I'd Like to Thank the Academy

It's that most American of holidays, Thanksgiving, and this year I would like to give thanks for so many things and to so many people.

I am eternally grateful to the doctors, nurses and medical staff who provided such excellent care and counsel. I am extremely thankful for the friends, family and colleagues who have provided such a wealth of support. I am particularly grateful to Lydia, my dearest friend, for all that she has done for me, and with me, during this long journey.

And it has been a rather long journey. After starting it in late August of 2010, I finished my yearlong Herceptin treatment in mid-October 2011. My port was removed just over three weeks ago on Halloween. I had a heart scan and a visit with my medical oncologist that same day. Everything checked out fine, despite one little mysterious abnormality in my other breast that called for an ultrasound. All was clear. I trust it will continue to be so for many years to come. Now I will continue the journey in a less invasive way, by taking an aromatase inhibitor daily for the next four and a half years, regular visits to the doctor and alternating having a mammogram and MRI every six months. 

It has also been a costly journey and I must acknowledge several wonderful groups that have helped me manage the out of pocket costs. Both Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Washington University Physicians, who staff the Siteman Cancer Center, offer support for those who meet certain financial criteria. They helped with expenses not covered by insurance. That included my annual $5,000 deductible, which the hospital and physicians group covered in full in 2010.  In 2011, the physician’s group covered 40% of my chemotherapy drugs until I reached my deductible in early February.

To help subsidize the 60% of the chemotherapy costs not covered by the physicians or insurance, I applied to the wonderful Co-Pay Relief Program of the Patient Advocate Foundation for a grant. They paid a significant portion of the balance I owed to the Washington University physicians, and I am so grateful for their very generous support. The Co-Pay Relief Program is one of the few programs that will take a look back at medical expenses already incurred and will assist with those payments. I have also received support from The Breast Cancer Society to help cover related medical expenses, such as the drug, Arimidex, which I will take daily for five years.

With the help of all of those mentioned above, I was able to greatly reduce my balance with the doctors’ group. They then worked with me to arrange an 18-month payment plan with no interest, which makes my debt to them quite manageable, and is a huge help. I am eternally grateful for all this support, and it relieved a good deal of the stress that financial matters can bring, particularly when one is already dealing with serious health issues.

I have had kind offers from friends and family for help of various kinds. It has been hard to know what to ask of people, and luckily I was able to remain fairly self-sufficient. But I really appreciate everyone’s kindness and concern. It may seem a little after the fact, but I now have an idea for anyone who still might want to do something for me. If there were one thing I would ask of people who can manage it, it would be to donate a few dollars to the Co-Pay Relief Program or the Breast Cancer Society, so they can continue to provide assistance to people like me, who need just a bit of help to fill in the gaps created by large deductibles or co-pays. Their help really made a huge difference for me, by providing peace of mind, diminishing worries about how to pay for some of those out of pocket costs. And, in January 2012, I will be looking to both organizations again for support as we begin a new year with a new annual deductible!  Thanks!