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Never too young for colon cancer.. Where I've been

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by F8L, Apr 25, 2009.

  1. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    Justin so glad to hear that you are still able to work. i have had a half dozen co-workers who were forced to quit to qualify for full medical for their treatment.

    under our worker's rights here, employers cannot fire you if you are too sick to work. i know a very close friend who quit about two months ago due to multiple bouts of cancer covering about 3 years now. at times she was so weak and sick that she could not work more than 2-3 hours at a time.

    although our employer did alter her schedule (just about allowed her to work anytime she could. we must be logged into our computers to be paid so there is very little opportunity to slack off here.) to meet her ability to work, many times she simply could not do it enough to pay her basic medical.

    she was already sleeping on the couch of another friend, had pretty much sold everything she owned. but our medical coverage options are EXTREMELY Expensive and i am guessing she took the cheaper option to save on the premiums (top premium rate for singles is over $200 a month) but then she was basically told that there was only one real hope of extending her life significantly and it was a drug her insurance would not cover and it would run about $2500 a month. so off she went.

    it was very sad to see her go from independence (i met her right after her divorce about 5 years ago and she was a wreck but recovered her confidence and was doing very well when this all started) to pretty much nothing.
     
  2. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    That is such a horrible story. :(

    I could see how easily it could happen though. With even a small decrease in my income I would be forced to move out and live with someone or rent a single room. My medical runs $350/mo so it's not cheap but not too bad either. Thankfully all of my chemo drugs and prescriptions are basically free.

    Situations like this can be life drastically altering and set you back decades with regards to savings and such but in the end, I'd rather be alive and start over than not here at all. :)
     
  3. Ct. Ken V

    Ct. Ken V Active Member

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    all,

    Not to make light of this thread, but if you think the monthly insurance premiums mentioned in the previous 2 posts are bad, try $1225 per month for 2 people (& that was for calendar year 2009---up from $998 per month for calendar year 2008). Those figures are for a group plan through my former employer (health only---no dental) & after a $625 per month subsidy. Seeing that more than $200 increase in one year made me think that the expected increase for calendar year 2010 would entirely wipe out my pension check, I decided to drop it & go with my wife's poorer but more affordable plan. Now we have some breathing room as far as finances go.

    Ken (in Bolton,Ct)
     
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Ouch! That is my rent payment! :eek:

    May I ask how old both of you are? I'm 35 which is why my premium may be much less than some and much more than others.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    we are 55 and pay $1200. per month through my company. age doesn't matter, everyone pays the same thing. one person = $400./mo. family = $1200. kids or no kids.:mad:
     
  6. skruse

    skruse Senior Member

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    We need medical schools, hospitals and institutions that emphasize prevention.
     
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  7. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    I thought personal plans become more expensive the older you get. Either way, $1200/mo is a big chunk of change for a lot of people.

    Agreed! This is why I tell everyone I meet to get themselves checked early. Most health care providers recommend colon cancer screening after age 50. With the increased incidence of colorectal cancer in pople 30-40yrs old, I think this may change. Until that time, get yourself checked regardless of your doctor's recommendations. :)
     
  8. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Thank you,

    You have a unique experience and sharing may help others . . . not that I've had to come this close. Many years ago I'd briefly thought about 'hanging my own shingle' and had it been just me or my wife's health better . . . but I knew the true costs and continued to work for medical.

    Bob Wilson
     
  9. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    That is all I can hope for. I don't have all of the great technical knowledge or desire to collects and analyze data like some on this form, you in particular, but I enjoy hanging out in here and I enjoy the friends I have made because of this site. If I can help even one person with my story then I am happy. :)

    I think you made the right decision by continuing to work for the medical. We've seen what happens when you cannot afford good medical care and I hope no one ever has to travel the same road as PC members we have lost. :(
     
  10. Ct. Ken V

    Ct. Ken V Active Member

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    Hi F8L,

    We were both 60 last year when we had the $1225 per month premium.

    Ken (in Bolton,Ct)
     
  11. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Thanks, Ken. :)
     
  12. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    I emphasize prevention every day in my doctor role, and the people that I see with lifestyle illness *rarely* are receptive.
     
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  13. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    My family of 4 pays about $350/month with two 50+ year olds to insure against catastrophic illness. We "self-insure" the rest through healthy lifestyle.

    Choices, choices.

    Justin (f8l) definitely was very unlucky, but people should realize that his experience of having colon cancer at his age is very unusual, and represents a *tiny* fraction of the national health budget. The lion's share is preventable morbidity.
     
  14. Dipena

    Dipena Senior Member

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    Justin-

    I haven't visited FHoP in quite awhile...Sorry to hear that you've had a number of setbacks, but delighted to read that you've found a good woman. I'm glad you'll be getting the Avastin. They are finally making some progress in advanced colorectal cancer (I'm a medical writer and I always keep an eye on this topic in my newsfeeds--and think of you) and I am hoping you'll benefit from these small but important advances.

    On a related note, last week I found out that my friend's 18 year old niece was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. How is that even possible?

    Anyway, keep the faith and stay strong, Justin.
     
  15. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    where i work, my employer has HUGE emphasis on prevention as the #1 way of controlling health costs. they pay you $200 a year to simply fill out a health survey (paid out at like $6 per paycheck, every other week hmm. 6*26= $156...ok, maybe its not $200...)

    they also pay us $4 per paycheck if we dont smoke or have quit smoking for at least a year.

    we get weekly emails on healthy living tips, etc so what is the general consenus??

    daily i hear someone in the breakroom eating pastries and sucking down their 2nd energy drink of the morning complaining about them. (energy drinks needed to move the extra 100 lbs they are carrying!!) saying that they are trying to tell them how to live their lives, etc.

    trust me; teaching doctors to instruct patients on how to live a healthier life is pretty much a waste of time on the people who need to hear it most. they have listened to health advice all their lives, they are bombarded by it on TV, talk shows, etc. nothing will make them change their lifestyles except themselves.
     
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if a patient comes in who is overweight, and one comes in at a reasonable weight, same age, do you ask them the same questions about their diet?
     
  17. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    Good question, but I think diet is vital even for someone who isn't overweight. It can make a big difference to cholesterol, for instance. And, it helps to know what you're doing right. My doctor always asks people if they get enough exercise. She says the ones who do say no, and the ones who don't say yes. :cool:
     
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  18. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Bisco,
    most commonly, I explain to patients the connection between the illness that brought them into the hospital or co-morbidities they happen to have, and how habits and lifestyle choices are involved. I tend to emphasize that medicines are a poor, expensive substitute, and lifestyle modification is the smartest thing they can do.

    As Dave said, rare is the case that people take the information to heart and act on it except when the problem is advanced. Lung cancer diagnosis in a tobacco user comes to mind.
     
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't dis agree with you, but i think diet and excercise are important for the obese and non obese alike. i know many people with a very poor diet that are slender and their doc never brings it up because he/she doesn't see a problem until they become ill.:)
     
  20. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    We have ruled out any known genetic reasons for my cancer but since our knowledge of genes and cancer is still in its infancy that could change in the future. My diet has been very poor since I was a child and that may have contributed to the situation but who really knows. I've always stayed away from cigarettes and heavy drinking because of the known side effects and links to cancer. Had diet really been spelled out for me I would have made changes earlier. :( I totally agree with you though. So many people are aware that what they are doing to their bodies is known to be harmful yet they do it anyway.

    Thank you, my friend. It is good to hear from you. :) I'm hoping this cycle will work but it is effecting me in a very bad way.

    Tuesday I went in for my 2nd treatment on this 3rd cycle. I was having reactions to the Irenotecan (CPT-11) so they slowed my infusion down and I spent 8 hours in the clinic. The drug causes my muscle to twitch uncontrollably and I lose the ability to speak well. Even before I left the clinic I started vomiting. I spent the next 2 days hooked up to the 5FU pump and continued to vomit. On Thursday I went back to the clinic to remove the pump and mentioned that my neck (right side), right arm and right shoulder were very sore. They were alarmed and relayed the news to my oncologist. Between the vomiting and the soreness they decided to stick me in the ER. The performed an ultrasound on my neck, shoulder, arm, and back and found blood clots in my jugular and my clavicle area. These likely formed due to my newly install VAP port. :rolleyes:

    I stayed in the hospital that night and late into the next day receiving fluids, anti-coagulant injections, and pain killer. My girlfriend took me home and played nurse. It's amazing how painful these blood clots are. Now I have to give myself injections of Lovenox twice a day for who knows how many months and take Norco to dim the pain enough to hold my head straight. I hate taking pain killers!

    Ohh, and the diarrhea finally kicked in. Wooot! :rockon:

    LOL