn't know today.
Like Jacco wrote, you're not dead till you're dead!
Best wishes
Magura
followup
I'm slowly healing from the divot in my arm... now onto the next phase
Once I heal the tumor site, I'll be a candidate for radiation therapy for prophylaxis against any future recurrence. Looks like the process will involve 6 weeks of fractionated irradiation of the tumor site until a cumulative dose of 64 grays is reached. Which is 64 watt seconds, a ****load of radiation into my arm. Lucky for me, the biological absorbed dose sensitivity for soft tissue and arm bones has a scaling factor of .01, so I'll only receive a total of ~ 0.64 sieverts, which is still a boatload of radiation. Fukushima (and US) workers are limited to 0.1 or 0.25 sieverts per year, depending on who's talking... maybe I should just go work there....
The doses are around 1.8 gray per day, for 30 days, which is about the max b4 skin damage occurs; then a final bolus to reach the 64 gray cumulative dosage.
I now know far too much about what I'm gonna undertake mid summer, but I need to work through the pros and cons of this.
We have yet to talk to any radiation oncologists, but I want to go in prepared so I can judge if they seem to know what they're doing (machine setup, characterization, maintenance, etc.) They'll probably think I'm some sort of wise *** for pimping them, but I've been in this field too long to worry about that.
So, after all this goes through, I guess my karma will be enhanced by my kerma, eh?? <<< kinetic energy released per unit mass
I'm slowly healing from the divot in my arm... now onto the next phase
Once I heal the tumor site, I'll be a candidate for radiation therapy for prophylaxis against any future recurrence. Looks like the process will involve 6 weeks of fractionated irradiation of the tumor site until a cumulative dose of 64 grays is reached. Which is 64 watt seconds, a ****load of radiation into my arm. Lucky for me, the biological absorbed dose sensitivity for soft tissue and arm bones has a scaling factor of .01, so I'll only receive a total of ~ 0.64 sieverts, which is still a boatload of radiation. Fukushima (and US) workers are limited to 0.1 or 0.25 sieverts per year, depending on who's talking... maybe I should just go work there....
The doses are around 1.8 gray per day, for 30 days, which is about the max b4 skin damage occurs; then a final bolus to reach the 64 gray cumulative dosage.
I now know far too much about what I'm gonna undertake mid summer, but I need to work through the pros and cons of this.
We have yet to talk to any radiation oncologists, but I want to go in prepared so I can judge if they seem to know what they're doing (machine setup, characterization, maintenance, etc.) They'll probably think I'm some sort of wise *** for pimping them, but I've been in this field too long to worry about that.
So, after all this goes through, I guess my karma will be enhanced by my kerma, eh?? <<< kinetic energy released per unit mass
Quick update...
After suffering a ruptured and septic small bowel over the 4th of July weekend, and another 2 week hospital stay after a 3 foot section of small intestine as well as the illeocecal valve and appendix were removed, I'm now two days from finishing all the radiation for my cancer surgery.
The bill for all of this now exceeds $250,000 and BC/BS has rejected all of the claims to date as being non covered benefits. However, after several appeals, I managed to contact their director of physician services whom I'd had numerous interactions over the last 15 years, who then contacted the Ky Anthem medical director with our plight.
We just got the missive yesterday that they are reversing their decision and covering all the surgeries and costs associated with both the cancer dx AND the emergency laparotomy hospitalization, and bowel resection. Whew! While we'll still probably owe in the 10's of thousands, it sure beats owing the entire bill of over 1/4 million $$$$$$!
I almost broke down in tears....
John L
After suffering a ruptured and septic small bowel over the 4th of July weekend, and another 2 week hospital stay after a 3 foot section of small intestine as well as the illeocecal valve and appendix were removed, I'm now two days from finishing all the radiation for my cancer surgery.
The bill for all of this now exceeds $250,000 and BC/BS has rejected all of the claims to date as being non covered benefits. However, after several appeals, I managed to contact their director of physician services whom I'd had numerous interactions over the last 15 years, who then contacted the Ky Anthem medical director with our plight.
We just got the missive yesterday that they are reversing their decision and covering all the surgeries and costs associated with both the cancer dx AND the emergency laparotomy hospitalization, and bowel resection. Whew! While we'll still probably owe in the 10's of thousands, it sure beats owing the entire bill of over 1/4 million $$$$$$!
I almost broke down in tears....
John L
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Seems that with the Kentucky ACA exchange product, you have to get prior approval if you go to ANY facility or doctor outside of the state. That is, out of network benefits ONLY apply in the state of KY. It's a very narrow network & the standard out of network interpretation is irrelevant.
We were told this after we already used the coverage, but had no access to the plan documents... Anthem's website PDF did not work, and they never sent us a written policy until it was too late. They stated all these network/coverage conditions were listed on page 93 in the small print! We never had a chance to read that, so they have now relented and are going to pay up.
Caveat emptor I guess. This from the KY system held up as one of the best exchanges in the country! What do ordinary folks do? Remember, I did this for a living for 15 years, and my wife is a physician for 25 years. The medical director also stated that they have some processes that need improvement in their organization, and thanked us for bringing them to light.
You think?
Now at least I can move forward with recovery and start regaining some of the 30 odd #'s I lost during the ordeal. And regrow the 12" x 1" centerline gash down my belly through secondary intention and granulation. Probably another 3 to 4 months of healing and I'll be back to restoring tape decks, amplifiers, and building bigger and better speakers in my retirement. Hope springs eternal.
John L
We were told this after we already used the coverage, but had no access to the plan documents... Anthem's website PDF did not work, and they never sent us a written policy until it was too late. They stated all these network/coverage conditions were listed on page 93 in the small print! We never had a chance to read that, so they have now relented and are going to pay up.
Caveat emptor I guess. This from the KY system held up as one of the best exchanges in the country! What do ordinary folks do? Remember, I did this for a living for 15 years, and my wife is a physician for 25 years. The medical director also stated that they have some processes that need improvement in their organization, and thanked us for bringing them to light.
You think?
Now at least I can move forward with recovery and start regaining some of the 30 odd #'s I lost during the ordeal. And regrow the 12" x 1" centerline gash down my belly through secondary intention and granulation. Probably another 3 to 4 months of healing and I'll be back to restoring tape decks, amplifiers, and building bigger and better speakers in my retirement. Hope springs eternal.
John L
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Quite the physical and mental ordeal is the understatement of the decade.
Wishing you a full and speedy recovery.
Wishing you a full and speedy recovery.
These costs can be negotiated, especially if you can prove that you don't have the means to pay. My brother-in-law settled over $100,000 in hospital bills for around $15,000 without an attorney. Most people just flat out don't pay them. At all. The hospital/doctor is usually just glad to get something and will settle for way less than what is owed.
I know we're not supposed to discuss politics here, so consider this a humanitarian opinion: you guys have one f'ed up medical system. A medical diagnosis should not cause a financial emergency, ever.
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