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Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips

This is a great read that I mentioned in last weeks post, if you are looking to kick start your New Year, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr in a very inspiring book about a cancer survivors journey.

Kris Carr is an actress and photographer who discovered she had a liver covered with cancerous tumors.  Her inspiring book is a warm and funny tool for anyone diagnosed with cancer.

I found this book to be very uplifting and provided much needed hope through my own cancer journey through all the ups and downs and frustrations it can create.

She documents her interactions through her cancer journey with her friends, family, doctors, and other cancer survivors.  She also provides tips on how to boost your immune system through the food you eat and provides recipes that worked for her.  Kris Carr is very candid and inspiring about her cancer journey, she just says it like it is 🙂

Check out our other Cancer Butterfly Resources by clicking the compass below:

 

Why you should know the generic & brand name of each cancer drug you are taking

The grants are available according to the type of cancer you have (example: breast cancer, colon cancer, thyroid cancer, etc.) and also available according to the type of chemo cancer treatment drugs you are receiving for your treatment.

Each chemo drug usually has a brand name and a generic name.  Once it has been decided which chemo drugs you will receive as part of your treatment, you need to be familiar with both the brand name and generic name for each drug.

Chemotherapy may be given with a curative intent (which almost always involves combinations of chemo drugs), so you may be receiving several different chemo drugs at one time that interact well together to combat the cancer cells.  So make sure you talk to your doctor and get a complete list of ALL the chemo drugs you are receiving so that you can apply for assistance for each drug you are receiving.

Some grant foundations only list drugs by the brand name and some only list them by their generic name in their computer system, so it is really important to use both names when you are calling to apply for co-payment grants.

You can look up the brand name and generic name of drugs at this web site:  www.rxlist.com

As soon as you know the brand name and generic name of each drug you are receiving for treatment, you should apply for a co-payment assistance grant through whichever foundations that you are eligible to apply to based on the drugs you are receiving and the type of cancer you have (example:  breast cancer, colon cancer, thyroid cancer, etc.)  The link to our Foundation grant list is below.

Some foundations only accept a specific number of new applications each month, and some only take new applications during the first few days of each month, so you need to start applying right away, because you may qualify to apply for a certain grant because they are accepting applications for the specific drugs you are receiving and for the specific type of cancer you have (example: breast cancer, colon cancer, thyroid cancer, etc.), however they may tell you that they have already met the limit of applications that they are accepting for those drugs this month, so you would have to wait until the next month.  So that is why you want to start calling on the grants right away and make notes on each grant that you call on so that you can call back if necessary the next month.

The following are the cancer treatment drugs I was given, I also listed my out of pocket co-pay amount that I was billed for each drug for each of my six chemo treatments:

Neulasta Injection:  $346.13 (my co-pay out of pocket amount)

Taxotere (generic name- Docetaxel):  $694.02 (my co-pay out of pocket amount)

Adriamycin (generic name- Doxorubicin):  $8.10 (my co-pay out of pocket amount)

Cytoxan (generic name- cyclophosphamide):  $6.08 (my co-pay out of pocket amount)

Check out our chemotherapy and drug grant overview page to learn more

Also, check out our Foundation grant list page

Click on the compass below to check out our other free resources to help you be more comfortable during your cancer treatment:

The following products helped me during my cancer treatment:

(purchasing through our affiliate links, help support this site 🙂  )

Steps leading up to my Breast Cancer diagnosis

Image result for footprints in the sand

I first noticed the lump in my right breast while on vacation over the summer with my family.  Once we returned home, I made an appointment with my doctor.

They were certain it was NOT cancer but sent me to get a mammogram just to be sure.  The mammogram came back with abnormalities.  They did an ultrasound that same day on the breast.

They told me they wanted me to come back for a biopsy the next week, they kept saying they were sure it was not cancer, “I was too young, it didn’t run in my family, I don’t fit the profile, blah, blah, blah…”

I went back the next week and had the biopsy on a Wednesday and by Friday afternoon ten minutes before needing to leave to pick up my daughter at kindergarten my doctor’s office called with the horrible news……  I do indeed have breast cancer.

And let me tell you….. the world stopped….. you hear of people saying the “world just stopped”, and it really did….dead silence, I had to remind myself to breathe…

I was and still am shocked!  I had my first baseline mammogram at age 35 and it was fine.  I was 40 years old when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I am now happy to say I am a seven year breast cancer survivor 🙂

To help ease your burden as you go through cancer treatment we have a lot of resources available to help with out of pocket costs for hospital tests, chemotherapy cost, chemotherapy side effects, and radiation treatment costs.

Click the compass below to check out all the FREE Resources available on CancerButterfly.com to help you through your cancer treatment:

The MRI experience

Image result for mri machine

MRI (Magnetic Resonance imaging) is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body.

An MRI may be used for many reasons.  It can be used to find problems such as tumors, bleeding, injury, blood vessel diseases, or infections.

The way the MRI was explained to me is that is a very sensitive mammogram that will be looking at all the cell tissue in both breasts and in the chest walls.

You may be given a gown to wear and will need to remove all metal objects (such as hearing aids, dentures, jewelry, watches, and hair clips).

You need to lie very still inside the MRI magnet, so you may need medicine to help you relax if you become nervous in confined spaces if you are claustrophobic.

Inside the scanner you will hear a fan and feel air moving.  You may also hear noises as the MRI scans are taken.  You may be given earplugs or earphones to wear to reduce the noise.

The MRI test usually takes 30-60 minutes.

I am claustrophobic so I can’t say the MRI was a fun experience for me, but I survived and you will too.  My MRI test took 45 mins and during the test I just kept trying to redirect my mind to other things and not focus on where I was.

To help ease your burden as you go through cancer treatment we have a lot of resources available to help with out of pocket costs for hospital tests, chemotherapy cost, chemotherapy side effects, and radiation treatment costs.

Click here to check out all the FREE Resources available on CancerButterfly.com to help you through your cancer treatment

Save money on out of pocket radiation treatment copays

As you go through several weeks of radiation during your cancer treatment you will accumulate a lot of various individual bills.  I had 7 weeks of daily radiation and it seems like the radiation department billed my insurance every few days.

The costs of radiation can REALLY add up!  Usually your health insurance company will have negotiated the rates on these services with the radiation department, but you may still have quite a bit to pay out of pocket on your co-pays.

The amount I owed the radiation department for my out of pocket co-pay cost for all my radiation expenses was  $1,448.89.

Thankfully, I learned how to apply for a discount on these costs and luckily was able to receive a 57% discount off of that amount, so then I only owed $619.43!

When you also have out of pocket co-pays and deductibles to pay for chemotherapy, MRI, mammograms, Pet scans, blood work, surgery, etc., all the out of pocket costs can really start to add up!  So anywhere you can save money helps a lot!  Thankfully, there is financial help for cancer patients!

There is financial assistance for cancer patients available and grants for cancer patients to help offset chemotherapy cost and other out of pocket copays and deductibles.  I am a breast cancer survivor and I can show you how you can apply for discounts on YOUR cancer treatment related radiation costs, hospital bill co-pays, and chemotherapy treatment co-pays that will save you MONEY!

Why a Meal Train is important

Meal train is a great FREE resource for anyone going through cancer treatment or any extended medical treatment.  It provides a way for family and friends to help the cancer patient during a time when many people want to help but aren’t sure what to do that would be helpful.

The online meal train calendar is very user friendly and easy to use.  The person organizing the meal train can insert which dates the patient would like meal deliveries.  They can also specify a requested delivery time and list any food allergies.  Then the meal train is emailed out to the family and friends of the cancer patient and they can then sign up electronically through the link in the email from mealtrain.com and pick a date to deliver that works with their schedule.

As people sign up to deliver a meal they can also note what they will bring for the meal so that others who are delivering don’t bring the same dish.  The electronic meal train site also sends a reminder email to the person delivering the meal the week and the day before each scheduled delivery.

It is a great way for family and friends to have a quick visit with the patient as they are delivering the meal.  A friendly face, a hug, and a short visit will do wonders for someone going through cancer treatment.  Some days it may be the only contact the patient has with the outside world, so it also gives them something to look forward to each day.

If your “Fairy Godmother” could give you cancer treatment advice

 

She would say….

“You must let your friends and family help you whenever possible during your treatment.  This is the time to take friends and family up on any offers of help!”

If a friend or family member says…..”What can I do to help?”….  You NEED to say “I could use help with…”

Have a list ready of things that you know you could use help with.

Here are a few suggestions of things that others could DO to help you while you go through treatment: 

  • Deliver a meal or two through your meal train
  • Clean your bathrooms, vacuum & dust, or clean your entire house 🙂
  • Do your family’s laundry
  • Mow your lawn or weed flower beds
  • Water your plants
  • Pick up your groceries
  • Babysit your kids so you can take a nap
  • Wash your car

If things are in order around your home, you will feel less stressed and be more at peace which will greatly help you through your treatment.

The further along you go into treatment the more tired you will be and the less energy you will have, so it is really a good idea to let people start helping you right away because if you wait until you really need it you may be way too tired to even try to schedule the help you need at that point.  Better to get in a good schedule of receiving help from the beginning of treatment so that friends and family can slowly work helping you into their own personal schedules too so it is easier on everyone.

Bottom line is…..your friends and family will want to help you and you NEED to let them help.  It is good for all involved because you need the help and it will let them give you the gift of helping and give them something to do that will really help you.

Cancer Butterfly has a lot of FREE Resources available to help you get through cancer treatment more comfortably.

How to save money on chemotherapy treatment

Chemotherapy treatment can be VERY expensive depending on what type of insurance you have and how much your health insurance is contracted to cover of your chemotherapy treatment.

Chemotherapy grants and drug co-pay programs can help!  Chemotherapy grants and drug co-payment programs have specific time deadlines and depending on the program may only go retro for 30-360 days from your “approved” date, so it is VERY important to apply for these right away.

The co-payment programs are available according to the type of cancer you have (example: breast cancer, colon cancer, thyroid cancer, etc.) and are also available according to the type of chemotherapy cancer treatment drugs you are receiving for your treatment.

The following are all drugs I received as part of my breast cancer treatment:  Evista (hormone blocker), Emend (very expensive anti-nausea drug), Anzemet (chemo drug), Adriamycin (chemo drug), Cytoxan (chemo drug), Taxotere (very expensive chemo drug), Neulasta Injection (to ward off infection, very expensive!).

Actual cost for above chemo/drug expenses:  $42,690.19

Contracted amount my insurance paid:  $3,489.70

My “out of pocket” cost:  $4,402.74

Amount I saved on my “out of pocket” cost by applying for cancer grants and co-payment programs:  $2,076.17

I could have saved thousands of dollars more had I found out about these programs earlier in my treatment….ugh!!

Amount I actually paid out of pocket on my chemo:  $2,326.57

So, you can see it is well worth it to apply for cancer grant programs!  And saving on your chemotherapy treatment is just one piece of the savings puzzle, you can also save on your radiation treatment out of pocket costs, and on your hospital out of pocket costs!

Dental tips for chemotherapy treatment

Luckily I had a dental cleaning scheduled just before I had my first chemotherapy treatment and my dentist gave me a lot of great advice on how to take care of my gums and teeth during my chemotherapy treatment to treat my breast cancer.

He explained that chemotherapy can be very hard on our gums especially due to many of the chemotherapy drugs causing dry mouth.  Dry mouth can lead to a host of dental problems including gum disease if dry mouth is left untreated!

I also found that my teeth and gums became VERY sensitive during chemotherapy treatment and unfortunately this lasted for several months after I completed chemotherapy.  Fortunately, there are many things you can do to treat dry mouth, sensitive teeth and gums, and to improve dental health including:

  • Chewing sugar free gum or sucking on sugar free candy or mints
  • Brush teeth twice a day and floss teeth daily
  • Drink lots and lots of water
  • Use a sensitive Toothpaste
  • Use a sensitive Mouthrinse
  • Use a VERY soft Toothbrush

There are more specifics on products I found to be very helpful during my treatment that you can read about by clicking below:

Click here to read more specifics on Dental tips for chemotherapy treatment