I was treated in 2007 with 10 rounds of Temodar and had a full, durable response. I feel very grateful to all those who answered my questions here and my heart goes out to those who are struggling with active disease. I have been lucky beyond measure, thus far. Hope does increase as time goes by and one even finds onesself making plans for the future…
I was treated in 2007 with 10 rounds of Temodar and had a full, durable response. I feel very grateful to all those who answered my questions here and my heart goes out to those who are struggling with active disease. I have been lucky beyond measure, thus far. Hope does increase as time goes by and one even finds onesself making plans for the future…
Though nothing can dampen my joy over my long term NED status, I wanted to include some of my struggles with keeping my medical coverage as a warning to others who may face similar obstacles. At 3 years on Social Security disability ( which gave me medicaid/ medicare coverage since I had no insurance), I was sent re-determination papers. I was turned down based on medical improvement. I appealed this decision based on the fact that I had some lingering issues that made full time work difficult and the fact that one needs to be continuously monitored at stage IV of this disease. Though I had letters from my oncologist, former employer, all my records, etc and a lawyer, I lost my case after what stretched into a 2 year ordeal. Now, Social Security wants me to pay back two years worth of benefits. I have filled out a waiver form about this and am waiting on a decision.
So, after loosing my only medical coverage, I decided to leave Montana and that I would move to Oregon,( where I had lived 15 years ago) because I understood that low to moderate income Oregonians were entitled to universal health care under the Oregon Health Plan. I discovered, after quite a process, this is no longer the case and very few single adults are eligible for medicaid.
Then, I returned to Montana where I decided to re-enroll as a University student so I could buy the health insurance offered to students ( which had recently increased 120% for those over 40). I come to find out that Blue Cross/Blue shield, the University provider refuses to cover any bills for a pre-existing condition if there has been a gap in coverage since the last coverage (I had lost the the medicaid, medicare less than 4 months ago).
I hope no one else runs into the obstacles I have and I wish everyone here the right to compassionate, fair medical coverage. However, I mostly wish everyone here a glimmer of hope…Some of us, for some reason, are still here after 5 years of being declared NED of stage IV melanoma. Though, some well meaning folks who are not well versed on this disease might think this means one is cured,we know all too well about the dark cloud of our prognosis. However, one may surprise oneself just how much living one can squeeze in even under such conditions of limbo. I wish everyone here the very best and I send my deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones.
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