Bettina's Cancer Battle, round 2
Donation protected
TL;DR The cancer has recurred. It's hard to ask for help, but I'm doing that.
This is the third year of my cancer battle. This all started at the end of 2019 when I went through a flurry of diagnostic testing. The battle began in earnest in January of 2020. I went through surgery, chemo, more surgery, then radiation. Around about October of 2020 I triumphantly declared that I was most likely cancer free. And maybe I was for a minute. But in November, the radiologist had detected something odd on my follow-up mammogram and they had me come back for a six-month follow-up earlier this month. That led to an ultrasound which led to a biopsy which has led to the diagnosis of...cancer. Again. Same type, same side.
Some of you might say, well you look great! You don't look sick at all! Truth told, I FEEL great. I don't feel ill at all. Cancer is insidious. It hides. I am just VERY thankful that this time around it has been found early and can be taken care of quickly. I will not likely need any more chemotherapy, although that hinges on the results of a test that I will be having soon. Otherwise I am looking at fairly major surgery and a short hospital stay. But the doctors are optimistic that this should take care of the problem once and for all. I am optimistic and hopeful as well.
I have what is called "catastrophic insurance." While my condition is, in fact, considered catastrophic, the deductible is $10,000. That's what I pay before they even CONSIDER paying anything. And then they will only pay a portion, until I have paid an additional $3000. That's what they call a "stop loss." And that's only if the procedures happen in certain rooms of the hospital facility. Literally. It's a head shaker, for sure. So that's a bare minimum of $13,000 I will be responsible for AGAIN this year. That was last year too. Fortunately in 2019 it was only roughly $8000 because of some credit I had received from them for not having used the insurance for several years. But the cost is stacking up.
It feels kind of selfish asking for help since I know that so many other folks are struggling financially right now too. But I think there is a time to ask for help and for me, that time is now. On top of all the bills I will be receiving from all the doctors and tests and surgery, I still have to pay the insurance payments, whether or not I am able to work during recovery. And that stacks up to nearly an additional $6000 a year. It's staggering. I'm looking at handing the insurance company a MINIMUM of $19,000 this year alone on top of what they already squeezed out of me last year and the year before.
So I'm asking for help. Please know that anything is deeply and sincerely appreciated.
This is the third year of my cancer battle. This all started at the end of 2019 when I went through a flurry of diagnostic testing. The battle began in earnest in January of 2020. I went through surgery, chemo, more surgery, then radiation. Around about October of 2020 I triumphantly declared that I was most likely cancer free. And maybe I was for a minute. But in November, the radiologist had detected something odd on my follow-up mammogram and they had me come back for a six-month follow-up earlier this month. That led to an ultrasound which led to a biopsy which has led to the diagnosis of...cancer. Again. Same type, same side.
Some of you might say, well you look great! You don't look sick at all! Truth told, I FEEL great. I don't feel ill at all. Cancer is insidious. It hides. I am just VERY thankful that this time around it has been found early and can be taken care of quickly. I will not likely need any more chemotherapy, although that hinges on the results of a test that I will be having soon. Otherwise I am looking at fairly major surgery and a short hospital stay. But the doctors are optimistic that this should take care of the problem once and for all. I am optimistic and hopeful as well.
I have what is called "catastrophic insurance." While my condition is, in fact, considered catastrophic, the deductible is $10,000. That's what I pay before they even CONSIDER paying anything. And then they will only pay a portion, until I have paid an additional $3000. That's what they call a "stop loss." And that's only if the procedures happen in certain rooms of the hospital facility. Literally. It's a head shaker, for sure. So that's a bare minimum of $13,000 I will be responsible for AGAIN this year. That was last year too. Fortunately in 2019 it was only roughly $8000 because of some credit I had received from them for not having used the insurance for several years. But the cost is stacking up.
It feels kind of selfish asking for help since I know that so many other folks are struggling financially right now too. But I think there is a time to ask for help and for me, that time is now. On top of all the bills I will be receiving from all the doctors and tests and surgery, I still have to pay the insurance payments, whether or not I am able to work during recovery. And that stacks up to nearly an additional $6000 a year. It's staggering. I'm looking at handing the insurance company a MINIMUM of $19,000 this year alone on top of what they already squeezed out of me last year and the year before.
So I'm asking for help. Please know that anything is deeply and sincerely appreciated.
Organizer
Bettina Stolsenberg
Organizer
Yellow Springs, OH
