Colon Cancer

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  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #22
    dmdwins said:

    Thanks for the tutorial
    Cheryl,
    Thanks for the tutorial for PM messaging. I had recently seen that you could do that but really wasn't sure how. Now I know!!

    DAwn

    Dawn :)
    You are welcome :)

    Enjoy!

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl
  • jenben59
    jenben59 Member Posts: 136 Member
    #23
    Hello,Mary.
    This is a great place to get your questions answered and wonderful support. I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but there are people here with stage 4 that have been around a long time and are very knowledgeable. My opinion on Cancer Treatment Center is very negative. When I first found out I had cancer I remember seeing the commercials on TV, so I got online to find out what they were all about. In a nutshell, I had a brain tumor 4 years ago and had excellent insurance. When I could not work I paid it through COBRA until it ran out. Needless to say, no company would insure me after a brain tumor so I was eligible for Medicare. I have that and a Medigap policy. When I contacted Cancer Treatment Center and was getting information the first thing they asked me about was insurance. When I told her I have Medicare and a Medigap policy, she kind of "blew me off" and basically was not very interested in having me as a patient. I was mad. I was upset enough about finding out I had cancer, I didn't need the attitude. Their commercials on TV paint a pretty picture, but I don't trust them. I go to MD Anderson caner center and they accept all insurance, work with you on everything, (social workers, insurance claims, massage therapy, wigs, support groups for everything, and more) The doctors/oncologists do not "blow off" anything you have a question about and if you have pain or complain about side effects or symptoms they check it out and will run tests. If you are near or can get to MD Anderson I strongly suggest you check it out. You will find great people there, from the office staff to the aide and nurses that take care of you. I wish you well. If I can help with anything, please let me know.
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #24
    jenben59 said:

    Hello,Mary.
    This is a great place to get your questions answered and wonderful support. I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but there are people here with stage 4 that have been around a long time and are very knowledgeable. My opinion on Cancer Treatment Center is very negative. When I first found out I had cancer I remember seeing the commercials on TV, so I got online to find out what they were all about. In a nutshell, I had a brain tumor 4 years ago and had excellent insurance. When I could not work I paid it through COBRA until it ran out. Needless to say, no company would insure me after a brain tumor so I was eligible for Medicare. I have that and a Medigap policy. When I contacted Cancer Treatment Center and was getting information the first thing they asked me about was insurance. When I told her I have Medicare and a Medigap policy, she kind of "blew me off" and basically was not very interested in having me as a patient. I was mad. I was upset enough about finding out I had cancer, I didn't need the attitude. Their commercials on TV paint a pretty picture, but I don't trust them. I go to MD Anderson caner center and they accept all insurance, work with you on everything, (social workers, insurance claims, massage therapy, wigs, support groups for everything, and more) The doctors/oncologists do not "blow off" anything you have a question about and if you have pain or complain about side effects or symptoms they check it out and will run tests. If you are near or can get to MD Anderson I strongly suggest you check it out. You will find great people there, from the office staff to the aide and nurses that take care of you. I wish you well. If I can help with anything, please let me know.

    Jenben...
    Wow... I don't think I had ever heard that part of your story before. I'm soooo sorry to hear you had to experience that kind of attitude! Since we get all the American television networks up here, I have seen the ads for the Cancer Treatment Centers and I was wondering what they were all about (our facilities run on a slightly different concept, although from what I gather, there are similarities with having the resources all handled by a cancer treatment facility). The ads certainly do make them sound like very caring, peaceful places. What I couldn't figure out from the ads were if these were places you went and were treated by doctors/surgeons/etc. or if they were places you actually went to stay at, sort of like a hospital.

    I wonder why the gal sort of "blew you out of the water" when she found out what kind of insurance you had? I take it these facilities are private for-profit businesses and not related to a hospital?

    Well, I"m certainly glad you did end up with a centre that you are happy with! I've heard of a few people on the boards here refer to MD Anderson. Is this a single facility, or a facility that has branches in other states? I'm thinking that it must have branches in other states... either that, or you all live in the same state :):)

    Huggggs,

    Cheryl
  • Mike49
    Mike49 Member Posts: 261
    #25
    CherylHutch said:

    Jenben...
    Wow... I don't think I had ever heard that part of your story before. I'm soooo sorry to hear you had to experience that kind of attitude! Since we get all the American television networks up here, I have seen the ads for the Cancer Treatment Centers and I was wondering what they were all about (our facilities run on a slightly different concept, although from what I gather, there are similarities with having the resources all handled by a cancer treatment facility). The ads certainly do make them sound like very caring, peaceful places. What I couldn't figure out from the ads were if these were places you went and were treated by doctors/surgeons/etc. or if they were places you actually went to stay at, sort of like a hospital.

    I wonder why the gal sort of "blew you out of the water" when she found out what kind of insurance you had? I take it these facilities are private for-profit businesses and not related to a hospital?

    Well, I"m certainly glad you did end up with a centre that you are happy with! I've heard of a few people on the boards here refer to MD Anderson. Is this a single facility, or a facility that has branches in other states? I'm thinking that it must have branches in other states... either that, or you all live in the same state :):)

    Huggggs,

    Cheryl

    Health Care Reform Now
    These stories are why I want the US to have a robust health care reform, I have great care and coverage, I think all of us should too, COBRA is a joke, if you have a spare thousand a month to pay after loosing your job, it works but who does have that kind of resources.

    I;ve been silent awhile, I always like to read your posts Cheryl, 11 treatments down and two to go, and I can't say that enough.

    Mike
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #26
    Mike49 said:

    Health Care Reform Now
    These stories are why I want the US to have a robust health care reform, I have great care and coverage, I think all of us should too, COBRA is a joke, if you have a spare thousand a month to pay after loosing your job, it works but who does have that kind of resources.

    I;ve been silent awhile, I always like to read your posts Cheryl, 11 treatments down and two to go, and I can't say that enough.

    Mike

    Go, Mike, Go!!!
    WOW... only 2 more to go??? The light at the end of the tunnel is so close now you can almost touch it!! I know it probably seems a lot longer for you, but it seriously feels like just a couple of months ago and you were about to start the chemo journey. You had questions that we all have when about to begin and then once you started, I remember comparing notes, so to speak. And all the discussions on Health Care Reform, the pros and cons... and the misinformation. Oooh, those conversations could get quite heated... a topic that shouldn't really be that heated because surely everyone agrees on what the end result should be... but there's lots of discussion and suggestions on how to get there. I found some of the opinions fascinating and others kind of scary. It definitely opened my eyes!

    Now, here we are, how many months later and you only have two more treatments to go!! How amazingly wonderful is that??? It's too bad you didn't live closer, or I didn't live further south... we could have one heck of a celebration dinner!

    But it's countdown time now, so make a big to-do about these last two treatments... and try not to get too upset when it's all over :):)

    Huggggggs,

    Cheryl
  • mary roberts
    mary roberts Member Posts: 9
    #27
    dmdwins said:

    Mary,
    I believe you can send
    Mary,
    I believe you can send me a private message. I have not done this before but there is a recent post called "What is pm me" or something -that gives instructions on how to send a private message. You can try that and see if it gets to me. I would be happy to call you and chat. I believe from what you have told me your chemo is the same as what I had except I had oxaliplatin also with 5fu (pump for 48 hours also) lecovorin(the combo is called folfox)and Avastin.

    I am doing well and you will be too someday. The chemo is tough-but worth it.

    Hope to hear from you soon

    Dawn

    Please give me a call
    Hi Dawn:

    I did find out that my chemo treatments are the same as what you had received. I just have a few questions that I would like to ask you personally. My phone number is 816-444-4578. I feel safe enough doing this.

    You sound like you have been successful after your treatment. I hope to hear back from you.

    Thanks for keeping in touch.

    Mary
  • mary roberts
    mary roberts Member Posts: 9
    #28
    dmdwins said:

    Mary,
    I believe you can send
    Mary,
    I believe you can send me a private message. I have not done this before but there is a recent post called "What is pm me" or something -that gives instructions on how to send a private message. You can try that and see if it gets to me. I would be happy to call you and chat. I believe from what you have told me your chemo is the same as what I had except I had oxaliplatin also with 5fu (pump for 48 hours also) lecovorin(the combo is called folfox)and Avastin.

    I am doing well and you will be too someday. The chemo is tough-but worth it.

    Hope to hear from you soon

    Dawn

    Please give me a call
    Hi Dawn:

    I did find out that my chemo treatments are the same as what you had received. I just have a few questions that I would like to ask you personally. My phone number is 816-444-4578. I feel safe enough doing this.

    You sound like you have been successful after your treatment. I hope to hear back from you.

    Thanks for keeping in touch.

    Mary
  • mary roberts
    mary roberts Member Posts: 9
    #29
    jenben59 said:

    Hello,Mary.
    This is a great place to get your questions answered and wonderful support. I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but there are people here with stage 4 that have been around a long time and are very knowledgeable. My opinion on Cancer Treatment Center is very negative. When I first found out I had cancer I remember seeing the commercials on TV, so I got online to find out what they were all about. In a nutshell, I had a brain tumor 4 years ago and had excellent insurance. When I could not work I paid it through COBRA until it ran out. Needless to say, no company would insure me after a brain tumor so I was eligible for Medicare. I have that and a Medigap policy. When I contacted Cancer Treatment Center and was getting information the first thing they asked me about was insurance. When I told her I have Medicare and a Medigap policy, she kind of "blew me off" and basically was not very interested in having me as a patient. I was mad. I was upset enough about finding out I had cancer, I didn't need the attitude. Their commercials on TV paint a pretty picture, but I don't trust them. I go to MD Anderson caner center and they accept all insurance, work with you on everything, (social workers, insurance claims, massage therapy, wigs, support groups for everything, and more) The doctors/oncologists do not "blow off" anything you have a question about and if you have pain or complain about side effects or symptoms they check it out and will run tests. If you are near or can get to MD Anderson I strongly suggest you check it out. You will find great people there, from the office staff to the aide and nurses that take care of you. I wish you well. If I can help with anything, please let me know.

    Encouragement
    Hi Jenben:

    Thanks for the encouragement. I do not feel that I need to go MD Anderson at this point with my treatment. We also have KU Medical center close by that would be another option.

    I hope that your insurance situation is helpful in your search for better care. I also found out that stage IV is pretty much an in for disability which I plan to pursue since I have lost my job over this disease.

    Take care and hope to hear from you soon.
    Mary

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