Today August 26, 2010 I had round 8 of my chemo drugs.. my LAST chemo treatment!!! Yippee!!!!
Today when I met with Dr. Richert-Boe, she asked me all the usual questions like, sores in your mouth (no), diarrhea(no), constipation(no) numbness or tingling in your fingertips and toes (sort of ,, only my on my heals), eating OK (yes, too much!). Then she proceeded to say that I have made it, I did it, this is over with.
Dr. Richert-Boe is a retired Dr that came back to work for 2 days a week in oncology. She has even spent some time in the research dept studying cancer. She is quiet lady, has long gray hair that is not pulled back. At first she kind of scared me but as time went on, she has gotten nicer and nicer. Today she even got online on the computer in the exam room and showed Richard I pictures of her horses, (she plays polo in Tacoma on the weekends).
The plan for check ups is the following: I will still go to Kaiser for the Herceptin (non chemo drug that I have been going weekly for.) for the next three Thursday's, then I will go for it every three weeks for the next 9 months (projected end date is June 16, 2011)
Will meet with Dr. Richert-Boe every three weeks for 6 months, then every three months for 2 years, then once every 6 months for a year, then once a year for 5 years.
When I asked how and when they will test me again for cancer to see if its coming back, she said I will still get my yearly mammograms, but its mostly in the Dr's visits that its discovered. By the questions they ask and any symptoms I would tell them I am feeling.
So is still a long road ahead of me.. but winding down!
Now that I have had my last treatment, now I wait for the side effects of the leg pain to show up in the next couple of days.
I did it, I cant believe the tough part of chemo is completely over with! I feel proud and happy, almost giddy about it!!
Side note:
I am done fighting with Kaiser about my bill. They finished their review of my appointments and co pays and said I owed them $140.00. I had receipts for some of it and my bill ended up being $115.00.
And they gave me a voucher that says I have met my out of pocket and deductible and do not have to pay the co pays any more. So today I showed my voucher and it worked great!
However, I still deep down disagree with what has been billed but its to my favor! I guess my policy says I am suppose to pay for the visit with the Dr. and not the copay for the infusion visit the same day. I see they have not billed me for most of the visits with the Dr. (today I think she used the voucher for both the Dr's visit and the infusion so today I think was free of co pays!) so until the end of 2010 my Herceptin visits every three weeks will not have a copay.
I do have to pay the $10.00 copay for the lab work I do before every chemo visit.
I figure if they did a research on it, its not my fault what they bill me, if its less money!
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Dearest Daughter, You have been so brave. If I would have had to go thru all the stuff you did, I would have been the crab of the century! But not sweet you!
ReplyDeleteJehovah has helped us so much. He helped you keep a good attitude thru it all, even tho you felt so bad at times. He moved the Credit Union to be very generous, and he helped Richard to get a better job, so he could be with you more. What a great God we worship!!
I enjoyed Beth's message. She remembered things I'de forgetten---like the liver!! I didn't cook it too often because I could never get anyone to eat it!! I wonder why!!
With Chemo out of the way, we can look to the future, without you being sick. Nice, huh? So hang in there, Honey, and we'll beat the radiation, too. I love you so much. MOM