breast cancer – Page 2

The Sun is Rising on a New Year

This time of year always prompts us to think about the things that are most important to us. We think about what really matters and what changes we would like to make for the upcoming year.

The stress of the holidays is over, but so are the many celebrations and events that keep us so busy. This is the time that things slow down and we have more time to reflect on our life.

For some people this is the most difficult time of year, getting back to the normal day to day activities of life. And if you are in cancer treatment that can be especially difficult.

It is important to still try to keep busy with family and friends as much as you are able. Sometimes during the holidays cancer patients can feel isolated. Friends and family may not know how to react to your illness and fear they will say the wrong thing.

If there is someone that you are wishing would contact you or you are wondering why they haven’t, this may be why. Reach out to them, it may be just what you both need.

Think about the year ahead and plan to do things that make the most of your energy, such as having a friend over the coffee when you don’t have energy to go out. Live in the moment and don’t feel obligated to live up to others expectations. Everyone experiences cancer treatment differently and only you know how you are feeling.

I remember when I was going through treatment eight years ago at this time of year, I had one more chemo treatment left and I had already found out that my previous five chemo treatments had shrunk my tumor quite a bit and my surgery to remove what was left was coming up right after my last chemo treatment. So I thought what a great idea it would be to just skip that last horrible chemo treatment!

Unfortunately, my doctor did not agree he said, “But how will you feel if down the road your cancer were to come back? You would always have to wonder if had you done that last chemo treatment, then maybe the cancer would not have returned.”

……..ugh! How could I argue with that?? He was right, as much as I didn’t want to endure the horrible side effects of that last chemo treatment, I sure didn’t want to have any regrets down the road about not doing it.

So, that year I started the year with my last chemo treatment and in the end it worked out ok. Eight years later I get to drive my 10 year old Emily to 4th grade, and my almost 14 year old Jessica to 8th grade! So glad I listened to my doctor and took his advice!

Take this time of year to slow down and realize the blessings of each day and celebrate the small things in your life.

This is a great read, if you are looking to kick start your New Year, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr. 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. 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 🙂

Some cancer grants cover chemo treatments received prior to being approved for the grant!

Several cancer grants actually allow you to use your awarded grant funds to cover chemo treatments and other cancer drugs that you received prior to being approved!

Some cancer grants allow you to use funds to cover treatments received up to 180 days prior to being approved for funding! So if you were approved for grant funding in say April, you could use your grant funds to cover chemo treatments or other drugs that you received all the way back to November.

All of the cancer grant foundations have different guidelines and rules that they follow as far as the amount of grant funding you receive and their “retro” rules.

Retro – (retroactive) Definition: to go back in time, how far the grant program will allow you to go back in time to use your benefits on treatments you have already received before you were actually “approved” for a grant award. Some grant programs will allow you to use your awarded grant benefits on treatments that you already received 30-180 days before you were actually approved for the grant program.

One of the grants that I was awarded was for $2,500.00, and I used $1,054.33 to cover chemo treatments that I received PRIOR to being approved for the grant and PRIOR to even applying to the program! See our foundation grant list below…

Each foundation will also provide you with a specific end date that you must use your grant benefits by or your benefits will expire and be unusable. Some foundations will allow you to reapply if you get to your benefit expiration date and you still need co-payment assistance.

If you are approved for a co-payment assistance grant the foundation will let you know your approved date, your grant award dollar amount, time period you have to use your co-payment assistance grant, and how many days you will be allowed to use the grant funds for retro services.

Read our page on Chemotherapy and drug grant overview (to Save you $$$) and after you are clear on how the grant process works go to our Foundation Grant List and start making some phone calls and see if you can put some money back in your pocket 🙂

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 🙂 )

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 🙂 )

Neulasta Injection can help you get approved for a cancer grant

The very expensive Neulasta Injection is often given the day after chemotherapy treatment in order to stimulate your bone marrow to make your white blood cells recover more quickly from the effects of the chemo drugs and to help ward off infections.

This injection can cause bone pain in your legs, arms, lower back, and chest. The bone pain should lessen each time you receive the injection. The injection is usually given at least 24 hrs after chemotherapy to stimulate the growth of new, healthy, white blood cells.

If you are receiving the Neulasta Injection you can apply for cancer grants to help offset your out of pocket cost on this drug and possibly on the other cancer drugs you are receiving too! See below for example…

EXAMPLE: Basically let’s say you have breast cancer, but the foundation you called is not accepting any more new breast cancer applications this month, or they are not accepting any more new applications for the specific cancer drugs you are receiving, you can still apply if they are accepting new applications for CIN (chemo induced anemia).

You would qualify to apply as CIN if you are receiving (or did receive) the very expensive neulasta injection.

And, because you got your “foot in the door” with your CIN application with this foundation and if approved through your CIN application, you very well may also be able to get ALL your other cancer related drugs covered (as long as they are on that foundations approved list, even if they are not specifically accepting new applications for those drugs any longer that month, and as long as your health insurance paid a portion of the cost, which left you with a co-payment).

Read our page on Chemotherapy and drug grant overview (Save $$$) for more detailed information on cancer grants and our Foundation grant list page.

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

Steps leading up to my Breast Cancer diagnosis

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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:

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.

Save money on out of pocket Hospital bill co-pays

As you go through cancer treatment you will accumulate a lot of various individual bills for hospital services. These services may include lab work, MRI, PET scan, echocardiogram, ultrasounds, X-rays, Mammograms, biopsies, genetic tests, surgery, and any other large test performed at the hospital.

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

The amount I owed the hospital for my out of pocket co-pay cost for all my breast cancer related hospital expenses was $1,594.88. Thankfully, I learned how to apply for a discount on these costs and luckily was able to receive a 54% discount off of that amount, so then I only owed $726.22!

When you also have out of pocket co-pays and deductibles to pay for chemotherapy and radiation treatment, 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!

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!

Why keeping your cancer medical paperwork organized is important

Once you are diagnosed with cancer it is very frightening and overwhelming to just process all the medical information you are receiving, not to mention everything you need to now keep track of as far as paperwork.

It will be much easier for you if you just start out organized from the beginning of your treatment (or at least start where you are now) if at all possible. I remember once I started and continued through chemotherapy for breast cancer, it got more and more difficult to concentrate on things like reading a book, watching a movie, or focusing on any kind of paperwork.

Keeping things simple and having a specific place for everything will make things much easier and you will be able to stay on top of your paperwork much better and find what you need when you need it if you are organized.

There are several money saving programs available to help cancer patients with their cancer treatment related out of pocket co-pays. These programs require specific information from your medical paperwork (EOB’s – Explanation of Benefit) forms from your health insurance regarding each of your medical visits in order for them to determine your out of pocket expenses. Once you have all your information in order you will be ready to apply for Cancer Grants and Cancer treatment medical discounts.