Well, I called it. Three hundred dollars a pop. Ten dollars a pill. And that's a bargain. The cost to my insurance company is over $8000 per month. When I was diagnosed with CML, my doctor told me that, with medication, I could live a normal lifespan...doing the math, it's going to cost over a million dollars just to keep me alive to see my forty-fifth birthday. It's staggering when you think about it.
Now three hundred dollars a month might not seem like a lot to a lot of people. And to others, I'm sure that it seems insurmountable. For me, it makes things tight. It means strict budgeting and coupon cutting and working overtime. So, I called my pharmacy - they have a patient assistance program - and they worked a little magic. An organization called Patient Services, Inc is graciously providing financial assistance so that I can afford to both live AND eat. My heartfelt thanks.
Although, I could probably afford to cut back on the eating a little bit. I'd gone up another pound at my last appointment. My doctor asked me if I had any loss of appetite. Yeah right.
I did tell him that I've been tired though. Tired all the time. And he said to me, "Yeah, but you're old." Sometimes I feel like my doctor doesn't take me seriously. But then, he is an oncologist. In all honesty, I'm probably the healthiest patient that he sees. Every time I see him, I'm doing a little bit better. Probably not the trend with most of his other patients.
Another good appointment for me. My BCR-ABL is down to 6.8 from 14. My white cells are at 4.1, which is within the normal range, and my appointments are now every three months instead of every two. Hooray!
Side effects have been manageable. Hip pain. Especially in the left hip. And mouth sores. I've had four canker sores in the past two months. They're painful, and slow to heal. Occasional nausea. Persistent fatigue, but I think I push myself too hard. All in all, I'm hanging in there. Living with cancer, and thriving. Who would have thought?
