Saturday, September 17, 2011
September 17, 2011
It has been 2 months since I last posted; labs have been more or less the same and I feel good. Right now, I have been in Poland for the past 2 1/2 weeks. Will get back to USA on the 21st. Have O/H appointment in early October. Nothing much else to say for the time being.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
July 16, 2011 (2)
I just received my statement for charges from my insurance carrier for my Zometa Infusion on 6/27/2011. I have a Medicare A, B, D plus supplemental provided by my former employer. For the Zometa Infusion, the clinic billed Medicare $3609.00, however of this, Medicare excluded $2,583.23 and only paid the clinic $976.27. My co-pay was $50.00. This included the infusion plus all of the blood work. Since this was my 25th infusion, billings would have been over $90,000 with actual payments being only about $24,400 and my out of pocket being $1250 over a 2 1/4 year time period.
While I don't like to pay more, a $50.00 per infusion co-pay is unrealistically low. Doubling or tripling the co-pay is no big deal.
American seniors are treated like royalty; and the working folks with children must bear the pain of taxation and much higher health insurance. Virtually every senior I know is living like a king taking cruises, weeks at the beach, dinner at nice places, new cars, and so forth.
While I don't like to pay more, a $50.00 per infusion co-pay is unrealistically low. Doubling or tripling the co-pay is no big deal.
American seniors are treated like royalty; and the working folks with children must bear the pain of taxation and much higher health insurance. Virtually every senior I know is living like a king taking cruises, weeks at the beach, dinner at nice places, new cars, and so forth.
Friday, July 15, 2011
July 16, 2011
Lets start with some photographs of our recent vacation to the Finger Lakes of New York. We visited quite a few wineries, probably drank to much.
Visited the H/O this past Tuesday. Kappa Light Chains are back in the normal range at 1.93 mg/dl; the upper normal is 1.94 so I am just in. My O/H believes that Kappa Light Chains are a better myeloma marker than the M-Spike. Igg was 1571 mg/dl which is slightly above the upper normal of 1554. With the exception of my WBC, which was a bit below normal, my other blood counts were normal. We have decided to stay off chemo for another 6 weeks; at that time, we will redo my blood work and reassess my cancer burden. On June 27, I had my 25th Zometa infusion, this was my 25th, and it had been 3 months since my previous Zometa infusion. At the aforementioned H/O appointment, we decided that we would discontinue Zometa for the time being. The H/O believes that since I am more or less in a stable condition; the risks of bone necrosis out weighed the benefits of increasing bone density.
However, I have had a bout of MRSA in the left elbow. This is my third event. After installing new sprinkler heads in the yard, I woke up with a swollen and painful left elbow. I immediately went to a Walk In Clinic, a culture was drawn and I was put on an antibiotic. However, it turned out this antibiotic was ineffective for MRSA and I had to switch to Doxcycline which is supposed to be effective for MRSA. My swelling has diminished and the pain is gone; however, there are still thick areas under the skin. I have consulted with an orthopedic physician that specializes in MRSA and his recommendation is to watch and wait; If it gets worse, he will see me quickly and open up my elbow and treat it with a new drug that kills MRSA on contact.
Next week I go back to north Georgia for some consulting and then on Thursday we take off to Kansas City for my cousin's 50th wedding anniversary.
Visited the H/O this past Tuesday. Kappa Light Chains are back in the normal range at 1.93 mg/dl; the upper normal is 1.94 so I am just in. My O/H believes that Kappa Light Chains are a better myeloma marker than the M-Spike. Igg was 1571 mg/dl which is slightly above the upper normal of 1554. With the exception of my WBC, which was a bit below normal, my other blood counts were normal. We have decided to stay off chemo for another 6 weeks; at that time, we will redo my blood work and reassess my cancer burden. On June 27, I had my 25th Zometa infusion, this was my 25th, and it had been 3 months since my previous Zometa infusion. At the aforementioned H/O appointment, we decided that we would discontinue Zometa for the time being. The H/O believes that since I am more or less in a stable condition; the risks of bone necrosis out weighed the benefits of increasing bone density.
However, I have had a bout of MRSA in the left elbow. This is my third event. After installing new sprinkler heads in the yard, I woke up with a swollen and painful left elbow. I immediately went to a Walk In Clinic, a culture was drawn and I was put on an antibiotic. However, it turned out this antibiotic was ineffective for MRSA and I had to switch to Doxcycline which is supposed to be effective for MRSA. My swelling has diminished and the pain is gone; however, there are still thick areas under the skin. I have consulted with an orthopedic physician that specializes in MRSA and his recommendation is to watch and wait; If it gets worse, he will see me quickly and open up my elbow and treat it with a new drug that kills MRSA on contact.
Next week I go back to north Georgia for some consulting and then on Thursday we take off to Kansas City for my cousin's 50th wedding anniversary.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
May 20, 2011
Nothing new to report. Spent last week in the north Georgia mountains, mostly drinking wine.
Went and had my blood work done in anticipation of my June O/H appointment. From the time I walked out of the parking garage to time I walked back in the garage was only 1 hour. Didn't have an appointment but I am on good terms with the folks at the clinic; thus I just have tell to run the labs and they draw the blood. Minimal paperwork.
Went and had my blood work done in anticipation of my June O/H appointment. From the time I walked out of the parking garage to time I walked back in the garage was only 1 hour. Didn't have an appointment but I am on good terms with the folks at the clinic; thus I just have tell to run the labs and they draw the blood. Minimal paperwork.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
April 21, 2011
Today is dex day (10 mg/wk) so I probably will not fall asleep until 5-6 am; the lack of sleep is more of a nuisance that a real problem.
I went to see the H/O yesterday and got my latest lab results. BP, CDC, and creatine were all in normal range, as of yesterday. I had IGG, M-spike, and Kappa Light Chains done a few weeks ago in anticipation of this visit. Igg went up to 1571mg/dl; but this is only slightly above normal and more or less the same as it was back in November and December of 2010. M-spike went up 1.3 from 1.2; but this is the same as it was back in December. HOWEVER, Kappa Light Chains dropped 1.73 mg/dl; this is the lowest ever and marks the first time since diagnosis that the value is the normal range.
I will continue to stay off Chemo for the time being; but sooner or later, I know I will have to restart. Zometa treatments will now be quarterly instead of monthly; this is because of the marked improvement in bone density.
Presently I live a normal but somewhat subdued life.
I went to see the H/O yesterday and got my latest lab results. BP, CDC, and creatine were all in normal range, as of yesterday. I had IGG, M-spike, and Kappa Light Chains done a few weeks ago in anticipation of this visit. Igg went up to 1571mg/dl; but this is only slightly above normal and more or less the same as it was back in November and December of 2010. M-spike went up 1.3 from 1.2; but this is the same as it was back in December. HOWEVER, Kappa Light Chains dropped 1.73 mg/dl; this is the lowest ever and marks the first time since diagnosis that the value is the normal range.
I will continue to stay off Chemo for the time being; but sooner or later, I know I will have to restart. Zometa treatments will now be quarterly instead of monthly; this is because of the marked improvement in bone density.
Presently I live a normal but somewhat subdued life.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
April 7, 2011
For the past few months, I have had aches in my right knee; went to the orthopedic doc and got a cortizone shot and have now started physical therapy; this is not related to my MM. Other than the knee, I feel good.
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