Got the results of another CT Scan and the results are pretty darn similar to the scan three months ago.
Lungs stable with no growth.
Abdominal tumours including spots on liver may even be smaller.
Pancreatic spots remain same size
Peritoneal cavity tumours have increased 3mm each. Which is approximately what they increased 3 months ago.
All this to say it’s finally time to switch drugs as the growth is not stopping or slowing in some areas.
But as I have mentioned it's not as simple as one would think. For the last while we have been working three different angles for coverage as the cost was going to be our familys’ (hey does the apostrophe go here, can someone let me know??).
And estimated cost was approximately $30,000. Yikes.
And that is truly the biggest importer of stress that I have had in a very long time. I have zero desire to inflict economic stress on my family and would choose a different drug rather than put them in financial jeopardy as I know this is possibly just a first instance of this happening.
But just yesterday I received a very exciting call from Dr. R. The AHS has now agreed to cover the cost so I am now booked for my concoction of IPI/Nivo next Thursday. I’m so happy for so many reasons. Of course number one is the financial relief, but at a higher level I am pleased that the ‘system’ actually worked. I was afraid that the process may have lost its way and treated my case like a series of checked boxes that would lead to a no coverage decision.
I know the AHS takes great pride in their patient focused health care. I even went to their Vision and Mission statements on their website when I was thinking of challenging them if they didn’t come to this conclusion. Their decision seems to give me renewed faith that this is the case and that a bean counter didn’t get in the way of administering good medicine. Well done AHS, you continue to make me proud.
Of course I still have a desire to help fix their ‘user experience’, but that’s another challenge for another day. For now I’m getting ready for a 5 hour IV session next week and will as always give a big thank you to every staff member I see when I walk the hallway.
