My New Fight; Prostate Cancer

[bushido_man96]

Good to hear that, Bob! I keep praying for you!

[sensei8]

Good to hear that, Bob! I keep praying for you!

Thank you, Brian!!

[sensei8]

UPDATE:

This morning, January 13, 2022, I went to my Oncologist appointment at 8:30am. Since the end of the Americas Care Act has ended, my co-pay for the office visit is $20; not bad.

Dr. Goodman and I spoke for about 15 minutes, he gets right to the point. He asked me if I went to get the X-Rays of my mid-back, and I informed him that I did that the very day that he wrote out the referral. He indicates that he's still not received them back as of yet. He asked me if I went to the hospital that's part of the medical center that his practice resides. and I told him "No". The hospital doesn't except my insurance. The hospital sent me to another Image Center that's a stone's throw away from the hospital, however, that Image Center doesn't accept my insurance either. I was then directed to another Image Center a few miles away from the second choice, of which, they did accept my insurance...three times a charm.

Dr. Goodman asked me the name of that Image center, and I drew a big fat blank, and I wasn't smart enough to get their business card, nor was I wise enough to keep the proof of the visit; I misplaced the darn thing. Dr. Goodman says that there's only three places that he sends patients to, so he'll become Sherlock Holmes and track down the X-Rays, and he'll call me with the results.

I told him that my mid-back has its moments from a scale of 0-10, pain wise, and that the Chiropractor is still on the burner, pending the X-Ray results.

My PSA (Prostate-specific antigen) dropped once again. It's gone down from 0.12 to 0.09!! Our goal is to reach 0.01, and then to maintain that through management.

Dr. Goodman tells me that we can still wait until June for Radiation Therapy Treatments. However, he says that the sooner, the better. The type of Radiation Therapy Treatments is called Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), yeah, a mouth full, for sure. My understanding about IMRT is that it's far from being affordable, can be painful, and can cause secondary cancer...not what I wanted to hear, nor read. Without insurance, IMRT can cost near 60K...pain can be from being readjusted while on the table and from the machine itself...the secondary cancer scares me the most. One cancer is enough, in the name of Jesus!!

My next appointment with Dr. Goodman is March 3, 2022 at 1pm.

My next appointment for my Eligard shot is April 8, 2022 at 1pm.

Afterwards, I went to the Financial Department to see if my Financial Assistance for my Eligard shot has been renewed for another year.

Now some disheartening news about my Eligard shot. I was NOT RENEWED for the providers financial assistance. No Patient was. The provider, after all of the paperwork was submitted to the provider, the provider closed the window. The window might reopen when fundings are provided. The closed window might be due to the fear of another pandemic purge, where lockdown and the like might be implemented once again nationwide. Who knows why?!??!!

The Financial Department at the Comprehensive Cancer Center will keep a close eye on the situation daily. If the window opens, then we'll be contacted. I will check in with that department in 7 weeks when I see Dr. Goodman.

How am I going to continue my treatments every 4 months without the blessing for the Financial Assistance? I guess I won't. Money before treatments. Once again, Eligard now costs over $15,000 per shot.

I wept in the office of the Financial Manager.

[Patrick]

Good to hear the progress, sorry about the set back. When was the last time you had the shot?

Patrick

[sensei8]

Good to hear the progress, sorry about the set back. When was the last time you had the shot?

Patrick

Thank you, Patrick!!

My last shot was December 8, 2021. Next shot is April 2022.

[Patrick]

Cool. That's good. I was curious just to know if you had missed a shot already, but it sounds like you haven't, so there is some time to straighten the funding side out before you need your next one.

Patrick

[sensei8]

UPDATE:

Saw my Medical Oncologist, Dr. Oscar Goodman, today, March 3, 2022, at 1300. He asked me how I was feeling? "Fine", I said. Any pains? "No", I said. He placed his stethoscope to my back while he listened to my breathing and all...No concerns. I mentioned to him that I was in need of some new refills on my pill Bicalutamide 50mg; of which he ordered more for me.

X-Ray on my mid-back were negative. This is good! This also means that it's time to go see my Chiropractor for some adjustments.

Didn't attend our monthly Support Group because...we just simply forgot. My wife, Linda, put Reminders on both of our cell phones, and I hope that that works.

Got some GREAT NEWS from Dr. Goodman:

1) PSA stable at 0.09

This next one caused me to smile ear to ear...

2) I'm in COMPLETE REMISSION

This last one cause be to cry tears of joy...

3) My Stage 4 Prostate Cancer IS CUREABLE: I've only a microdot on my L4 and T12. This is why Dr. Goodman referred me back to Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Michael Becker, to begin Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) asap.

Praise, God!!

My next appointments are:

*April 8, 2022, at 1300, for my treatment shot of Eligard.

*May 3, 2022, at 1300, for a follow-up with Dr. Goodman. He wants to see me every two-months.

Spoke with the Financial Department Manager today after seeing Dr. Goodman and setting up my appointments. What I found out was NOT promising at all. Come to find out, the Financial Assistance is granted/denied, mine is still denied, based on the following parameters:

1) Diagnosis, and NOT prognosis

2) Medical Insurance

3) Cost of the medicine

No Financial Assistance for my treatment shot of Eligard!!

These parameters are based on individual cases and NOT for the general masses of patients, which was my misunderstanding. However, once I meet the $2500 out-of-pocket, all co-pays for that year are ZERO. Better yet, the Financial Manager told me that I can pay whatever I can afford, $100 or $200; they'll NEVER refuse me treatments. Other than that, I'm reaching the age where I'll be getting Medicare, and with that, as well as Supplemental Medical Insurance, I'm told that my yearly will be very low or taken care for.

That's all for now!!

[bushido_man96]

Sounds like great news all around, Bob! Remission! That's awesome! So happy for you!

[sensei8]

Sounds like great news all around, Bob! Remission! That's awesome! So happy for you!

Thank you, Brian!! The best of it all is that it's curable!!

Thank you ALL for your continued support while I battle!!

[Patrick]

Very happy to hear the health news.

The financial stuff is a mixed bag, but at least there is some upside to it. I'm sure you were relieved to hear that you can pay what you can afford at the moment.

Patrick