
Hi I wanted to ask you to join me on my journey to fight cancer. After 16 years I have recurrent breast cancer. Thank God I've been faithful in my annual checks so it was caught early. This time I'm working and am a single mom, my son is 2 and will be 3 in February. I have insurance through my job which is a HMO, this type limits your choices. I can only go to in network providers and it will pay 80% of the cost after I pay my deductible of $5000. It was recommend that I do a double mastectomy. The best I can do is to be comfortable with the surgeons that are in network and pray that I don't have problems after surgery. As to be expected, the place I wanted to go to is not in network and not affordable to me. It is a shame that money still determines who benefits in healthcare. I'm a caregiver by profession and personality and as such it is hard to switch sides and be on the receiving end. But, here I am. My biggest worry is the cost of survival: multiple surgeries, possible chemo therapy, loss of wages, living expenses and daycare.