Twenty Percent Down!

It has been a year since my surgery. I didn't even have a twinge as my anniversary passed. Although I did think of it. As the medical transcriptions would say, "After recognition of the day the remainder was unremarkable."

The insurance got very particular about the precise day they would authorize lab tests. I must be at least ninety days since the last draw. And the same with the office visit. So I have had the blood test. I have an appointment for the seventh of May for the results.

Insurance of every type tries to run every one's life to avoid disbursement for claims. They live by premiums and die by claims. So understandably they don't want people to use them to frequently. They have to walk a fine line between 'practicing medicine' and managing claims.

To that end, my health insurance company changed their listing of several drugs in January. I had been on Lipitor and Zetia and Tricor for blood lipid level control for five years. My results were excellent. LDL <70,>45 and Triglycerides ~ 120. My nuclear stress tests had indicated no new cardiac blockage. My carotid artery ultrasound was very good.

The insurance sent a mailing out that Lipitor would go from $30 co-pay to $100 co-pay. There is no generic equivalent for Lipitor but they "suggested" Vytorin or another statin-family drug. The doctor wrote me a prescription for Vytorin and Fenofibrate, to replace the Lipitor, Zetia and Tricor. Thus I needed to test again in ninety days.

I made an appointment for April to combine all the blood tests for liver and kidney function and lipid levels and PSA for my Prostate follow-up. That week news broke about the ineffectiveness of Vytorin and of Zetia. They do lower the cholesterol level but don't stop blockage and in studies blockage increased. That pissed me off! In the interest of profit the insurance decided what drugs I could take; not my doctor.

Then I realized they decided what they would pay for which products. I decided what I would pay for which product TOO! But not to white wash the insurance company, they didn't lower my premium. They kept the profit and I had to give up more money or possible health advantage.

The test results came back and the doctor called with the news. LDL=64, HDL=48, EXCELLENT!! Liver function great! Kidney function good! PSA, undetectable!! I still have to go to the urologist for follow-up. Possibly as much for his edification as for my benefit, since I know there is no adenocarcinoma from my prostate. I should be good for another year. One down and four to go.

I looked into the Vermont thing. I thank you for thinking of me. I might consider it later. I am focusing very hard on wrapping up my career this year. I want to retire with benefits for me and my bride. At least for my bride. And I'm not sure what to expect from organizations for support.

Whether for heart, diabetes or cancer; I don't really feel worthy of a support group. I think of my self as much like I was; but MORE worthless. I don't feel like I survived a major heart attack that kills 43% of victims. Or that I have, knock on wood, gotten apparent control of my diabetes. Am I a cancer survivor? People in those support organizations seem to all have a story so much more worthy than I do.

I didn't have OPEN HEART SURGERY! I didn't have the anguish of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and FINALLY deciding to have my five arteries with 85% to 90% blockage bypassed. I didn't have to suffer the worst pain in my life. I didn't face death. I didn't almost die multiple times.
I only had one dominant right artery blocked 100%. I watched them push the dye. I saw the blockage. I saw the doctor place the stent. And it was so easy! I got the best drugs in the world for pain as I lay flat of my back under a sandbag while a tube ran in my groin to a balloon in my heart that inflated and deflated to pump my blood through my heart. I never felt like a victim. My nurses and doctors treated me with respect. Their touch felt so sincere. Their words were comforting when they told me how tough I was and how I could ask for anything we needed. And Sally sat there in the mind numbing boredom from the Wednesday night I went in to the Saturday morning I got out.

MY cancer was without manifestation of symptoms. It was discovered via my annual check-up blood tests. It was only moderate grade, the Gleason was 3+3, contained within the envelop of the prostate and unremarkable (one of my favorites of doctor descriptive words). I had a good bladder neck left and nerve sparing went well. I worked very diligently at bladder control and regained total continence in five weeks. What could I offer in support?

Every one there would have gone through so much more than I that I could not offer understanding, encouragement nor hope. The other day I received in the mail an invitation to Cancer Survivors, to attend a celebration of the hospital's award winning Cancer Center. Sally looked at the mail and said, "Huh! I never thought of you as a cancer survivor before."

But thanks for listening. I am just a very blessed old fart.