my diagnosis of advanced cancer: how to help my kids

Parent Cafe
981

<p>Re a few posts back about health insurance/insurability. NJ has been a state with an individual health mandate for nearly 20 years. This means NO underwriting examination of the risk, and no permanent exclusions. If you switch to a personal policy from a group with less than 60 (may even be 90) days gap, you are covered for everything, NO preexisting conditions. Of course this is why our insurance is SO expensive in this state. Now by virtue of the recent reforms, another option which has federal subsidies is available to those with preexisting conditions. I do not know any more about that policy.</p>

<p>Anyway, I did want to clarify what is available. More info on the website for nj banking and insurance dept is available.</p>

982

<p>I haven’t read the old thread but I just happened to come across the first post . . . could someone tell me how the OP is doing?</p>

983

<p>I would be doing you a disservice by trying to summarize the thread. Read at least some of sunriseeast’s posts. Many of us on the thread have been moved and inspired by her writings.</p>

984

<p>NYMom is right. Thanks for posting, Sunrise. You are in my thoughts. May you have a good week.</p>

985

<p>Wishing you a good week!</p>

986

<p>I hope your treatment is going well, Sunrise. Thinking of you.</p>

987

<p>I have been away for awhile. I just caught up with your last post. I hope that your friends cook up some delicious dishes that you won’t be able to resist (just don’t over do it this time).</p>

988

<p>Has anyone heard from Sunriseeast lately? (maybe with a PM?). It looks like she hasn’t posted since 11/1 – she mentioned then she was going to have another scan the following week, but no updates…</p>

989

<p>I was wondering the same thing! She has such a following and so many people care for her; I’m sure they are all anxious for good news…</p>

990

<p>She gave a couple of people a way to contact her a couple of months ago- maybe Dougbets? I hope one of them contacts her soon and lets her virtual support group know</p>

991

<p>I too have been worried the sunriseeast has not posted recently…I hope her treatments are going well, that she is gaining strength, and busy living her life…I hope for all of the good things for her.</p>

992

<p>adding my positive thoughts also</p>

993

<p>thanks for your kind thoughts.</p>

<p>It’s good to be missed. A lot going on right now. I am feeling very good. </p>

<p>I will post in a week or so with a comprehensive update on everything…</p>

994

<p>Thank you so much for checking in! I am so glad you are feeling good, I hope all the positive energy we all send you way boosts the power of your treatments!</p>

995

<p>Glad it’s for feeling good that you’ve been missing.</p>

996

<p>sunrise, I’m so glad that you posted a small update. Good to hear that you are feeling OK . Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and please, please eat a lot!</p>

997

<p>actually I need to put a caveat to the statement “I am feeling very good”.</p>

<p>I think I am beating the cancer again - my body is shouting at me that I am doing very well. My doctor think it’s getting worse. </p>

<p>I am going for a different kind of scan to see whether I am right or he is right. If I am right, that will be a teachable moment for the doctors - that is, a subjective assessment by a patient who is very much in tune with her body can trump all the data that “might” look objective to outsiders. Even objective data are ambiguous: one set of data backing my claim and another set of data backing him. if I am wrong, I can no longer rely on my own instinct regarding how I am doing.</p>

<p>This is getting very interesting. Stay tuned. This mystery will be solved next week when I go through additional tests and scans. When that comes out, I will report here what I have been dealing with last two weeks because if I am right, this is a case in point why well informed patient’s self advocacy can have a MAJOR impact on the patient’s prognosis and eventually survival, and people should hear abou this. </p>

<p>If I am wrong - well, I will have to eat humble pie and become a docile patient for a while paying proper homage to the emperors of institutional medical community.</p>

<p>Last week or so has been emotionally rough, because if I am wrong and I am getting worse, I will find myself in a place where every patient with my diagnosis is deathly afraid of finding herself in. And, yet, after the initial emotional scrambling, I find myself preternaturally calm, and yes, still hopeful and optimistic. In the midst of all this, I still find joy in so many different places… And, I am still making multi year life plans - regardless of what happens tomorrow, I will still plant the apple tree…</p>

998

<p>sunriseeast, </p>

<p>You must be the most fascinating, inspirational, thought-provoking, exasperating patient your docs have ever encountered. They must love your smart, gutsy, level-headed, engaged, intuitive approach. I bet they will knock themselves silly to work with you to arrive at a positive outcome. Go get 'em, sunrise. Lots of us are rooting for you. Take care.</p>

999

<p>^ ** Lots of us are rooting for you.** -------yes, we are!!!</p>

1000

<p>Thanks for checking, sunrise. Boy, I hope you are the right one!</p>