The day started with me being late to my first appointment. And I spent forever circling the parking lot just searching for a space. Ugh. But - we move on...
My first appointment of the day was with Dr. L. for a
regular follow up. Her staff was very
happy with their gifts, even if they were corny. Dr. L. checked me over real fast and said
everything was pretty much done. I didn’t
have any more complications from surgery and I won’t need any more after
care. Whoo hoo! So I see her again in 3 months – we’re edging
our way out to sporadic, but regular follow ups J
Of course before I left her office, I was cornered by the
financial lady. She informed me that
between Dr. L.’s office and Dr. S.’s office, I owe about $5,000. No I’m not making light of my debt, but
considered I had 6 rounds of $20,000 chemo and a double mastectomy recently,
$5,000 seems like a drop in the bucket of money they didn’t get paid. After some haggling, I agreed to pay about
$100 a month on a payment plan for the next year to help bring down the amount
I owe. I guess it’s all about that bank.
My next appointment was that afternoon was with Dr. S. It was here I got the horrible news that this
sweet old man is retiring and moving all the way to Oregon! I wanted to cry right there in the
office. He explained that he will be
here until March and then he’s joining a research team up there as well as
moving closer to his family. He kept
saying how much he will me miss me and that I had to come visit some time (ha
ha). Dr. S. told me about another DR.
that will take over my care, Dr. C. and that he comes highly recommended as
well. Dr. S. must have hugged me 6 times
before I left. *sobs* It’s a good thing
I crocheted him a scarf as a Christmas gift since he’ll need it when he moves
up north.
I gave my give to his nurse and left more cookies and trashy crackers for the
rest of the office. Dr. S. said I am
doing great and is pleased to see I’ve come out of chemo and everything else
with little after effects. I will keep
doing the Herceptin until March and then they will schedule regular follow ups
to keep an eye on me – with my new DR.
I had a long talk with Dr. S. about my fears of breast cancer coming back. He assured me again that he’s confident in the treatment we’ve done so far, but I stressed to him that if it ever comes back, and it looks bad – to not give up on me. I told him to tell the DR that will see me next that I don’t want to be told that’s it or that there’s nothing else we can do. I want them to do everything possible to me – even if it means putting me through hell – because I couldn’t handle just sitting around waiting to die. He got a little teary on me, but then told me that he would never let that happen to me and that they would always keep fighting with me. He talked about how there’s always new therapies and treatments emerging, and new ones are available all the time for all cancers and stages. And while he doesn’t think anything will happen after this, he will make sure that if anything does, they will be there for me and keep me going on the war path.
I had a long talk with Dr. S. about my fears of breast cancer coming back. He assured me again that he’s confident in the treatment we’ve done so far, but I stressed to him that if it ever comes back, and it looks bad – to not give up on me. I told him to tell the DR that will see me next that I don’t want to be told that’s it or that there’s nothing else we can do. I want them to do everything possible to me – even if it means putting me through hell – because I couldn’t handle just sitting around waiting to die. He got a little teary on me, but then told me that he would never let that happen to me and that they would always keep fighting with me. He talked about how there’s always new therapies and treatments emerging, and new ones are available all the time for all cancers and stages. And while he doesn’t think anything will happen after this, he will make sure that if anything does, they will be there for me and keep me going on the war path.
I made the mistake of being early to Dr. S.’s office, so the
financial lady in this office cornered me too.
I explained to her that I had already set up a payment plan with Dr. L.’s
office, but she told me it wasn’t enough to pay off the debt I owed. She stressed that I needed to pay $267 a
month to pay off my debt in 12-18 months.
When I asked what the rush was on paying my account, especially since I
wasn’t even finished with treatment, she told me they try to collect all the
money they can before the fiscal year is over.
So it all comes down to that money – because I’m so sure the hospital is
doomed to go under if I don’t have the $5,000 I owe them in 12-18 months. I didn’t meant o get rough, but I finally
told her that she’ll just have to send my accounts to collections because I don’t
have near the amount of money they want and I’m tired of explaining that to
them and being badgered for it. When I
left the lady’s eyes were glossed over, like she might start crying. I felt bad because I don’t like being a bitch
(contrary to popular belief), but then again I wasn’t sorry because I felt like
they should just let me be for now. I
was torn on how to feel at that point.
After my Herceptin infusion, my last appointment for the day
was with Dr. A. – yay! I had a few gifts
for his office too, as well as more cookies and crackers. The girl up front even started crying. Wow
Dr. A. liked his scarf too and felt the need to model it around the office while
checking me over. I was so glad to see
that when I returned this time I have NO MORE necrotic skin on my incisions and
everything is completely healed up! Whoo
hoo! Dr. A. was happy with the progress
too, which makes me smile more.
Aaaannnnnnndd he said we could pump up this visit! Even though the needle always makes my heart
jump out of my chest, I’m still excited to keep moving forward. Before I leave he discusses the implant
surgery with me a little more and a little bit of what to expect. Again, I beg him to suck out my double chin
while he’s in there working, but of course he just smiles at me and, like
Jeremy does, tells me I look fine the way I am.
Bah. I told him what size I
wanted to be again and asked if it was possible. He said it was doable, but it’ll take several
more pumps before we get there. He said
he won’t pump me up all at once because he wants to make sure I keep coming
back and don’t find another surgeon.
Hardy har har :-P I left his office feeling so much better about
my day and actually a little hopeful about the next few months.
Oh yeah and in case I forgot to mention, this is what the needle that pumps up my expanders looks like. Scary!
Oh yeah and in case I forgot to mention, this is what the needle that pumps up my expanders looks like. Scary!
I felt good about how the day went, despite the bumps along
the way. I really felt in the Christmas
spirit – delivering gifts, baking cookies and trashy crackers and just seeing
everyone smile and say ‘oh you didn’t have to do that!’. Lol I
haven’t lost that Christmas joy this year, despite everything that has
happened.
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