My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer

xsuzx-Why did your insurance company deny Verzenio? It's a pretty standard first line treatment. Hope it all gets straightened out soon.

@xsuzx - I have the same question Chicagoan does about just why the insurance company denied. I too have traditional Medicare and a supplement, and had no trouble whatsoever getting Verzenio approved. Come to think of it though, I got mine directly from Eli Lilly. They have an income base program, and I didn't have to pay anything. You might want to check with your clinic and see if they can hook you up with that. I only recently learned that I also could have somehow gone through Medicare. My clinic set me up with the whole thing from the get go, so I never went through the insurance. It was well worth it. They had someone at my clinic called a "patient care coordinator" who arranged all for me. You might want to see if your clinic has a similar staff person. After 2.75 years, the Verzenio has quit working for me, so I am moving on to another drug, but it served me well for a good while. It has it's downsides (side effects) that you can learn to manage, and then get into a routine. I hope you get approved one way or another and that you get a good long run on it.

@mara - Thank you for your sympathies re whatever this is on my chest. It's cancer for sure, but not totally sure it is a true "skin met" and waiting to see more specifics from pathology.

It looks like you are steadily getting better, even if not as fast as you'd like. Just so glad that this all seems to have gone relatively smoothly for you and that there were no real glitches. What you are dealing with sounds like "par for the course" post surgery type stuff, and stuff that is gradually improving, so you should be back home in reasonable time and back to posting all about your daily food combos. Sounds like it won't be too long, and I will keep looking for those food posts to reappear. Still in that pocket of yours for sure!

I'm 73 and still work "officially", but for all practical purposes I really don't work. I manage a few phone calls and emails from home, from time to time, and I maintain a certification that I need, via zoom seminars a couple of times a year, but that's all. The small business I work for continues to pay me just a little for what I do. It helps them to still have me as a certificated employee on their roster, so this has been a bit of a "win-win" for us. I make next to nothing however, and it's fine with me. It helps them out and it helps me out too. I am for all practical purposes retired, and could not go out there every day and do what I used to do.

I stopped working at 59 after I was diagnosed because I was so sick. For the first few years I had numerous medical appointments and fairly low energy. I resumed working again at 65 because I had more energy. For a seven month period I worked two jobs which added up to full-time, one in my field and the other is a just a fun part-time job. Working full-time is too much for me. But I enjoy part time-the things I do are very flexible and I can work when I want. It's helpful for me to have a schedule and I enjoy interactions with customers and co-workers. (I'm 68 now). My fun job does require a lot of standing. It helped me to rebuild strength and stamina. The other good thing about my job is that it requires me to smile a lot. My spirits get lifted when I spend a shift smiling and trying to provide good experiences for customers.

@mara51506 I am hoping that they figure out what is causing all the diarhea. It sounds really miserable. I wonder if you have IBS? Did it start when you began herceptin years ago?

@mara51506 It's so weird that they made you take a laxative before you were even constipated. No wonder you have had such horrible diarrhea. I hope you will be able to take a shower soon, once you feel stable.

@mara51506 sorry to hear that struggling with the bigD! I’m glad the staff has been very kind to you but understand that you are anxious to get home. I’m glad to hear you feel pretty well other than dealing with D. I hope it starts to slow down and you can get home soon We all look forward to you being home and posting your creative recipes.. 🤞🏻❤️

@threetree I hope you get some answers this week as to what exactly is going on. I’m sorry that you’re dealing with this even though you were expecting something it’s never easy! May Xeloda kick cancers butt!🤞🏻❌⭕️

@mara51506 I know you are eager to get home but I hope that they will keep you until it is certain that the diarrhea has cleared up and that you can digest food. Could you ask them to up the immodium dose?