Feb. 25, 2021
Hey Friends,
I have spent most of last week and the start of this week seeking information about tests, costs, and trying to get everything set up.
One thing I found out, you have to do everything yourself. It is like pulling teeth if you want information! However, I did get some great news finally. Our deductable is not the $15,000 I thought it would be. I don’t understand our insurance so I had my husband set down with me as we called his insurance company and had them explain everything in detail.
It has taken so long because we had to first get the CT scan approved, then a code, then this and that, and finally things started coming together.
It has taken over two months but we finally have all the puzzle pieces together. Yay!
From now on, I will just be posting in the Journal I have started to keep all up to date if you are interested. I will post every Friday if I can, except for the day of the surgery. That will be on March 12 at 5:30 in the morning. We will be going down the day before to pre-op. It is a 3 1/2 hour drive for us and I don’t think I will be posting on that Friday!
I ask for your prayers that all goes well and we have a safe trip!
Thank you.
Feb. 18, 2021
Finally an update:
Tuesday I made a call to cancel the CT Scan that was going to happen this Wednesday. I wanted to reschedule because of our weather. So now it is next Tuesday (the CT Scan).
I also called my oncologist to ask about our cost (again) and to tell them that I rescheduled the CT Scan here in Hermiston. And in funny news, the gal I’m in touch with said “let me ask the doctor, we may have you come in and have the surgery then do the CT scan.” WHAT? I thought you were fighting tooth and nail to get it approved with insurance so we can see what is going on inside? She explained that they could do the surgery without the CT scan but it makes it easier to find out what is there first! Wouldn’t that require them to set up another surgery if they didn’t see something that would have shown on the original CT?
And I let her know that I still haven’t got the packet she said she sent TWICE in the last two months. So she said she would send an email!
I think that was it! This lady said she would call me back with the doctor’s decision!
Wednesday the 17th rolls around and I hadn’t heard anything from the oncology office so I made a call just after 2 pm. The lady I have been talking to left for the day. I let the other person know what I need and that I still want the cost before we can go further. She told me to leave a message with this lady I have been dealing with and leave a message with the financial person.
The financial advisor calls me right back and tells me how much we need out of pocket to cover the surgery but could not tell me what the whole procedure would cost. Speaking with the Insurance company last Friday was a different amount.
Today, Feb. 18, We will call her Ms. L. called me back and said they were going to go ahead and do the Pre-op today and surgery tomorrow. I told her it takes 3.5 to4 hours to get there on a clear day with no snow and I thought we were going to reschedule. Ms. L was very nice and said to come on over and do it today. NO. She called just after 9 am this morning and the pre-op was 12 pm. How come she didn’t call me back and let me know what the doc had said? Ms. L said she would let me know this afternoon what they were going to do. It is 7:16 on Feb. 18 and I have not heard anything from Ms. L. Hmm, there is a pattern here. Still waiting for the packet she sent in the mail (2) and the email with the packet info. I have no idea where the place is I am supposed to have surgery at and I guess I don’t need to!
I am hoping against all hope that the doctor is with compared to Ms. L.
I need your prayers.
Tomorrow I will be on the phone with insurance again and hopefully with Ms. L.
Wish me luck!!
Feb. 11, 2021
Yippy!! Insurance approved the C/T Scan!! Doesn’t mean we can afford it but at least it has been approved. I called to make an appointment but had to leave a message. Everything at a snail’s pace! Still waiting for the oncologist to tell us how much the operation will be.
So now we wait again!
At least the C/T Scan is here in town!!
Feb. 7, 2021
I finally heard back from my oncologist. So much for getting back to me the next day, lol. They still haven’t heard anything from our insurance company so I guess this Tuesday, Feb. 9, the doc is supposed to do a Peer to Peer with the insurance company. The woman I spoke with says the insurance company usually approves after a Peer to Peer call. Cross your fingers and let’s hope so. So far surgery is on the 19th of this month and pre-op is the 18th. Hopefully, I will get the packet they promised so we can make plans. We shall see. Is this normal? Do all cancer patients have to go through this? I hope to hear from someone this week and I will let you know.
January 27, 2021
Oh my goodness! I haven’t heard from anyone so I called the oncologist today. The person I left a message with and the doctor have both been gone the last week and a half because they were sick.
The woman I talked to said that the doctor read that our insurance company denied the C/T scan and hopefully tomorrow he could call them and do a Peer to Peer talk with the doctor at the insurance company and get things approved that way.
In the meantime, this woman set me up with a surgery date of Feb. 19. That could change if we can’t get insurance to approve it. She will have another person call me, hopefully tomorrow, with how much it will cost us.
Keep your fingers crossed and prayers coming,
Thank you,
Cheryl
January 19, 2021
Just an update. Received a letter from our insurance Saturday saying that they will not cover the C/T scan. Same letter we received last December.
I called the oncologist today (Monday) but they were not working today. More than likely I will hear from them tomorrow!
January 12, 2021
Sorry I haven’t updated. I had a doctor’s appointment on the 7th for a pelvic exam. It took us 3 1/2 hours to drive there and the exam to maybe 5 min. lol.
The next step in this process is to have a CT Scan. This doctor said we could have it done locally. Good news. I should have heard Tuesday when they were setting it up and since I haven’t, they told me to call.
Of all the cancers to have, They said this is the one to have. It is slow and stays contained unless it gets into your bones. The surgery will tell them if that is the case. Surgery is a case by case basis because of Covid. If all goes well I might get in this month but that all depends on the Government.
I just want to shout out to our church for the big donation to help us with this fight and to a dear friend Vickie A. I appreciate it so much and it has lifted a huge burden to start this year off.
If you would like to help in any way, I have set up a GoFundMe account here. Please keep us in your prayers.
I guess one thing that I am doing now that I have only thought about and that is trying to clean up. Organize if you will. And, I can’t believe it lol, but after 31 1/2 years of marriage, my husband has sat down with me and is doing the bills. Can I get a hallelujah and an amen!!
That’s all today friends, need sleep!
December 29, 2020
Yesterday I received a call from the oncologist I will be seeing next year. I left off with insurance denying the CT/Pelvic Scan with 45 days to dispute. Because my doctor quit a couple of weeks ago (right after she told me my diagnosis) the insurance company will not accept a peer-to-peer evaluation. In a peer-to-peer evaluation, your healthcare provider will speak with another medical professional associated with the insurance company about why the service or therapies are medically necessary. These can sometimes clear up the denial without requiring an appeal. However because she no longer works there, the insurance company will not talk to anyone else where she works, even if they have the results in my file.
This means that we start all over again with the tests and information.
Unbelievable!
So I have an appointment with my oncologist to set up a pelvic exam in January and then they will have to order a CT scan after the results of the pelvic scan. So now I need to travel 3 1/2 hours away instead of going across town to get the scans and I will have to make two trips instead of one. IF the insurance company approves it.
And one more problem after the scans. The hospitals are still not open to surgeries in Oregon because of covid, which means I will not have surgery to remove the cancer until the Governor removes or lifts that ban/restriction or whatever they are calling it. So sorry to sound discouraged but I just don’t understand any of this.
If any of you are interested, I started a GoFundMe account!
You can reach it here @ Share Hope for Cheryl.
Thank you and have a blessed day.
December 26, 2020
I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! It snowed here yesterday for a white Christmas. I loved seeing the snow.
Nothing new for information on doctors or appointments. I have been calling at least three doctors that are involved in getting tests done to make sure my body can handle what’s ahead but can get a CT or pelvic exam yet because insurance has denied it. First, they gave the docs 45 days to appeal it, then I received a letter today saying that they flat out denied it.
Will have to check into that this week. Sad to know you have to do so much extra work in a time that you need to reserve your energy for fighting cancer itself.
I also found out my ob-gyn doc quit. I’m not sure why she couldn’t have told me the day she gave me the results.
I have decided to start a Go Fund Me account to hopefully help with our bills. Once I have the information for that, I will share it here.
Thank you for your prayers and letters and emails of encouragement! It is appreciated so much!
December 17, 2020
For the last week, I have been trying to process this news. I know I’m stage 1. That is good. It seems when it’s time to sleep, I can’t. I think of so many things I need to get done. My memory is getting worse by the second and my hair loss is worse by the day. I’m not even on chemo yet!
Today I had an appointment with my Primary Doc. Things got a little confusing but I think we all figured it out. Waiting for test result on a chest x-ray, results should be in in a couple of days. In the meantime, spoke to a person in oncology and it looks like we might be scheduled for the surgery in January. Was wishing I could get it done this month so insurance could pay for it but because of state shutdowns at the hospitals, we are on hold until they approve of the operation. I guess only certain ops are approved right now. It’s a hurry up and see or wait game.
Thank you for all of your prayers and encouragement. It is appreciated so much!
December 9, 2020
Starting the process of appointments, getting things set up for chemo, getting all on board. My first few trips will be in Portland, Oregon. Around 3 1/2 hours from my home town. Right now my husband isn’t working due to surgery so he can take me to my appointments. I am very thankful for him and my daughter.
December 8, 2020
I belong to an amazing group on Facebook and KariAnne from Thistlewood Farms runs it. I am so thankful for her. She has helped me in so many ways and it has only been two days since finding out about this cancer. This group of amazing women are so supportive and I need that right now. My heart is so full right now. How unbelievable to feel this way. Knowing you have God, these supportive women and friends and family behind you.
I am thankful!
December 7, 2020.
Today I found out I have cancer. Uterine Cancer. Doesn’t that sound like a dirty word?
I knew it was coming. I had surgery last week. I have been bleeding for the last 4 or 5 years and I have put off seeing a doctor because it was always so expensive. I finally did it last week and got the results in today.
I thought I would write down what I am experiencing on this new (journey).
I cried. All weekend. I knew. I had that feeling. They were going to tell me I have cancer. My mom is the last one who passed having brain cancer.
It was hard, seeing my mom in the last days of her life.
Right now all I can think of is how my daughter will do when I am gone. I know she will be fine one day but I worry as a mom.
I’m stage 1 of 3. How do you have hope?
I’m already tired and I feel I have so much to do before I go. So many things to get in order.
Hopefully, I will hear from another doctor this week and can get set up with chemo.
I know this is a gloomy subject and feel free not to read it. I don’t blame you. But if you need encouragement with something you are facing or going through and need to talk or need prayers, please feel free to reach out to me.
Right now, I will be telling my story for as long as I can.