Best Of
Re: changing from Medicare to Medicare Advantage
I just wanted to clarify something. If you choose to switch your plan, you have to do enrollment during that specific time frame but your coverage from supplement and original Medicare will still be in effect until end of this year. So you have more time to complete reconstruction if you choose to stay with your PS.
Re: changing from Medicare to Medicare Advantage
Breast reconstruction should be covered the same by a Medicare Advantage plan as original Medicare. Federal law mandates coverage if have breast cancer. I assume you would still have deductibles and co-pays. Just depends upon the plan you choose. A broker should be able to help you with that.
The enrollment period is Oct 15- Dec 7. If you choose to stay with your PS then you would need to have reconstruction finished before enrollment ends. Then make the switch or just find a new PS with your new Med Adv plan.
It’s a lot to consider! Dealing with the diagnosis of breast cancer and all it entails is overwhelming. Wish you the best going forward.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Hi all - I am not caught up at all, but am going to try and review the last 80 (yes 80!) posts that I've missed here. I've just been very fatigued and brain foggy, so haven't really been keeping up. I have seen the oncologist a couple of times to go over latest scans and blood work. He says things are essentially stable, but he wants me to consult with some liver specialists to assess and possibly plan for some kind of treatment to my very slow growing, but present, liver mets. I also got my latest fulvestrant shot last Wednesday but seem to be having an extra bad reaction from it. Lots of aches and pains, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, weakness, fatigue, etc. They had wanted to give me the flu shot at the same time, and due to time constraints we put it off, but now I am so, so glad I didn't get that on top of the fulvestrant, as it has it's own side effects. With these being so bad this time, I think I'd be flat in bed right now. I am going to see the palliative care NP on Wednesday for a routine "chat", and am now supposed to get the flu shot then, but I'm wary given what a mess of side effects I already have. I hope this is a one off; I've heard several say that they think the fulvestrant side effects are cumulative and get worse over time. Hoping that's not true, but beginning to wonder.
I think and care about all of you and just love the living room, but I have just been too tired essentially to follow along. I do hope everyone is doing OK and having some good times (I'm sure you are), and I am in anyone's pocket who needs support. Have a wonderful Sunday everybody!
Re: Help progressed to Brain Mets and fighting for the right treatment
@illimae well I went for full body MRI over 3 weeks ago, 9 weeks after Gamma knife procedure. I went to see the Consultant last Thursday for the results. She was pleased to tell me the remaining 3 brain mets have shrunk further. I had 4 rounds of Enhurtu before the Gamma knife treatment in July, and was already responding well to treatment.
The report states “interval reduction in size of the metastatic lesions. Some of these exhibit some susceptibility artefact on the consistent sequence likely related to some haemorrhaging change”. Not sure what that means. Not the normal Radiologist writing the report, put out to tender otherwise I would still be waiting. Normally when the word artefact is mentioned, they blame it on the quality of the scan pictures showing something that is not there.
Originally I was diagnosed Oligometastatic with 1 legion to the spine. That has since been resolved, so I was pleased to hear that there are no new legions. Although the Radiologist mentions T6 superior endplate fracture. He had mentioned it once beforehand. The in house Radiologist who is far more knowledgeable ruled out cancer. There was also mention of mild disc ossified complexes, also minor posterior disc bulges.
Overall this is good news, but I cannot help but think it would have been better waiting another 3 weeks for the in house Radiologist writing the report.
stirfry
Re: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
First port of call Puerto Vallarta. Found a nice t our of the city with a local driver and traveled with 2 women from our ship. Took us around the town to see sights tgecwomen had heard about from the presentation. We hadn't gone so were lucky to find them. Here are some photos.
It rained near the end of the tour .
betrayal
Re: I say YES. YOU say NO....Numero Tre! Enjoy!
What a wonderful picture and article, miriandra! Like the article says, it's all about respect. And I would add balance. Many women go into reconstruction with out the slightest idea of what a long, hard process that can be. No choice is right or wrong for everyone, and the pros & cons of all the options should be clearly laid out ahead of time.
Along with stripping women of their rights, I see the Supreme Court has been formerly asked to review gay marriage.
ruthbru
Re: Pinktober Revolution
traveltext - interesting suggestion which of course will be overlooked. Just heard a doc from Karmanos Cancer Center in Detroit say that only 1% of breast cancer patients are men. Just because men are such a small minority doesn’t mean they don’t need support. We have a junior women’s club in my community. They sponsor a breast cancer walk/run in May and collect donations from local businesses which then display pink ribbons on the exterior of their locations. I asked them to consider including the metastatic breast cancer ribbon - I included all sorts of statistics and educational material. Got some hogwash BS answer that they just do fundraisers for breast cancer and don’t provide education. Not giving up….