HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Cancer won't wait--by Lance Armstrong

Cal-Gal · 10-29-2009, 05:30 PM

Thanks-all opinions respected by me---

One thing that rung true for me and more than a bit concerning is the statement below which is a statistic that I had not seen.

I am a single lady and lost my job due to my diagnosis --I am now on COBRA--no parents to move in with-both died of cancer---living w/friends--using my retirement to survive the financial aspects of this illness--not sure how things are going to work out--so this is concerning-that cancer survivors are more likely to be unemployed--for someone who has cancer w/no spouse or significant other and is looking for work--just another depressing fact..................I pray everyday for all of us.

"The disease also has a devastating personal economic impact. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, cancer survivors in the United States were 37 percent more likely to be unemployed than those who have not been afflicted by the disease. This is a health and economic crisis on par with the worldwide recession."

10-29-2009, 05:30 PM	#3
Cal-Gal Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 309	Re: Cancer won't wait--by Lance Armstrong Thanks-all opinions respected by me--- One thing that rung true for me and more than a bit concerning is the statement below which is a statistic that I had not seen. I am a single lady and lost my job due to my diagnosis --I am now on COBRA--no parents to move in with-both died of cancer---living w/friends--using my retirement to survive the financial aspects of this illness--not sure how things are going to work out--so this is concerning-that cancer survivors are more likely to be unemployed--for someone who has cancer w/no spouse or significant other and is looking for work--just another depressing fact..................I pray everyday for all of us. "The disease also has a devastating personal economic impact. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, cancer survivors in the United States were 37 percent more likely to be unemployed than those who have not been afflicted by the disease. This is a health and economic crisis on par with the worldwide recession." __________________ DX: 11/08 Age: 53 Surgery: 1/09 Bilat Mastectomy, no reconstruction ILC-4 tumors-1.7 cm,1.5 cm (2).8 cm DCIS-11 cm All tumors Grade 3 All tumors ER-0%/PR-0% All tumors HER2+ IHC-all tumors Overexpression/borderline FISH 2 tumors Her2-Negative FISH 2 tumors Her2+ Equivocal Stage I, 0/1 nodes LVI-Indeterminate(treated as positive) SPR Score 8/9 Ki-67 20% BRCA genetic test 1/2=negative Chemo: 6 rounds TAC Feb-June 2009 w/Neulasta Herceptin: 6/12/09-6/4/10 52weeks HNPCC genetic test: negative Port Placement-9/23/09 Port Removal 6/25/10 Echo's every 3 months-All normal 2/09 Staging PET/CT showed 0.2 micronodule upper R lobe-lung-Onc does not think this is mets-- 6/5/09 AND 10/09 CT scan 0.2 micronodule unchanged 1/10-PET/CT-uptake in nasopharynx- 1/10-MRI All normal 6/10-Bone Scan-clear 12/10-PET/CT-All Clear-NED 12/11-PET-All Clear-NED 12/12-PET-All Clear-NED 12/13-CT w/contrast Head, Torso-All Clear 12/14-CT w/contrast Head-All Clear 2/15-Core needle biopsy-R scar line