Our Cancer Adventure
Donation protected
Cancer. There, I said it. Now that the scary part is out of the way, let me explain why it is an adventure.
I adopted Spaz almost 8 years ago, I needed a companion to go on adventures with me. Spaz fit the bill. We do just about everything together: hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail (our favorite hike is Maryland Heights), cross country road trips to Wisconsin and back, camping, if it involves a car and outdoors we're usually together. So, when I was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Breast in January, I shouldn't have been surprised when the vet found two Mast cell tumors on Spaz; we do everything together. I've decided to look at cancer as one of our great adventures together.
Initially, I had a plan (I'm a planner and budgeter after all) to pay the bills, I would pay for Spaz on my credit card and pay it off within the year, and work out a payment plan with the
hospital
for my consults, surgeries, and treatment. Reality hit. It hit hard. My insurance covers 80% of my expenses, after a ridiculously high deductible, and then the cost of all the specialists...let's not talk about it; cancer is not cheap. My bills currently total over $6000 and while I have a health savings account (HSA) and my personal savings, I do not have enough in either to pay for all the expenses.
To add more to the story,
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
in the breast occurs in less than 1% of all breast cancers. While it is a low grade, slow growing cancer there is not much known about it or how to treat. The current recommendation by the radiation oncologist is radiation or a mastectomy to remove the breast; there just isn't enough research that shows other options.
MD Anderson
in Houston is one of the premier cancer centers with a lot of information on this type of cancer and other rare cancers, so I am trying to get a referral for a second opinion either here or another premier cancer center, but they may be out-of-network, are not local, and again specialists.
I adopted Spaz almost 8 years ago, I needed a companion to go on adventures with me. Spaz fit the bill. We do just about everything together: hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail (our favorite hike is Maryland Heights), cross country road trips to Wisconsin and back, camping, if it involves a car and outdoors we're usually together. So, when I was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Breast in January, I shouldn't have been surprised when the vet found two Mast cell tumors on Spaz; we do everything together. I've decided to look at cancer as one of our great adventures together.
Initially, I had a plan (I'm a planner and budgeter after all) to pay the bills, I would pay for Spaz on my credit card and pay it off within the year, and work out a payment plan with the
hospital
for my consults, surgeries, and treatment. Reality hit. It hit hard. My insurance covers 80% of my expenses, after a ridiculously high deductible, and then the cost of all the specialists...let's not talk about it; cancer is not cheap. My bills currently total over $6000 and while I have a health savings account (HSA) and my personal savings, I do not have enough in either to pay for all the expenses.
To add more to the story,
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
in the breast occurs in less than 1% of all breast cancers. While it is a low grade, slow growing cancer there is not much known about it or how to treat. The current recommendation by the radiation oncologist is radiation or a mastectomy to remove the breast; there just isn't enough research that shows other options.
MD Anderson
in Houston is one of the premier cancer centers with a lot of information on this type of cancer and other rare cancers, so I am trying to get a referral for a second opinion either here or another premier cancer center, but they may be out-of-network, are not local, and again specialists.
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Organizer
Maggie Dunham-Hathcock
Organizer
Newark, DE
