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You've been given a lot of great advice. Definitely call the American Cancer Society, they will help find resources for you and may be able to give you a $100 gas card. CancerCare.org helped me my first year, but they only paid for chemo. There is help out there, it's just not always easy to find.
My husband was just diagnosed with prostate cancer and in addition to the scare of cancer treatment we have to face concerns about paying for it all. We are both working but uninsured. I'm afraid my dear one will compromise or forgo certain care if he thinks that he can't pay for it.
He had been out of work for awhile and we were able to get private, local hospital assistance, but our eligibility for that will be running out soon. I feel truly stuck between a rock and a hard, hard place.
It is well known that the elderly are being over serviced with unnecessary painful and costly cancer treatments. Hormone treatment is based on a theory only and the recent science says it is wrong. When it fails the next option is surgical castration, or, the even more expensive, ongoing, chemo or radiation. Your husband was wise to ignore the latter in the first instance and he should do so now. It is more likely to cause his early demise than doing nothing. And, it will ensure his last days are miserable ones. I'm sure you will not want that.
At 74 years, I am into my 7th year with aggressive prostate cancer, Gleason 5+4 = 9. and have ignored conventional treatment, treating myself with alternative therapies, diet restrictions and vitamins. I now have no obvious symptoms. In 1995 I lost a kidney to cancer and in 2000 was diagnosed with a metastasis in my liver and right lung and given 12 months to live. One surgeon said removing my lung would give me a few months more. I ignored them all but enhanced my natural health regimen. 12 months later it was acknowledged a medical error had been made. I hadn't died after all. Furthermore, I still had my right lung.
So you see, individuals must make their own decisions about their own health, not rely on health professionals who are beset with potential bias and financial interest. Moderator cut: need at least 10 other posts to make specific recommendations
Please consider the quality of your husband's remaining years. That is far more important than the innocent - but ill considered - feeding of the insatiable gravy train that is the cancer industry.
Last edited by SouthernBelleInUtah; 03-11-2012 at 10:23 AM..
You must not have read the part where her husband is under 55 y/o. It makes sense for an older man to wait it out as something else is likely to kill him first. But NOT for a younger man.
I'm 58 on active surveillance and the cancer in my right lobe is a Gleason 3 + 4. Had my second biopsy of 13 cores last month after the initial diagnosis from the one almost a year and a half before of 12 cores, and it's status is unchanged.
Thank you Southern Belle for your kind correction. I had in mind the gent was in his nineties.Not sure why. Mental gymnastics on my part, I guess.
However, although some of my remarks are invalid as far as he is concerned It doesn't change the premise of my message; that conventional prostate cancer treatments are very much a hit and miss affair. Prostate surgery (prostatectomy) is barbaric, invariably leaving behind major damage to nerve ends, tissue and organs, committing the patient to a greatly diminished quality of life and a high risk of a metastasis within a few years. Chemotherapy and radiation are no less dangerous and also have lasting side effects.
Medical science still does not know the absolute cause or causes of prostate cancer and still does not have the means to accurately identify specific types of cancer prior to surgery. So how can it profess to know the solution? It's not logical.
Oncologists and Urologists are in a quandary over this dilemma and until someone comes up with an answer they can all agree on.... they are content to continue with these harmful and grotesque treatment options of last resort. And that, is so shameful.
It's probably best to do your own research and not rely too much on opinions from an internet forum. Yes, prostate cancer therapy is controversial, but there are many good books and articles out there to help give you guidelines. In the end, everyone has to decide what is the best course of treatment for themselves.
My husband was diagnosed approx. 1-1/2 yrs. ago and chose active surveillance, since his cancer was well within the guidelines. Unfortunately, a second biopsy showed his Gleason score had risen and his PSA kept going up as well. After several consultations and a ton of reading, he will have surgery via DaVince in 2 weeks.
I know how stressful this process is and I can't imagine the added stress of being uninsured. I hope you are able to get some financial help with this, and wish you and your husband all the best, no matter what you decide to do.
It's probably best to do your own research and not rely too much on opinions from an internet forum. Yes, prostate cancer therapy is controversial, but there are many good books and articles out there to help give you guidelines. In the end, everyone has to decide what is the best course of treatment for themselves.
My husband was diagnosed approx. 1-1/2 yrs. ago and chose active surveillance, since his cancer was well within the guidelines. Unfortunately, a second biopsy showed his Gleason score had risen and his PSA kept going up as well. After several consultations and a ton of reading, he will have surgery via DaVince in 2 weeks.
I know how stressful this process is and I can't imagine the added stress of being uninsured. I hope you are able to get some financial help with this, and wish you and your husband all the best, no matter what you decide to do.
Every cancer is different, different stages and different grades. Whatever you choose you'll be living with the consequences which can affect you quality of life for as long as you live. Once you get a diagnosis you have to balance that with the likelihood of the cancer affecting your quality of life, and then choosing the coarse of action from there after being well informed. Urologists are a bit quick to steer one towards surgery because that's what they do even for a Gleason 6 with a low percentage of one or two cores affected, but the patient has to be his own case manager.
It scares me that I live in a country that doesn't blink an eye about intervening in situations halfway around the world, but it's own people don't have a right to not be driven to financial ruin for needed medical treatment.
It's well worth it to attend a independent support group if there is one in your area. Good luck with the surgery.
We just had a consult with the radiation oncologist. there is a general consensus that for the type and degree of DH's cancer, surgery, particularly robotic or laproscopic surgery would be the best. We have filed a financial aid request with the hospital and will be referred to the social worker as well.
I'm hoping all will work out.
glad to hear you have filed for help. I was going to suggest this. My husband is undergoing radiation for liposarcoma cancer at this time. Even with insurange and medicare there are still bills, one of course being gasoline daily. We are getting some help from a local cancer group. Good luck. BTW, my husband will undergo ratidation for his protate cancer when we finish this round of radiation. he isn't having the surgery, because unlike your husband, we are quite a bit older.
My DH is recovering from the DaVinci surgery as of now. The doctors seem to think he has an excellent prognosis although we will still have to wait for pathology reports. I'll be glad to know that the cancer is all gone. Then we will have to worry about the bills...one thing at a time.
Thanks for the good thoughts, People.
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