HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - How has breast cancer affected your income?

fauxgypsy · 04-08-2008, 06:29 PM

I just wanted to address my earlier complaints. I was one of the people who was both self employed and with no insurance when this happened. I was lucky in a way because of those two things. I was able to structure my time so that I could work around treatment and I stumbled upon the Medicaid program for uninsured patients through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. Sometimes it is hard to feel lucky but then I think of how bad it could have been. I have a very generous family member who has stepped up to help us more than once.
I have realized that I am not going to be able to resume my fauxfinish business at the level I was doing it. I have a M.S. degree in biology (genetics) and have decided that I am going to try to get back into science. I have been out of it for many years but I still have wonderful references and a good background so when a research position in of all things, cancer research, came open at the University, I decided to apply for it. It will be a while before I know anything. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I have been frustrated because I can't make the doctors understand how physical my work (the faux finish business) is. I have felt pressured on one side to feel disabled and on the other to do more than I can safely do. I like working and I am hoping this will work out. I am meeting with a someone at rehab tomorrow as well. I don't know how that is going to go, she heard the word "cancer" and started crawfishing (for those of you not southern, a crawfish goes backwards when it is troubled). It is not the cancer diagnosis that is the problem, it is this #$%% mastectomy that I possibly didn't have to have ( another long story) that is the problem.
Whatever happens, I have decided that I am NOT going to give up and roll over. I am not through yet! Just call me the come back kid.

04-08-2008, 06:29 PM	#26
fauxgypsy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 600	rethinkiing the situation I just wanted to address my earlier complaints. I was one of the people who was both self employed and with no insurance when this happened. I was lucky in a way because of those two things. I was able to structure my time so that I could work around treatment and I stumbled upon the Medicaid program for uninsured patients through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. Sometimes it is hard to feel lucky but then I think of how bad it could have been. I have a very generous family member who has stepped up to help us more than once. I have realized that I am not going to be able to resume my fauxfinish business at the level I was doing it. I have a M.S. degree in biology (genetics) and have decided that I am going to try to get back into science. I have been out of it for many years but I still have wonderful references and a good background so when a research position in of all things, cancer research, came open at the University, I decided to apply for it. It will be a while before I know anything. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have been frustrated because I can't make the doctors understand how physical my work (the faux finish business) is. I have felt pressured on one side to feel disabled and on the other to do more than I can safely do. I like working and I am hoping this will work out. I am meeting with a someone at rehab tomorrow as well. I don't know how that is going to go, she heard the word "cancer" and started crawfishing (for those of you not southern, a crawfish goes backwards when it is troubled). It is not the cancer diagnosis that is the problem, it is this #$%% mastectomy that I possibly didn't have to have ( another long story) that is the problem. Whatever happens, I have decided that I am NOT going to give up and roll over. I am not through yet! Just call me the come back kid. __________________ In the world of destiny, there are no statistics. Jan. 26- mammogram and ultrasound- suspicious lump Mid-February- lumpectomy, infiltrating ductal carcinoma ~4.5 cm and a 1 cm DCIS, did not get clear margins, did not check lymph nodes ER+/PR+, her2 +++, nuclear grade 3 of 3 February 20-PET scan showed something on liver. No biopsy. March- Started carboplatin, herceptin, taxol on a four week cycle May 3- Pet scan, with intent to do a biopsy, found nothing, liver or breast- no biopsy because there is nothing to biopsy June 21- new onc, very concerned that there had been no biopsy, June 18th-CAT scan, bone scan-negative August 7th - Brain MRI-negative August 9th- mastectomy, all pathology negative January 2008 still NED! New oncologist -herceptin for full year after chemo- until July, and tamoxifen---negative scans since May '07 July 2008-Finished Herceptin!