Advice needed

[TriciaK]

Dear friends, I am recovering still from the open heart surgery. I saw my oncologist today and he was amazed. He said the heart surgeon called him before the surgery to see what he thought my prognosis with the cancer was, and the onc said he told him "Tricia has a good chance for many more years, so I think the heart surgery is a good idea." I told him it was worth the surgery to hear that that was his opinion, because I have had a hard time pinning him down about what he thinks my life expectancy is. So that is good news.
I do have some serious concerns, though, that I need your advice about. My oldest daughter is a single mother in Texas. She's 54, and a wonderful, beautiful person, although she has had a very hard life. She is about to lose her job, home and everything, but still is hanging in. My biggest worry is that she has symptoms of uterine cancer. I was treated for several months before her birth with stilbesterol, because of the danger of miscarriage. For several years I have read of the danger of uterine cancer for stilbesterol baby girls, and she had promised to watch for it. For the last 6 years she has had no insurance, and so she hasn't seen a doctor. The symptoms are much worse, and I am so worried about her. What do you do if you have no insurance and a possible life-threatening disease? Is there any way she can see a doctor for a check-up with no money and no insurance? What do people do? I have been so blessed with good insurance from medicare and military tricare, and have never had to worry about insurance, so I don't even know where to turn. I feel so helpless for her! I really believe she has resigned herself to dying from cancer and feels there is nothing that can be done. I would be so grateful if any of you have any ideas to pass on to her.
This site has been such a blessing to me and I am so grateful for all of you. And Al, I am looking forward to meeting you on your trip to Arizona this fall! I have been so touched by you all! I have never thought Canada's medical situation was ideal but if my daughter were there I would at least have hope she could see a doctor. What do the rest of us do without insurance? I will be so grateful for any ray of hope! Hugs, Tricia

[Montana]

I didn't have any insurance either when I found out I had cancer. I thought we would have to sell our business until I found out that all of the states have funding from the Centers for Disease Control to screen and treat breast and cervical cancer. Go to this site http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/bcccs/default.shtm and see if there is any help there.

Good luck to your daughter. This program truly was a life saver for me here in Montana.

Edit: The program is funded through state Medicaid.

[karenann]

Tricia,

Tell her to call the American Cancer Society and ask them about any programs they know of for women without insurance. Also, here in Northern California, we have an organization called, The Wellness Community...actually, I just called them for you and they are not in Texas, however, they recommenced that you or your daughter call, Gilda's Club (212)219-8877,which is located in Dallas and ask them about programs for your daughter. The Wellness community also said to go to this website, www.cancer.org and put in your daughter's zip code and it will show her where the American Cancer society is located in Texas and any programs they have for people who are uninsured.

Please let me know if I can make any call for you from my end.

Hugs,

Karen

[R.B.]

I hope you are getting and feeling better after your op.

On my hobby horse of fats you may want to talk to your advisors about omega three and recovery from heart surgery. I have read some suggestions it helps. If you search on NCBI you will find some info.


Re your daughter

I have also seen suggestions that omega three / six / the eicosanoid pathway play a part in cancers in that general area.

Heres a trial I found just now. The prostaglandin E2 is also implicated in BC. It is a product of the eicosanoid pathway which starts with omega six. Your daughter may like to check out the posts on omega three and six / diet on this site.

Improvement in the omega three six balance should improve general health if nothing else.

Significant dietary changes should be discussed with advisors.

I hope you heal up well.

You are being very brave about this with all you are facing.

RB

1: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Dec;14(12):2840-7. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
Inflammation and endometrial cancer: a hypothesis.

Modugno F, Ness RB, Chen C, Weiss NS.

Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 516A Parran Hall, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. modugno+@pitt.edu

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States. Substantial epidemiologic data implicate an imbalance of estrogens and progestogens in the etiology of this disease. We propose that inflammation also plays a role in endometrial cancer development. Emerging laboratory data suggest that elevated levels of prostaglandin E(2) may underlie the transformation of normal endometrium to neoplastic tissue and that in vitro nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may inhibit endometrial cancer cell growth. In this review, we suggest that the risk factors for endometrial cancer--unopposed estrogens, anovulation, polycystic ovary syndrome, excessive menstruation, early menarche, and late menopause--may be viewed as factors increasing the exposure of the endometrium to inflammation, whereas pregnancy and smoking, two likely protective factors, have the opposite effect. Chronic inflammation can induce rapid cell division, increasing the possibility for replication error, ineffective DNA repair, and subsequent mutations. A proinflammatory milieu can also directly increase estrogen production. Hence, inflammation may work in conjunction with or in addition to estrogen exposure in the development of endometrial cancer.

Publication Types:

* Review


PMID: 16364998 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Cynthia]

Trish,

I am so sorry that you have to worry about your daughter in addition to taking care of yourself. Please click on this site; it appears to be a good overview of ways that your daughter might be able to obtain the care she may well need. http://www.cancercare.org/pdf/fact_s...nancial_en.pdf

In particular, it seems like she should contact a local public or non-profit hospital and speak with a social worker about a charity care program. Also, Medicaid benefits may be available to your daughter. Additionally, she may be eligible to be screened and covered for treatment under the Breast and Cervical Treatment Act of 2000. Your daughter may want to contact the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation for further guidance. http://www.alamobreastcancer.org/index.html While it is a breast cancer organization, they should be able to point her in the right direction.

Best of luck to you both.

Cynthia

[Barbara H.]

Hi Tricia,
You have received some leads from others about how your daughter can receive help. My heart just goes out to you. Having to worry about a child, no matter how old they are, is just awful. I just hope that it is just menopause symptoms or something else, but she needs to find out. My parents are also alive in their 80's and my illness has been so difficult for them. I will be thinking of you and her, and I hope that she finds treatment soon.
Glad to hear that you are doing well, and have many more years!!
Best wishes,
Barbara H.

[Lisa]

Tricia,

So glad to hear that you're recovering. And do you REALLY want to know your
"time line?" I wouldn't want to be checking my calendar monthly.

It sounds as though your daughter is having a rough time. I'm glad another member has already checked with Texas agencies. I just had a list of agencies that help cancer patients and, damn it, I think I threw it away! I'll dig for it.

Love and light to you both,

Lisa

[Lisa]

Tricia,

I found my paper which lists help places. Here's a couple that MIGHT be of help.

Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, Chicago.....800-444-4441

Lance Armstrong Foundation, Austin...512-236-8820

Partnership for Prescription Assistance...888-477-2669

Wish I had more.

Love and light,

Lisa

[TriciaK]

Thank you all for your help! It never ceases to amaze me how knowledgeable you all are and how willing to help in any way. I have passed all your suggestions on to my daughter and she is exploring them.I printed them off also in case anyone else I know needs this information. Thank you all once again! Hugs, Tricia