It is my birthday today, and I have really been enjoying all the birthday wishes. We are celebrating this weekend, when I have had a bit of time to recover from all this doctor stuff.
I had my final chemo in this series yesterday, and today I am back at the cancer center hooked up to another IV as I write this. I have been feeling really tired and sick lately. I can barely make it out of bed enough to teach class and make sure we have food on the table. I am also having trouble catching my breath when I walk across a room. Turns out my hemoglobin counts had dropped really low due to all the chemo treatments. The normal treatment for low counts of hemoglobin is to give you a shot of Arenesp or send you off for a blood transfusion. The shot has worked for me in the past so they were planning on doing that. As is typical, they sent it over to my insurance and they wanted to pre- certify it ( ie. find a way not to pay it.). So I could not get the shot yesterday, even though I personally called the insurance company and had my case worker try to push it through.
The lack of shot and all the new chemo from yesterday has left me feeling like I should curl up in a ball off in a corner somewhere!!! The good new is today they will get the shot in me before I leave, and they have also pumped me up with more fluids, steroids, and other stuff that should have me feeling better shortly. I guess the lesson for today is make friends with someone at the insurance company.. if you have an issue they can help you resolve it. Thanks to Eileen B. at Medical Mutual who spent her afternoon yesterday chasing my paperwork around the Columbus office.
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| Pajamas, IV, and a big ole moon face from steroids! |
You are amazing! I admire your strength and tenacity!
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