8 January 2007
Monday
[Journal not posted until 10:45 AM on Tuesday since I flew home from vacation on Monday.]
High-Level Journal Summary: After a long day of travel (which reminded me of why to judiciously travel during chemo), coming home to a belated Christmas present. I finally received a check from my health insurance provider that better reimburses me for my 5/5/05 brain surgery.
The victory itself is far more satisfying than the dollars involved. Even so, taking on a huge medical system that seems so oblique, arbitrary, knowingly powerful -- and then beating them at their own game -- makes me feel as if our medical team can do the same when it comes to brain cancer.
Countdowns:
1.) Day 15 of 28 in my 16th 5/23 Temodar chemotherapy cycle.
2.) Inova Brain Tumor Support Group Meeting on 1/9/07.
3.) Quarterly meeting with my local neurologist, Dr. Amy Stone, on 1/9/07. The purpose of this meeting will be to review the results of my 11/29/06 meeting with my primary neurologist and epileptologist, Dr. Steven Pacia.
2007 Seizure Activity:
1.) Last Simple Partial Seizure, or SPS, was 2 days ago.
2.) In 2007, I have had 1 SPS so far.
Actual Journal: I returned home from vacation on the West Coast today. The travel portions of vacation are strong reminders of why I stay put so much during chemo. I love it when I actually arrive at my destination, but the travel portions take a lot out of me.
Honestly, it is hard to believe that I used to be a serious "road-warrior." From 1996-2001, I traveled over 100,000 miles each year in air miles. I flew from Alabama to California to Singapore to London. I would do this on a regular basis. I would compete for the best seats on the airplane. I would learn all the clever tricks for getting access to the airport clubs so I had better places to hang out during layovers.
I was a sick little puppy back then, I must admit. It all feels like a previous life. Going forward, this is a reminder to choose very judiciously about travel. I can still do it, obviously, but the travel portion is draining in the context of chemo when rest and exercise must be precisely executed. Hard to do these things while on the road.
Merry Christmas (a little late)
So it is that I arrived home at 12:30 AM (ET), even though it felt like 9:30 PM (PT). But, at the end of a long day of travel, there was a little present waiting for me from my health insurance provider.
DATE: 01/05/2007
PAY: ELEVEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY FOUR AND 17/100 DOLLARS
TO THE ORDER OF: DAVID C WELCH
VOID AFTER 180 DAYS
Per my 12/22/06 online journal entry, this is the direct result of winning another battle in the world of brain cancer treatment. This is additional reimbursement for my 5/5/05 brain surgery costs. Now, $16,000 total (out of $25,500) has been reimbursed to me for my surgery. With this latest check, it is official.
Victory
This is another reminder that there are ways to win battles during brain cancer treatments. Is this not direct evidence? Yes, it did take about 1.5 years, but we won, dammit! I must admit that the victory itself is far more satisfying than the dollars involved.
Taking on a huge medical system that seems so oblique, arbitrary, knowingly powerful -- and then beating them at their own game -- makes me feel as if our medical team can do the same when it comes to brain cancer.
Perhaps this seems an emotional reaction. Partly, it is. At the same time, it took some savvy to pull it off. That same energy is being applied to my brain cancer treatments, carving paths which can only be helpful.
