Thursday, November 17, 2011

No news is good news?

I know it's been ages since my last post but it has been a little crazy. I started an oral chemo called Tykerb. Three days later I had seizure in the street behind a parked car. FYI, New York streets are not uncomfortable places to catch some shut eye. I'm not even sure I feel that badly for the homeless anymore. Ok, bad joke but I make bad jokes about cancer. Why shouldn't everyone be fair game? Perhaps I'll become the Chelsea Handler or Kathy Griffin of cancer.

Anyhoo..the "no news" today is that they canceled my follow up brain MRI and, therefore, the follow up appointment with my radiation oncologist, Dr. Narayana. Who is the "they" and why did "they' cancel it? Excellent questions my friends. My insurance company will not approve the scan until it's been three months from the surgery. Folks, I have a fast growing cancer and another three months does make a difference in my world.

WARNING: ICY ROADS, um, I mean, TANGENT AHEAD. It is beyond me that there is a segment of the population that believes our health care system is just fine the way it is. We definitely have the best doctors and technology but how can we access it in a timely fashion with reasonable compensation? Ok, off my soap box. I think we all agree that there is room for vast improvement. So, the new date for my follow up is December 15th.

I suppose I should be thankful that I can spend Thanksgiving focusing on the things I am grateful for this year. There are things to be grateful for this year..right? I jest. My family and I have many, many blessings for which to be grateful, not the least of which are our family, friends and even strangers who have supported us through these incredibly difficult months. The day after Thanksgiving is another story. I have to get a PET scan that day after right after my chemo treatment. I won't find out the results from that scan until the following Thursday so I will have a whole week to worry about that. Whatever the results are I have something to look forward to...a trip to Puerto Rico!

Yes, we are finally getting the heck out of dodge. I think I have mentioned my dear, college friend, Marcos. Well, he and his family have generously offered their beach condo in Aguadilla to us. When this all began back in February, he began insisting we get away for awhile. As you all know that has been impossible because we have constantly been contending with a new development: a seizure, a surgery, a hospital stay. You know...the usual. However, there is a small window coming up when we can take advantage of this offer. We will be there from the 3rd of December until the 8th. We can't wait. And there is more good news on the horizon. Nathan's reconnection surgery has been scheduled for January 5th, 2012. I know a lot of people think that 2012 might be the year of the apocalypse but that's impossible. We deserve a year of joy and well-being. Let's not ruin it with the end of the world, people!

I have promised to be a more regular poster in the past but it's sort of like my promises to stick to a diet for more than three days. Let's be right with ourselves (homage to Joy Demarest), it ain't going to happen folks. Please check the Team Bond Facebook group for mini-updates.

Much love,
Elisa

14 comments:

  1. Praying for you Elisa...and I would love the 800 number for your health insurance company to give them a piece of my mind.

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  2. Awesome post, Elisa. Love you guys!! -S&R

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  3. Hi Elisa

    it might be worth connecting with www.patientadvocate.org on the MRI issue.

    To be honest, I am not sure where Aguagadilla is, but it sounds like just the ticket.
    Hang in there

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  4. I'm thinking of you, Elisa. Lots of warm fuzzies vibing your way! xoxo Edie

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  5. I am outraged on your behalf! Sheesh. Will think of you all on Tgiving day and say a prayer of thanks. Enjoy your getaway!

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  6. UGH! But I'm sure no news is good news. Enjoy your Turkey day!

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  7. Holding you in the light. Everything is going to get better and I like your positivity. It will work.

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  8. It's so good to hear from you! I think of you and your family on a daily basis. I'm always wishing you the best! Have a great Thanksgiving and a WONDERFUL vacation!

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  9. Your humor and courage could save nations, I'm thinking. Have a joy-filled thanksgiving, and all good news to come! - prayers from CT.

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  10. We, too are outraged for you! Damn insurance companies! It is so unbelievable!!! We would happily contribute to an MRI if you need to pay for it out of pocket! We are always thinking of you and praying for you both! You are such an inspiration to us all. And like you we think that 2012 is going to be a truly wonderful year for your family!

    Best of luck, have a fabulous Turkey Day and have an even more fabulous vacation!

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  11. I'm very sorry you had another seizure and the insurance company's rules about MRI's suck! The really good thing is going to Aquadilla. I'm glad Nathan is getting his reconnect surgery and hope it goes well just as I do your Pet Scan. This has been a hideously bad year for your family and I DO hope 2012 is better for you. I don't believe that 2012 nonsense, anyway. Please, we understand why you can't keep a regular schedule with your blog. You have so many ordeals to go through that it would be impossible to keep that promise. As always, we are praying for your family and hope your health can be restored. Love, Vicki & Blazer (the mini-poodle).

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  12. It is so unbelievable what the insurance companies think is "best". Cancer is nothing to wait for scans that are needed!! I'm outraged as well for you!!
    I check your blog everyday to see what's happening, hoping everything is going your way...I hope your Thanksgiving is great & have a blast on your trip!!
    Much Love,
    Kelli from VA

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  13. Well, I don't know about no news being good news, but not everything has to be bad, right? You deserve a lot of good in your lives. You and Nathan have been to hell and back and then some.

    I wish you the most blessed Thanksgiving and I wish you both a clean bill of health. The Bible says laughter is good like a medicine.
    I read about a man that was given three months to live due to cancer. So he went out and bought every Laurel and Hardy DVD and all the rest of the zany comedies and just sat in front of his TV watching his favorite shows and laughing his butt off! Three months later he was alive, six months later he was alive, a year later he was alive...TODAY he is still alive. That positive attitude will take you such a long way and besides, cancer is not a big deal to God, its like the common cold to Him, HE HAS healed all diseases by Jesus's stripes on the cross. Believe in God, believe in God's medicine-laughter, and you will find health and healing. I know it Elisa. I follow several people online and in real life with cancer and the worst thing is fear, but it is also natural to be fearful..yet you have been bold, strong, and beautiful. Your attitude and sense of humor is to be envied in a positive way. I pray for you three all the time and I truly believe only good things for you in 2012. God bless you all and hey, my dear hubby, born here, first generation true blue American - his parents were from San Juan, Puerto Rico. You will love it and I love that the three of you can go!!!! Forget all this mess and just have fun. BTW, I agree with you about NY streets being comfortable, they are like that back home in Chicago too....but I still kinda feel sorry for the homeless, sometimes they don't have any choices either just like you and Nathan did not due to the cancer. But some homeless choose to remain homeless for reasons of fear, do not ever let that fear paralyize you. Go, fearlessly and be healed and made whole. God loves you and so do your cyber friends. From Northern Virginia up to you in NY, be well, be happy, live, love, and EAT ALL YUMMY FOOD DOWN IN PUERTO RICO. Enjoy your life. No one has a claim to it or a lease to anything. So live it up. It will help heal you.

    Love and kisses Liz xoxoxo

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  14. I'm coming to your story late. Just saw you on TODAY this morning. I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes, as is my husband. You didn't mention God, but I will. I PRAY HE continues to bless you with good health and all the good things life on this earth can bring. I pray that on Sadie's 16th birthday, you are BOTH there to hand her the keys to the car. (I'm a driver, too!) I'm also a breast cancer survivor... Love and kisses to all of you and may God continue to bless you deeply.

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