Imagine the cruelty needing insurance to give the thumbs up to start treatment? Fed up with this total cancer shit show. Middle finger salute to insurance companies!

they delivered a small oxygen tank in case I need it if power goes out and they delivered a huge oxygen concentrator I use every now and then . From my understanding anyone with any kind breathing/lung issue is eligible for these devices under Medicare . Doctor just has to write the order

I'm so sorry that you were met with that attitude. I hope they have time to reflect on their words and tone, and how harsh they come across to people who are ill, hurting, and scared- and then roll up their sleeves and get to work to provide help and reassurance!

I was actually offered clinical trial(s) this morning during a virtual meeting with NP to decide which way to go from this point on. Although it sounds like the be all and end all and that maybe YOU would be that one person that would benefit tremendously from a clinical trial, there is too much at risk. In clinical trials, some are given the actual drug, some are given the drug with an enhancing drug and some are just given a placebo. There is a schedule one must adhere to and it's more intense than going once a week or once every other week for an infusion, it's more involved. Some pass mid-trial. There are many more doctors, researchers, etc. involved in the case. So more picking, poking, prodding. A clinical trial, if successful, can open up the options to many folks dealing with cancer. They are important and necessary. However, for me, I am not willing to go through unmanageable side effects, add a level of stress to my already stressful life and quite possibly be on the receiving end of something my body just cannot handle, especially after everything it has been through.
I'm going back to an IV chemo I have used in the past, tolerated fairly well until I just couldn't. I haven't had it for over a year and a half. On this chemo, I had no progression. Hopefully it will help and I'll be able to tolerate it for a bit. I've agreed to do it for 3 months, have PET scan and go from there. On this road, we cannot look ahead. We need to stay in the moment and whatever that moment brings us, proceed from there.

@A MyBCTeam Member This is just my own thoughts and feelings on this. I have turned down several trials since my diagnosis in 2021. My oncologist and I had a conversation on this then. She wanted me to consider doing it. I asked her," would you do it?" It might or not work. I said I didn't want to waste what precious time I had left, enduring side-effects that could be diabilitating, ending my life sooner than later. So I turned them down. But she understood my reasoning and respected my wishes then and now also. This new treatment I'm on had already gone through trials and was approved by the FDA in 2023 and was available now. It was my decision to take it. I read up on it and it presented great results! I'm 7 months into this treatment and I'm" stable". I'll take that result all day long! I won't do a trial if I'm the guinea pig and it makes me sicker, weaker than I am now. I'm on borrowed time here. BUT, if it's the last resort for staying above ground, only then I MIGHT do it. It would depend on my situation at that time. Would I risk it? Maybe...

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