I deleted my blog last week or so because I was worried about prospective employers searching my name and finding my blog. I'm mean seriously, who would hire a cancer patient knowingly? Well, some might but not many. If you are a cancer patient that was hired by a company that knew you had cancer, please let me know who your employer is (or was)!
I've put her back up since I have been offered a position with a very large company! The pay is more than I was making (yeah) but I may have to switch up some doctors. Insurance is one of the Cancer Patients more important benefits. This new company has two options and one would make my cancer care center change along with oncologist and everything. It would be inconvenient for me to travel to this other cancer center and not miss a lot of work time just to get my Sandostatin shot every 28 days. Their other option, I believe, would allow me to keep the same oncologist and center. I checked the insurance website and it brought up my oncologist but when I called the oncologists office, they weren't sure if they took it. I've got to be 100% sure because this option will cost me about double per month what the other coverage would. My OBGYN doesn't participate in either plan :(. Sad.
My first day is Monday for new hire orientation. It's going to be a long day. I've been off work for 6 weeks now. Sleeping 10-11 hours a night has been great! I'm not fatigued at all. I wonder why? I'm going to try to go to bed early and get up early to prepare myself for the change.
On another note, when I went in for my shot last week, the Patient Advocate called me into her office to tell me about a new patient co-pay plan that Novartis is offering us Sando users that have commercial insurance to help with their deductible and out-of-pocket expenses. It requires you to sign-up and then you only pay $25 for the shot and no out-of-pocket expense! My $3,000 out-of-pocket expense has all gone towards my shots! Also, it will be retroactive back to January 1st! I'm not sure exactly how much they are going to pay but anything will help! If you are on Sandostatin and have commercial insurance (through an employer or are self-insured--no Medicaid or Medicare), talk to your Patient Advocate at your cancer center or hospital and get signed up for it! We all pay different amounts for our Sando so I think this is a great program that Novartis is starting.
Glad you have this blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteSounds like things are looking up for you. that's great! I'd be interested in hearing if anyone responds that they divulged their cancer before they were hired. This is such a gray area. I hope all goes well. I'm sure you will miss all the sleep. I sure did when I went back to work after surgery!
ReplyDeleteBoy, do I miss the extra sleep! Of course, I didn't sleep too good what with first day jitters and all. I'm sure it'll be better. Today was my first "real" day at the office. Went well. Great group of people to work with and for!
DeleteI was without a job for 5 months and then ended up having emergency surgery that revealed my carcinoid cancer. I was in the hospital for 10 days and when I got out I had 2 places call me about jobs. I got both jobs and I told them upfront about the cancer. Now grant it neither jobs offered insurance which I have with my husbands company so I didn't need it really. I had also bought myself life insurance earlier last year so I was covered there too. I am now full time employed for a city as city secretary, but they are such a small city that there are no benefits. Im thankful for my position. Still new to the carcinoid cancer thing but I loved reading other peoples stuff because it helps me learn more.
ReplyDeleteThat's great Donna! Thanks for sharing.
DeleteI am not currently in this position buy may be at some point. I've been off work on disability since last June (2013) - my job was a SUPER HIGH STRESS position and my oncologist and drs didn't feel I needed to be dealing with that while I was trying to get stabilized which hasn't happened yet but I hope it to soon !!! Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping my fingers crossed for you too Tania!
DeleteHi Sharon, I am happy I found your blog, actually my wife did. Your story sounds exactly like mine. I was diagnosed late in 2012 with Neuroendocrine or carcinoid cancer. I underwent a pretty significant surgery as a result. So November 2013 I celebrated my first year living with carcinoid cancer. I just wanted say thinks for blogging your experience, it is nice to know I’m not alone. It is helping a lot. By the way, I am on the 4 month rotation for scans; I am hoping to get to the 6 months soon then a year between scans. My next appointment to review my last scan is going to be next Thursday, fingers crossed for another “stable” diagnoses.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and glad you’re out there.
Thanks for reaching out James! Are you a mid-gut too? I'll be two years out in June. I went 7 months between my last two scans. I did have 7 the first year so it was a relief to not get so many. We're checking my blood work in 5 months and my Onc. said if it stays the same, I can wait on my next scan if I want. I'm not sure I want to. I do hear some patients have normal tumor markers but significant tumor growth. Good luck next Thursday! I'll be hoping for great results. Stable does feel good!
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