Anyone starting Chemo in August 07?

Jackie,

Still keeping you in my prayers...  Let us know when you know something, k?  Still hoping it's just a false alarm.

Lillith,

Sorry that it is the same story... hurry up and wait... and worry.  I'll be thinking of you, and keeping your family in my prayers, too. 

HUGS
Harley

Hi, girls.

Jackie--I've been thinking about you and your sis all morning, and prayed all during my morning walk. Big, big hugs to both of you.

Kaye--did you have Taxotere? Taxol and Taxotere are both taxanes, and they both cause neuropathy. Thanks for the input on the letter. I'm holding off on anything this week, b/c the bone scan report isn't in the system yet, and I'm still haveing massive problems with the MRI approval. Finally had to call an outside consultant who works with my DH's work's insurance broker, and whose sole purpose in life is to sort out insurance problems. What a way to make a living. I'd go mad. Anyhow, it's frickin freezing here, too.

 Lilith--glad your mom got through the biopsy OK--wish they'd get the results faster, though. Nothing worse than waiting.

Oh, and Nash, I did tell her that she's not welcome to our party.  We don't want any newcomers under these circumstances and just because we all made it seem so easy (because she knows about each and every one of you from me) she still can't come.  She did laugh at that.

Thanks

Howdy, all. Am making progress with the MRI issue. New onc spent half an hour on the phone with the idiot insurance people yesterday. Thinks it may be straightened out by Friday. Doesn't she just rock? In fact, she rocks so much that I'm going to start callin her Dr. Ozzy.

The other rocking thing is that she got an infusion of Zometa approved for me. The insurance may not approve a second infusion, but we're going to try. There's some evidence that Zometa every six months helps prevent bone mets, so we're going to give it a shot. It's off-label use, which is why the insurance balks at it. They usually approve it the first time b/c they think the patient has bone mets and will be getting it every month. When they see it's every six months is when they usually start to deny it, and it's $5000 an infusion. Anyhow, Dr. Ozzy's exact words on the matter were, "The insurance people are pretty stupid, so they usually approve the first one." Love that woman.

Hey All,

Jackie you and your Sis are in my heart and prayers.  I need you to know that I had at least 6 bioposies in the ten years before I was dx with bc and had an additional 2 last August....all negative!!!!!   We'll keep the faith my friend. Also, with all of those bioposies not a single surgeon felt that an MRI would provide additional diagnostic knowledge until I was actually dx with bc and then of course I had one.  Please keep us posted.

lilith, sorry to hear that you're down with a lousy cold.....geesh when it rains it pours.  Keeping good thoughts for your Mom. 

Nash, I like her almost as much as you do!    Where's the best place to research the Zometa?  It may behoove all of us to look in to it. 

Harley, I'm all for celebrating any chance you get girl!  Don't need much motivation either.    You all will be cruising while I'm celebrating my 64th birthday....yikes!!!!!  Have a fantabulous time and lift a glass or two for me.  Oh, don't forget to hit the dance floor....I can still boogie with the best of them so you go show them what you got girl!    LOL 

Kaye, still laughing over the "girl" gyn but boy do I relate.  I also had a male during that time but for once I lucked out and he was great and his own wife was going thru meno at the same time...poor baby!  We also stayed home on New Year's Eve.  It was probably the first time in over 30 years...we usually spend them in a casino (several days actually) but I just didn't want the crowds this year and just felt like cocooning, know what I mean? 

DeAnn, well dear heart are you still recuping from all that wonderful ambitious exercise?  It exhausts me just thinking about it.  Actually, I think I'm horribly jealous because I just couldn't do it anymore and besides I HATE cold! LOL Ahhhh.....the joys of aging, as Phyllis Diller said, "it ain't for sissies!"

my best to all,

June

Jackie--whoo hoo! Glad you like the progress on your fipples!

 June and everyone--here is the link to the article Dr. Ozzy cited when recommending Zometa for me. It's hot off the presses from the December SABCS conference, and yes, I think we could all benefit from it:

 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/585257

Lilith....that is so funny!!!!!

OK, AWKWARD. This whole mess with the MRI (which did get fixed today, BTW, so I can have it done with Dr. Ozzy) resulted in a call from the old imaging center, trying to schedule me for an MRI with the old onc. I told them I was switching care, they said, "OK, we won't tell," and two minutes later I get a call from old onc's nurse, saying, "The imaging center called, said you're switching care, what's going on?"

So that solves the problem of how to tell them, doesn't it? Anyhow, I've been trying to get a copy of my bone scan from last week, and it wasn't in old onc's computer as of this morning. So when I talked to the nurse just now, she said, "Let's make an appointment so you can come in and discuss the bone scan." I've always had the onc just call if the scan was negative, or just tell me at an already scheduled appointment. I asked, "Why do I have to come in, did they see something on the scan?" The nurse wouldn't tell me, and just said, "Well, you know how the protocol is--she wants to discuss the scans at an appointment." Since this is the first scan I've had while not in active treatment, I really don't know if this is the case. If it's negative, can't she just tell me this over the phone? We left it with the nurse planning on putting a copy of the report on old onc's desk, and asking her if she'd just call me. Then I'll tell her over the phone that I'm switching care, since it would be silly not to at that point.

But the point of this long-winded report is that I'm freaking out b/c I don't know if I've got bone mets and that's why old onc wants me to come in, or if this is really protocol, or if the nurse hasn't even seen the report yet and has no idea what it says or what. It almost sounded like the report isn't in yet. I dont' know. I'm babbling.Just a tad freaked out, plus these phone calls caught me really off-guard. I'd been so happy earlier b/c I'd gotten a faxed confirmation of the approved MRI, with the last hurdle being for the provider to get it in their system, so it doesn't show as denied still. I thought I was almost done with the whole mess. Again, I'm babbling. But if I can't babble to all you girls, who can I babble to?

Nash,

Oh, I think the imaging center calling your old onc's office was so rude!!

I don't understand why your onc can't just tell you the results of the scan over the phone, either.  When I had my D & C, I was told that I was to follow up with my gyn onc 'as scheduled', but he NEVER scheduled me!  So, I just called on Friday, after having the D & C on Wed.  When I called, my nurse answered the phone.  She was all happy and bubbly.  I told her that I wouldn't be calling except I needed to know when to come back for follow up.  She asked me to hold while she checked on it.  After a short wait, she came back on the line and gave me a date for my next appt., and then said, "oh, and the pathology was benign!!"    So I didn't have to wait and worry for 2 more weeks.

I'll be thinking of you...  let us know when you find out something.  Hey, maybe could you just have your NEW onc. call  the old onc's office and get the bone scan sent to her?  Just wondering.

Hugs

Harley

Thanks, Kaye. <<<<<HUGS>>>>>>>

Thank you, June. You girls make me feel so much better. Don't know what I would do without all of you.

I'm afraid this is going to be long ladies, but please hang with me for a bit as I really need your advice.

I am getting the real "squeeze her out" routine at work.  I started with them almost 3 years ago as a Nurse Liaison for 30 hours per week, four days a week.  I choose this position because it wasn't FT.  I don't receive any benefits except I'm eligible to earn vacation time.  Two weeks ago my administrator called me in and said that the 'new' VP of operations wanted me to work 32 hours per week and that my day off would now be Mondays instead of Fridays.  I didn't like it but accepted it in a gracious manner.  Last Thursday I was again called in and told that this same VP now demands that I work FT status Monday through Friday and that they wanted an answer ASAP.  I stated that I needed a few days to think about this and discuss it with my husband.  I have until Tuesday afternoon(1-13) to give them my answer. 

When I was first dx with bc, one of the first things I did was look up my rights under the American Disaabilities Act.  (Because the corporation I work for does not have an ounce of soul)   It clearly states that cancer victims must be given reasonable accomodations and gives many examples of such.  You would be suprised at how extensive some of these accomodations are. This weekend I went back to the site and did more research and found that having a diagnosed disability, a HISTORY of one, and one that the employer is aware of constitutes a reasonable accomodation.  Hang on ladies I'm almost finished....:)   I have written a short letter that I will give to my administrator on Tuesday.  It basically just says that after considerable thought and seeking of expert opinions I have been advised to ask for "reasonable accomodations" to be able to continue my employment with them without compromising my health.  (ie: 30 hours a week/ 4 days a week)  I closed by stating that I was trusting that we would find a mutually acceptable solution to this situation.  If It turns into a battle involving their 200+ corporate attorneys then it will become hopeless as they keep it tied up legally for years to come.

Thanks so much for reading this and please any and all thoughts are requested.  I really need my job and have been an excellent employee with excellent performance evaluations.

June

  I

June, I agree with Harley. Your approach sounds right on. You've done your homework, and you have documented evidence to support your request. The VP sounds very unreasonable, and the more you give in, the more the VP will try to take.

Absolute worst case scenario is that they let you go.  I know you need your job, but you have extensive experience and marketable skills. Plus, if they are going to be that unreasonable, you don't need to waste your time with such people. 

Good luck on Tuesday, and let us know as soon as you hear something.  I will be sending out lots of positive happy job vibes your way.