2013 Feb 15

It has been a frustrating 2 weeks. We got all the required paperwork into the foundation, and I called a couple of days later to find out how long it would be before we know if we have been accepted for a grant.  Was told to expect at least another two weeks.  So that will be a whole month since the prescription has been given. 

Yesterday, Leland went off to help to be part of a moving crew for some friends.  I stayed home to work on medical stuff, and ended up writing an e-mail to the clinic administrator copied to the rest of our caregivers there detailing the difficulty we are having.  I got a call within a few minutes from the administrator and one from the other Oncologist a little later as Dr. Chen is on vacation.    He ordered more tests to be done today, which Leland went and did this am. We got the results this afternoon.  In the two weeks since the last test, the PSA has risen to 41 from 24.  Higher than at diagnosis.  I had asked the Dr. why he could not be put on one of the older meds which are effective and affordable.  He said we would test the PSA first, and then decide what to do.

This system needs to be changed!  Sending a cancer patient out the door with an unaffordable prescription which takes over a month to obtain allowing the disease to get a better foot hold in the meantime is not acceptable. The adminstrator told me there are too many insurance plans to keep track of what all of them do.  At least they did respond to my e-mail when the phone calls did not   generate any help. We are fully insured with Medicare,  a supplemental policy and part D.  But this prescription through our insurance has copayments of 2,703 dollars per month until we reach the doughnut hole, then they jump to 3,403.  When we get out of that, the co pay is only 360.  All these are per month for 30 pills. Unbelievable. 

We went to The Dalles today to the VA Administration to see if there are any medical benefits he qualifies for, so that will be more paperwork to fill out next week.  It was a lovely day however, and we took advantage of the sunshine to take a walk by the river while we were there, a nice change from walking on our muddy roads under the pines.