HewRon wrote:
>
> Dear Manny,
>
> No. The tiredness comes from the chemotherapy and the kind of treatment you
> get in the hospital.
>
> You are right. I am lucky to have a good insurance policy, but it cost me
> dearly over many years -- I have paid premiums for more than 30 years, and
> made only minor claims until recently. If I were not insured, God knows what
> would happen to me. I would be one of those who depend on the kindness of
> strangers.
>
> This chemo, at least the kind I am getting, really knocks the stuffing out of
> you.
>
> When I said "$20,000 a week" I was of course not speaking just about the room.
> I was basing it upon my first five weeks, the induction period when you get a
> couple of weeks of intensive chemo -- three different chemicals -- and spend
> the rest of the time recovering. At the outset of course you have dozens of
> tests at the highest technical level. I was scanned, probed, X-rayed, and the
> myriad other things they do to you to determine your condition and in
> preparation for chemo with no holds barred. Apart from leukemia, I appear to
> be in the best of health! I haven't had a cold for years and years.
>
> I have not yet seen any bills for my periods of consolidation. But the bill
> for my initial five weeks came to well over $90,000 -- I can't lay my hands on
> the actual bill at this moment -- which included a private room, for which I
> have already paid the extra except for the days (many of them) when my
> oncologist considered privacy essential in view of my dwindling blood count. I
> have heard nothing in that regard from the insurance company or the hospital,
> and as far as I know they are still talking things over.
>
> So: my treatment has been elaborate, and probably, so far as "conventional"
> medicine is concerned, the best around. As a matter of fact, some people
> reacted to the $90,000-plus bill with "Is that all? I expected it to be more."
> When I first saw it, I was astounded. And in addition, of course, there are
> dozens and dozens of "little" bills for a few hundred dollars from doctors
> whose names you don't know, radiologists etc., but who get paid by the
> insurance company without question, so they must be legit. I should also tell
> you that I was admitted to hospital on an emergency basis, after a five-minute
> episode when I couldn't stand up. So that bill includes elaborate emergency
> examinations, including a brain scan.
>
> I am trying to keep these bills and insurance statements neatly filed
> together, but I can tell you that in my now general haze, I dread trying to
> pull things together for tax time in April. I have always done my taxes
> myself. But this year I have to hand it all over to an accountant who knows
> the ropes.
>
> As to my "condition", well, it was discovered by accident when I sought help
> from my personal physician for several infections that followed quickly upon
> one another. A blood test revealed a white count of 1,300. Actually, apart
> from the infections, I felt pretty good, though rather more tired than usual.
> A bone marrow biopsy (ouch) revealed that I had acute leukemia (there's a
> middle word but it escapes me right now). Do I feel better now than I did
> then? Nope. Nor, everyone says, should I expect to. I cannot expect to feel
> better until I have run the full course of treatment, which God willing will
> end next month, and rested. Then gradually, along with my hair, my well-being
> should return. Truth to tell, I think I feel worse after each consolidation,
> and pray that it all proves worthwhile in the end.
>
> Thank God I have loved ones who have stood by me, who encourage me in so many
> ways. I cannot complain. Had the leukemia not been discovered, I might well be
> dead by now. As things stand, my body functions are fine, my lungs are clear,
> my heart is strong and healthy (I watched it during this last hospital stay on
> one of those echo screens, and heard it too from many angles. I have many
> rhythm groups in there. Talk about syncopation!) So the big problem is I'm
> just not feeling good.
>
> But I do feel I am in the best of hands, conventional-therapy-wise. I have
> also augmented this treatment with the now regular accompaniments, which
> you've probably read about. I would also be interested in hearing about any
> alternate therapies for leukemia, because, search as I have, I've found
> nothing convincing. I have faith, I am optimistic, I am positive, but I am
> also pooped. And I have to face the fact that before I started the
> consolidation process I was told the chances of success were one in three. One
> had to consider the alternative ...
>
> I have vastly over-simplified things, but I hope I've answered your questions,
> Manny.
>
> If not, let me know.
>
> It's 10.32 a.m. here in New York. I went for a brief and shakey-feeling walk a
> little earlier, and did a wee bit of shopping because at that time of day the
> shops are pretty empty round about here. I have started my self-injections of
> neupogen, so by Christmas Day my white count should be way up.
>
> All the best
>
> -- Ron
>
Ron,
May I suggest, as I have before, that if you should feel any bone aches
around the 7th or 8th day of neuopogen, pls take another cbc (complete
blood count) test to determine level of white cells and anc (absolute
neutroful count)...If this level is higher than norm, them you may want
to discuss with your med team to discontinue neuopogen.
Take care my friend and enjoy as much as you can the gaiety of the
season and know that support and love and friendship is but a touch away
to the computer and here.
Your friends in support
God Bless YOu and all here
Marty and Barb auslander
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