elanarosegraves's Cancer Blog
March 16, 2010
After readings Jacques update regarding his PET scan and getting approval… it has angered me again.
Health insurance companies and state programs are supposed to help you fight. It doesn’t matter if you are Stage 1 or Stage 4… each of us deserves the best medical care we can get.
For instance… my teeth. Because of radiation I have some very serious problems with my upper teeth and I have a right ear infection. Which my ENT said was caused from the radiation.
My radiation oncologist even wrote a detailed letter basically begging my insurance to cover the extensive dental care. But to date… I still haven’t had the dental work done because I would have to pay for all the work myself and I am looking at a minimum of a $3,000 bill.
If the dentist office would take payments, I could do this. But the majority of dental offices do not make payment plans.
Even though from xrays of my teeth they can easily determine that the decay wasn’t there prior to raditation and I have an oncologist telling them that it was definitely due to radiation… I still can not get covered dental care.
It is this huge festering ball of flames that is always following me around and when I hear of so many others having similar, if not the same, problems, it just adds more fuel to the fire.
I just hope and pray that we all can receive proper medical care before, during and after treatment. We all deserve this, because none of us asked to be diagnosed with cancer.
Many hugs and blessings,
Rose
March 15, 2010
Hi everyone! Oh the weather is just beautiful today. I can really anticpate Spring arriving next week.
I had a wonderful visit on Sunday with my Dad and sister Yoshiko.
I don’t think I ever shared my story of how they came into my life.
When I was 25 I received a letter from Yoshiko telling me that she was my half-sister by Ed (our father). I met Ed for the first time a few months later. It was quite surreal meeting my Dad for the first time and learning that I had two half-sisters (Yoshiko and Julia) and one half-brother (Ed, Jr.)
Until that day I received the letter I thought I only had one sister… (Nickel) and my aunts and uncles who I was raised with as siblings.
I knew I was 1/4 Japanese from my Dad’s side. But being raised by my maternal family… I always seemed to stick out because I was the only one with Asian heritage.
It was so great hearing stories from my Dad about my Japanese grandmother (who passed away when I was about two years old). That is where Yoshiko got her name, it was our grandmother’s. I’ve come to love them very much.
It is strange that even though cancer can be deadly, it can also be a blessing in some ways. It definitely strengthened and reinforced my relationship with my family.
It’s a gorgeous day outside, so I think I am going to grab a couple more hours enjoying it. But first I had to share my excitement about my day on Sunday. I guess yet another chapter in my crazy life.
All of you are in my heart and prayers!
Many hugs and blessings,
Elana Rose
Great story, sunshine is the balm of wellness isn’t it. Peace, Sharron
Posted on Enjoy the sunshine, warm weather and your beautiful family. They sound like wonderful people.
Hugs—
Martha
Posted on I enjoyed your story and I feel like you have all the more reason to fight the fight. My story is sad because I have been telling my best to see the doc’s because he was losing so much weight. He would not listen to because he saw what happened in my fight. He got sick the Doc’s took a look inside and came back and gave him 4 to six months ti live. It just shows that life is what you make of it.
Good luck with your new found family..
Posted on (((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))) it’s amazing how much better warmth and sunshine make us feel isn’t it? Hope the rest of your week is fantabulous!
Posted on Oh lovely spring! Enjoy the sunshine and your pretty flowers!
XOXOLisa
Posted on 
Thanks for your support - 
Hi Rose,
It’s great to hear from you again. I’m sorry you’re having trouble with your teeth. That’s something that I was told would happen going in. I had 2 molars pulled before the radiation. As i understand it, the radiation does permanent damage to the gums and jaw, therefore you want to do any work ideally before you get zapped. Then next problem is that our salivary glands get zapped. So we don’t have much saliva, and saliva is actually what protects us from getting tooth decay. You and i are prime targets for tooth decay. At your stage and mine you should be real diligent about using high fluoride toothpaste and act mouthwash. I brush and washout my mouth several times a day and brush with prescription toothpaste.
Yes the insurance companies are hard ass, but as mad as i am, they are being pushed into a corner by the government. It’s the darn government that causes our rates to keep going up. They keep strapping more regulations on them, thereby costing them more money and they have to try and make it up. And obviously we’re the one who ends up paying. Car insurance, Homeowners, life insurance and any insurance where the government is not overly messing with them all basically work fine.
Keep fighting and escalating with your insurance company. Take it to the CEO if you have to as i did. And as a last resort work it out with your dentist if possible.
If you need treatment the most important thing is to get the treatment. Don’t put it off. You can worry about how it will get paid for down the road. You can pay it off in a worse case, over time with a dentist.
Let me knows how it goes.
Prayers and hugs,
Jacques
I fought this battle and partially won. I don’t know if it was because they just wanted to shut me up or it was six years ago. They told me the radiation would kill all the roots of my teeth and they must be removed. I was able to get them removed through the dental dept. at Anderson, paid for through my med. insurance but…they would not cover the dentures. Please keep me posted on how you might follow through. I was told the medical insurance should pay as it was a medical situation not dental. My problem came with no teeth and the problems with digestion etc… Peace to you all, Sharron