Other voices - let them be heard!

Ruth -
what a HUGE HONOR you have! And SO important for so many. Most of us here on this board are not old enough for Medicare and not sick to the point where we qualify for Medicaid/disability.
We are ALSO in a tough spot and have a burdon to pay for the health insurance and some part of the treatment and incidental pills we have to take along with the chemos and other drugs.
By the time those of us in ONGOING treatment pay our deductibles and stop loss amounts year after year (not to mention all the doc visit, tests not covered and prescription co-pays) we are out several thousand dollars per year. So, there goes the kithen remodel, the new car, the nice trip, the new clothes or the retirement and college funds. We know we have to be treated and must budget with this in mind, instead of what we would like to get for our grandchildren. Or we do send them to camp and go without something ourselves. Life in general is very expensive in large metropolitan areas where the treatment is the best. We can barely afford to stay, but are afraid to go away from our top clinics and excellent level of care. It is even harder for those with young children to still support and raise.
Cancer is a catastrophic illness and is very expensive to treat. I will hit my one million limit on my health insurance well before I am 65 at the present rate of ongoing treatment. I will have to go on disability or go totally broke.