You OK, Sweetblood?

124

Comments

  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #62
    Clearblue said:

    Burns & Ironing
    This site is full of 'orrible things.
    But i sometimes I log-in and get a good dose of chuckle too. - Like this "ironing-burn" bit above.

    Anyway,

    The med team have insisted that my wife keeps her trache in even though its been "plugged close" for 2 months..unused . So its there just in case she needs it in the future (aspiration, swelling etc which happens to partial larengectomied patients and this could potentially block breathing.BUT SHES HAD ENOUGH OF "just in case" scenarios. Actually its like they're saying: let's wait for something bad to happen and then we can use it again!She feels strangled by the thing.Life is on hold. There;s so much loss invloved.- It drives her nuts, and now with erbitux acne , which has spread from face to scalp to ear to back to stomach; she is wondering weather she IS going insane...... of course she's not.

    She believes she'll be ok as her breathing is fine . She has insisted they remove it, and thats whats going to happen tomorrow! So she's being hospitalized tomorrw for 24 hours so they can see how she does.Its her decision- so we'll wait and see.
    wait ..wait....wait... blah blah damned if u do , damned if u dont!

    clearblue
    best of luck to your wife tomorrow. hope all goes well for her.
  • stevenl
    stevenl Member Posts: 587
    #63
    sweetblood22 said:

    clearblue
    best of luck to your wife tomorrow. hope all goes well for her.

    same here
    Same here clearblue good luck. I will say a prayer for her.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #64
    stevenl said:

    same here
    Same here clearblue good luck. I will say a prayer for her.

    Update. Hopefully more good news.
    So, I have been going back and forth with the hospital.....grrr. One of the women had me fill out all these financial papers, and I am trying to not have to go to court on Tuesday. Not good for my anxiety level. :( Anyway. It has been annoying because I keep sending them copies of things and then they say I did not send a certain thing. I am like, well...because you did not ask. So I send that in...etc. So they needed something else, so I drove to the post office on saturday morning and dropped it off in the mail at the post office counter. I called her starting Tues, and she did not get it as of my call today. GAH! She kept telling me that I don't 'have to go to court' if I don't want to. Yea, then they win the judgement against me. Uhm,... no. So, I have been dealing with them and getting copies of checks around and master card statements showing how much I have paid the hospital.

    So I said to her, that I did not understand why she would have not recieved that form, and tuesday is closing in. Finally she said do you have a fax? YES. Okay, gave me number, and I walked across the lawn to pop's house, and faxed it. She got it and told me that she was giving it to her boss. Then she called me back, and said that they are writing off the chunk that they turned over to the magistrate. COOL! I don't make enough to pay it. duh, I was trying tho, a hundred bucks a month! So I asked her for something in writing, she could fax it to me. She said that she would have to talk to her boss and that I would have to take her word for it. NOPE. As a 42 year old former manager, I am well aware of the CYA rule. Cover....Your...well, we will say keister. She said that they will also take a look at the few thousand that I owe them from the recent bill I just got.

    So, she said that she would call me tomorrow. If she doesn't then I will call her, but I am not taking anyone's word for it. I am still compliling my 'defense' just in case. I just really cannot believe they even did this to me. I could see if I did not pay them anything, but really, seriously? I know people that did not pay anything back to the hospital, or people who pay $20 bucks a month. I don't get it? They never got a summonds to go in front of a magistrate. Sorry for the rant. I just wish that those of us fighting to pull thru cancer did not have to deal with stupid added stress that we really do not deserve. I am seriously thinking of writing my state rep. My friends dad works for him, and he had gotten me an appt with the old one when I was doing dairy farm stuff, maybe I can get an appt with this new guy.
  • Pumakitty
    Pumakitty Member Posts: 652
    #65
    sweetblood22 said:

    Update. Hopefully more good news.
    So, I have been going back and forth with the hospital.....grrr. One of the women had me fill out all these financial papers, and I am trying to not have to go to court on Tuesday. Not good for my anxiety level. :( Anyway. It has been annoying because I keep sending them copies of things and then they say I did not send a certain thing. I am like, well...because you did not ask. So I send that in...etc. So they needed something else, so I drove to the post office on saturday morning and dropped it off in the mail at the post office counter. I called her starting Tues, and she did not get it as of my call today. GAH! She kept telling me that I don't 'have to go to court' if I don't want to. Yea, then they win the judgement against me. Uhm,... no. So, I have been dealing with them and getting copies of checks around and master card statements showing how much I have paid the hospital.

    So I said to her, that I did not understand why she would have not recieved that form, and tuesday is closing in. Finally she said do you have a fax? YES. Okay, gave me number, and I walked across the lawn to pop's house, and faxed it. She got it and told me that she was giving it to her boss. Then she called me back, and said that they are writing off the chunk that they turned over to the magistrate. COOL! I don't make enough to pay it. duh, I was trying tho, a hundred bucks a month! So I asked her for something in writing, she could fax it to me. She said that she would have to talk to her boss and that I would have to take her word for it. NOPE. As a 42 year old former manager, I am well aware of the CYA rule. Cover....Your...well, we will say keister. She said that they will also take a look at the few thousand that I owe them from the recent bill I just got.

    So, she said that she would call me tomorrow. If she doesn't then I will call her, but I am not taking anyone's word for it. I am still compliling my 'defense' just in case. I just really cannot believe they even did this to me. I could see if I did not pay them anything, but really, seriously? I know people that did not pay anything back to the hospital, or people who pay $20 bucks a month. I don't get it? They never got a summonds to go in front of a magistrate. Sorry for the rant. I just wish that those of us fighting to pull thru cancer did not have to deal with stupid added stress that we really do not deserve. I am seriously thinking of writing my state rep. My friends dad works for him, and he had gotten me an appt with the old one when I was doing dairy farm stuff, maybe I can get an appt with this new guy.

    Money
    I am in the process of applying for help through the hospitol for my dad. They only get SS and that is nothing. The women told me there was assistance. We will see. So far Medicare has been paying great on the bills and prescriptions. I worry about them getting in debt and I have my doubts it will be as simple as filling out a form to get assistance.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #66
    Pumakitty said:

    Money
    I am in the process of applying for help through the hospitol for my dad. They only get SS and that is nothing. The women told me there was assistance. We will see. So far Medicare has been paying great on the bills and prescriptions. I worry about them getting in debt and I have my doubts it will be as simple as filling out a form to get assistance.

    Good, be on top of it from the begining
    I was not getting anything, no pay check, no disability, nothing, when I first started treatment. Was living on my savings. They said I could apply, but it went by what I made the year before, which was a decent salary. They said the cut off was 21 or 22 thousand a year, and I made much more than that. I tried to tell them I was unempolyed then with no income, but they said that is what they went by, so I did not apply, and sent what I could.

    All you can do is try. Hoping it turns out well for your parents. I was always one not to take any help from anyone, but I need to now. Obviously trying to pay and do the right thing with what I could wasn't cutting it.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #67
    sweetblood22 said:

    Good, be on top of it from the begining
    I was not getting anything, no pay check, no disability, nothing, when I first started treatment. Was living on my savings. They said I could apply, but it went by what I made the year before, which was a decent salary. They said the cut off was 21 or 22 thousand a year, and I made much more than that. I tried to tell them I was unempolyed then with no income, but they said that is what they went by, so I did not apply, and sent what I could.

    All you can do is try. Hoping it turns out well for your parents. I was always one not to take any help from anyone, but I need to now. Obviously trying to pay and do the right thing with what I could wasn't cutting it.

    Got A Fax
    After much ado, I finally got a fax saying that my civil action hearing is cancelled, and I do not need to go to the magistrate tomorrow. They said that since I do not make enough that my medically necessary services are aprroved 100%. They are going to review everything I owe, I guess. I would not have fought this, but I was really mad because I was paying them, and they still had the nerve to file that.


    It is amazing to me that I pay so much for insurance every month and it is really not the best coverage. ($415, and going to $622 a month) I don't even want to know how much I would owe without insurance. It is sad that a person could go bankrupt getting sick, even when you have insurance.

    I hope that your parents will be approved too, Pumakitty. It took a lot of going back and forth with them, so don't give up.
  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #68
    sweetblood22 said:

    Got A Fax
    After much ado, I finally got a fax saying that my civil action hearing is cancelled, and I do not need to go to the magistrate tomorrow. They said that since I do not make enough that my medically necessary services are aprroved 100%. They are going to review everything I owe, I guess. I would not have fought this, but I was really mad because I was paying them, and they still had the nerve to file that.


    It is amazing to me that I pay so much for insurance every month and it is really not the best coverage. ($415, and going to $622 a month) I don't even want to know how much I would owe without insurance. It is sad that a person could go bankrupt getting sick, even when you have insurance.

    I hope that your parents will be approved too, Pumakitty. It took a lot of going back and forth with them, so don't give up.

    Great news Sweetblood
    I'm happy to hear that you finally got 100% financial assistance and don't have to go before the magistrate tomorrow. You can now finally relax and let go of the stress that this situation has caused you.

    I also had to apply for financial assistance at the hospital where I was being treated. I hand delivered the application and copies of all the other information they needed to the financial assistance office. The woman went over everything with me to make sure she had everything they needed and then told me that my application would be put through that day and I would hear from them within 30 days. I was fortunate that I received 100% assistance also as I owed them several thousand dollars. Like you I was making monthly payments but would never have been able to pay them all off. I was quite pleased to find that I do not have to reapply for a year because it sure is a lot of paperwork.

    Take care,

    Glenna
  • Pumakitty
    Pumakitty Member Posts: 652
    #69
    sweetblood22 said:

    Got A Fax
    After much ado, I finally got a fax saying that my civil action hearing is cancelled, and I do not need to go to the magistrate tomorrow. They said that since I do not make enough that my medically necessary services are aprroved 100%. They are going to review everything I owe, I guess. I would not have fought this, but I was really mad because I was paying them, and they still had the nerve to file that.


    It is amazing to me that I pay so much for insurance every month and it is really not the best coverage. ($415, and going to $622 a month) I don't even want to know how much I would owe without insurance. It is sad that a person could go bankrupt getting sick, even when you have insurance.

    I hope that your parents will be approved too, Pumakitty. It took a lot of going back and forth with them, so don't give up.

    Thanks
    I am waiting for the response from the hospitol and I just received the other forms in the mail today. I hope that things work out. I can not believe that it is that hard to find out and get assistance. I am getting the doctor the fill out the form for assistance with the Ensure Tuesday. I figure it never hurts to try everything. My parents have so little money and they do not want me to bepaying their medical bills, which I would if I have to.
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #70
    sweetblood22 said:

    GOOD NEWS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Hey you guys. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers. I have been a serious basket case for three days. I lost almost 7 pounds from being so stressed. I was so scared.

    I had the ultra sound today, and I was so thankful when the tech told me I was going to get the results right then. I was so relieved I was not going to have to wait, as I basically spent 3 days in bed with the dog, velcroed to me and the blankets over my head praying and crying.

    The ultra sound was fine!!!!!!!!!!!! I cried with relief and my legs were like jello trying to walk out of the hospital. As you know, they never found my primary and plus I was stage 4 and had it my lymph nodes, I was really scared.

    So thank you! I really missed you guys without my computer. I thought this new satellite would be better, but it was lightening fast the first day, and now, it's slow again.

    thanks all,

    d

    sweet, I'm just catching up
    sweet, I'm just catching up so I wanted to say FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL, WAT-TO-GO, OUTSTANDING, ETC.!!!!! I'm so happy for you. It is always great to get good news on this site!!
    God Bless,
    Debbie
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #71
    sweetblood22 said:

    Got A Fax
    After much ado, I finally got a fax saying that my civil action hearing is cancelled, and I do not need to go to the magistrate tomorrow. They said that since I do not make enough that my medically necessary services are aprroved 100%. They are going to review everything I owe, I guess. I would not have fought this, but I was really mad because I was paying them, and they still had the nerve to file that.


    It is amazing to me that I pay so much for insurance every month and it is really not the best coverage. ($415, and going to $622 a month) I don't even want to know how much I would owe without insurance. It is sad that a person could go bankrupt getting sick, even when you have insurance.

    I hope that your parents will be approved too, Pumakitty. It took a lot of going back and forth with them, so don't give up.

    GREAT
    sweet, I'm so glad they decided to do what was ONLY RIGHT!! They should have never bothered you at all. It amazes me what people/business expect sometimes. I cannot even imagine what people do who don't have insurance. Anyone needing help with medical bills should ask the hospital if they have financial assistance, most do and if you qualify, they will write your bill off. I'm sure it's a big write off for them at the end of the year, but that's ok, it works. It is just a shame, like you said, that you had to deal with that when you were already involved in a battle, a battle for your life! I'm glad it is over and I'd call them back with any future bills. I am like you and most people, I hate to ask for help, but you know what, we work and pay taxes to help others so if we need a little help now, then SO BE IT!!! If we can help (of course we have no choice, but hey), then we shouldn't get down on ourselves b/c we need help. Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to go off like that...lol.
    Take care and God Bless,
    Debbie
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #72
    Pumakitty said:

    Thanks
    I am waiting for the response from the hospitol and I just received the other forms in the mail today. I hope that things work out. I can not believe that it is that hard to find out and get assistance. I am getting the doctor the fill out the form for assistance with the Ensure Tuesday. I figure it never hurts to try everything. My parents have so little money and they do not want me to bepaying their medical bills, which I would if I have to.

    Pumakitty, you should try
    Pumakitty, you should try with all agencies your parents use for the treatment. As I told sweet, we pay taxes to help people we don't even know, so why not get help for ourselves now that we need it. Be sure to check with the hospital as they may be able to help with any hospital bills or tests. I'm in Cincinnati, OH and our hospitals write off bills for people with low incomes. I wish you and your parents the best. Please keep us posted as to how it turns out and how your parents are doing.
    God Bless,
    Debbie
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #73
    debbiejeanne said:

    GREAT
    sweet, I'm so glad they decided to do what was ONLY RIGHT!! They should have never bothered you at all. It amazes me what people/business expect sometimes. I cannot even imagine what people do who don't have insurance. Anyone needing help with medical bills should ask the hospital if they have financial assistance, most do and if you qualify, they will write your bill off. I'm sure it's a big write off for them at the end of the year, but that's ok, it works. It is just a shame, like you said, that you had to deal with that when you were already involved in a battle, a battle for your life! I'm glad it is over and I'd call them back with any future bills. I am like you and most people, I hate to ask for help, but you know what, we work and pay taxes to help others so if we need a little help now, then SO BE IT!!! If we can help (of course we have no choice, but hey), then we shouldn't get down on ourselves b/c we need help. Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to go off like that...lol.
    Take care and God Bless,
    Debbie

    what's right
    I agree. I am learning amybe I should start to ask for help. it is the hard headed sicilian side of me I guess. At the end I still did not ask for help. I simply told them I could pay them what I have been paying most months, which was a hundred bucks. They were the ones telling me that was not enough. I informed them that you basically cannot get blood from a stone, and since I have not a dollar of discretionary income if it comes down to my health insurance/"food"/car insurance that they were the last out at the end of the month. That is when she asked how much I made, and told me she was going to send me the forms. I have to get over my issue with inappropriate guilt. I am learning....slowly.
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #74
    sweetblood22 said:

    what's right
    I agree. I am learning amybe I should start to ask for help. it is the hard headed sicilian side of me I guess. At the end I still did not ask for help. I simply told them I could pay them what I have been paying most months, which was a hundred bucks. They were the ones telling me that was not enough. I informed them that you basically cannot get blood from a stone, and since I have not a dollar of discretionary income if it comes down to my health insurance/"food"/car insurance that they were the last out at the end of the month. That is when she asked how much I made, and told me she was going to send me the forms. I have to get over my issue with inappropriate guilt. I am learning....slowly.

    Sweet, I also had a hard
    Sweet, I also had a hard time learning but we shouldn't worry about doctor bills when we are fighting for our lives. They wouldn't get paid if we die so let's concentrate on what's most important, OUR HEALTH!!! They won't go broke without our money. As I said before, we are only taking a little of what we've paid out our entire working lives...lol.
    God Bless,
    Debbie
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    #75
    sweetblood22 said:

    what's right
    I agree. I am learning amybe I should start to ask for help. it is the hard headed sicilian side of me I guess. At the end I still did not ask for help. I simply told them I could pay them what I have been paying most months, which was a hundred bucks. They were the ones telling me that was not enough. I informed them that you basically cannot get blood from a stone, and since I have not a dollar of discretionary income if it comes down to my health insurance/"food"/car insurance that they were the last out at the end of the month. That is when she asked how much I made, and told me she was going to send me the forms. I have to get over my issue with inappropriate guilt. I am learning....slowly.

    What a lovely picture!! It
    What a lovely picture!! It is recent, no? It looks like the haircut you have now?
    But where is the dog????Hope all is going well with the bills. Take care of yourself first.
    Stacey
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #76
    sweetblood22 said:

    what's right
    I agree. I am learning amybe I should start to ask for help. it is the hard headed sicilian side of me I guess. At the end I still did not ask for help. I simply told them I could pay them what I have been paying most months, which was a hundred bucks. They were the ones telling me that was not enough. I informed them that you basically cannot get blood from a stone, and since I have not a dollar of discretionary income if it comes down to my health insurance/"food"/car insurance that they were the last out at the end of the month. That is when she asked how much I made, and told me she was going to send me the forms. I have to get over my issue with inappropriate guilt. I am learning....slowly.

    Hi Sweet


    MD Anderson tried doing me this same thing, they said I need to pay a set amount every month in accordance with there policy, which was way more then I could afford. I told the lady at MD Anderson they was not the only hospital and doctor I go to and that if they don’t like what I can pay them then do what they needed to do. In the end they agreed to what I said I could pay, I no longer go to them, I am back with my local doctor who understands I am a person and not a bank account.

    PS: Great looking picture
  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #77
    Hondo said:

    Hi Sweet


    MD Anderson tried doing me this same thing, they said I need to pay a set amount every month in accordance with there policy, which was way more then I could afford. I told the lady at MD Anderson they was not the only hospital and doctor I go to and that if they don’t like what I can pay them then do what they needed to do. In the end they agreed to what I said I could pay, I no longer go to them, I am back with my local doctor who understands I am a person and not a bank account.

    PS: Great looking picture

    Love the dress...
    Sweet, I absolutely love the new picture, you look gorgeous in that dress. I wish I looked half as good ;-( Lost so much weight that my face looks way too skinny and old - lol

    Happy to hear that things are going better for you and I hope you continue on the upward spiral.

    My best to you - Glenna
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #78
    Glenna M said:

    Love the dress...
    Sweet, I absolutely love the new picture, you look gorgeous in that dress. I wish I looked half as good ;-( Lost so much weight that my face looks way too skinny and old - lol

    Happy to hear that things are going better for you and I hope you continue on the upward spiral.

    My best to you - Glenna

    Sweet!
    Gorgeous picture of you Sweet! Love the dress!
    Roz
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #79
    rozaroo said:

    Sweet!
    Gorgeous picture of you Sweet! Love the dress!
    Roz

    Many thanks
    This is the first full picture I have taken of myself where I am not hiding behind the dog since my surgery and treatment. I am starting to feel a little bit better. I still cannot believe how fatigued I still am. My tongue still hurts, but I have another bit of good news. I have been able to eat a couple of chicken legs! I was so happy I almost cried. I have not been able to eat and swallow a piece of meat in over a year.

    Also doc sent me for routine chest xray and he said it was good. Baby steps I guess. I wish I wasn't so impatient. Well, it has been over a year since my treatment ended, I guess I am not really impatient. lol
  • fishingirl
    fishingirl Member Posts: 188
    #80
    sweetblood22 said:

    Many thanks
    This is the first full picture I have taken of myself where I am not hiding behind the dog since my surgery and treatment. I am starting to feel a little bit better. I still cannot believe how fatigued I still am. My tongue still hurts, but I have another bit of good news. I have been able to eat a couple of chicken legs! I was so happy I almost cried. I have not been able to eat and swallow a piece of meat in over a year.

    Also doc sent me for routine chest xray and he said it was good. Baby steps I guess. I wish I wasn't so impatient. Well, it has been over a year since my treatment ended, I guess I am not really impatient. lol

    Good for you! And you look
    Good for you! And you look fantastic!! I think with us, impatients is an on going thing:) We are forever waiting for one test result to the next! lol!

    Cindy
  • Pumakitty
    Pumakitty Member Posts: 652
    #81
    sweetblood22 said:

    Many thanks
    This is the first full picture I have taken of myself where I am not hiding behind the dog since my surgery and treatment. I am starting to feel a little bit better. I still cannot believe how fatigued I still am. My tongue still hurts, but I have another bit of good news. I have been able to eat a couple of chicken legs! I was so happy I almost cried. I have not been able to eat and swallow a piece of meat in over a year.

    Also doc sent me for routine chest xray and he said it was good. Baby steps I guess. I wish I wasn't so impatient. Well, it has been over a year since my treatment ended, I guess I am not really impatient. lol

    How Wonderful
    Sweet

    I am so happy to hear your good news and you look great. Love the dress. I hope the chicken was good. My dad enjoyed his chicken legs the other night. Good news about the chest x-ray.

    Have a good weekend and enjoy your better health.

    Lots of love,
    Kitty

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