So I missed writing yesterday. I had a hell of a day working with the insurance companies, and realizing that in order to take the chemo I’d like to – capcetabine (pill form) instead of the 5-FU that will be a continuous flow through a pick line into a major artery for 6 weeks – I’d have to sell a few major organs. See, the insurance companies will pay for all but 15% of any prescription – which is great, however there is no maximum out-of-pocket cap. This means that for the $50,000 per round cost of capcetabine, I’d end up paying $7,500 for each round. That works out to roughly $60,000 for all the rounds of chemo I’ll be doing, and unless I start dealing other types of drugs, I don’t think it’s going to happen. So I’m still getting used to the fact that I’ll be walking around with this tube in my neck feeding me poison for 6 weeks straight. It bites. Oh yeah, and yesterday I got another CT scan – this one of my chest (another 2,000 bucks BTW, and yes, when I went in for the first one, I told them they might as well do the chest too, but they told me no…this is the fiscally responsible medical establishment at work folks…)
Today I went and saw the radiation oncologist – Dr. Hazard. And yes, before you ask, the Doctor that will be aiming radiation up my nether regions is female, roughly my age, and named HAZARD! If there is a god, s/he has a great sense of humor...or irony...or cruelty. I'm not sure which yet...
I went through the normal stages with Dr. Hazard – letting her know how much I know about the cancer, putting her at ease, and making many jokes about the cancer as she spoke. I asked about all the fun stuff – what I can expect from radiation treatment of the bowels, rectum, etc… It’s all sorts of neat – possible bowel obstruction due to a buildup of scar tissue as a reaction to radiation, increased diarrhea, severe burns outside (and inside) my ass, possible uterine infections, or at least a burning when I urinate (due to radiation hitting the bladder, an increased possibility of other types of cancer some years down the road….like I’ve said before, nothing but good news every time I see a doctor.
They will be doing the simulation Monday afternoon, and they will tattoo me then as well – I think it’s great that my first ink will be dots to help them guide the radiation to the right places in my butt – there is something profound there somewhere. I’ve been spending a good amount of time planning what I want to do to make the techs life interesting – everything from bringing in prosthetic butts for them to laser, to various designs drawn on my ass, to coloring it with glow-in-the-dark paint and telling them that I’m experiencing some strange side-effects (that last one is thanks to Tara’s parents). I’ll end up doing 28 rounds of daily radiation, and hopefully will be able to stay off the pain meds throughout the entire run. So happy it is the weekend. So happy that Sean will be coming to visit in 3 weeks. So frustrated that I’ll be welcoming him with a pick-line.
Song of the day: Caption Nemo by Sarah Brightman.
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