April 2009
MAMMOGRAM
When it came time for my yearly mammogram I was a mess. My confidence and excitement from becoming a 3-year survivor had dimmed. I could hardly eat anything the morning before the mammogram.
What if my cancer had come back but the tumor was too small to feel yet? What if I only thought I was fine but I was really in trouble? What if I had to go through treatment all over again?
This happens every year. I know that it's normal to experience these doubts and fears, but that doesn't stop me from going through the roller coaster of emotions. To me, a mammogram is a test you can't study for but you could die if you fail it.
The phone call to my husband went something like this:
Me: "Everyone looks fine! There's no cause for concern."
Husband: "Of course. I told you that."
Me: "I know, but I feel better hearing it from the technician. She said the radiologist saw nothing that needed further investigation."
Husband: "Good for you, honey."
Me: "Yeah. Good for me."
I went back to work relieved and all smiles.
The control freak in me came out as I insisted upon taking my films with me when I left the hospital. I proudly carried them to my breast surgeon's office a week later and proudly carried them back home again after that uneventful checkup.
INSURANCE
Part of my fear revolved around money. There are no easy answers for most people when it comes to health insurance and cancer.
Once you've had any form of cancer, your only realistic option is to stick with some kind of group coverage through your employer. What happens if you are a small business owner or a self-employed person with no group plan? That means you end up with no coverage, coverage that excludes anything related to cancer, or high premiums for major medical insurance that almost isn't worth having. When I dealt with cancer-related surgeries and treatments in 2006, the medical expenses were significant even with insurance, not to mention the lost wages for me and my husband from time away from work and my reduced work schedule during chemo.
When I was job hunting earlier this year, the availability and level of health insurance coverage was a potential deal maker/breaker for me. You can't exactly grill most potential employers, however, on the details of their health insurance plan before the first interview - or before an offer.
One decision that cancer survivors face when looking for a job is whether or not to bring up the fact that they have or had cancer. I found it to be better not to say anything during the interview process.
I've been fortunate to have been able to hold onto health insurance in one form or another through my unemployment and subsequent contract employment.
MAMMOGRAM
When it came time for my yearly mammogram I was a mess. My confidence and excitement from becoming a 3-year survivor had dimmed. I could hardly eat anything the morning before the mammogram.
What if my cancer had come back but the tumor was too small to feel yet? What if I only thought I was fine but I was really in trouble? What if I had to go through treatment all over again?
This happens every year. I know that it's normal to experience these doubts and fears, but that doesn't stop me from going through the roller coaster of emotions. To me, a mammogram is a test you can't study for but you could die if you fail it.
The phone call to my husband went something like this:
Me: "Everyone looks fine! There's no cause for concern."
Husband: "Of course. I told you that."
Me: "I know, but I feel better hearing it from the technician. She said the radiologist saw nothing that needed further investigation."
Husband: "Good for you, honey."
Me: "Yeah. Good for me."
I went back to work relieved and all smiles.
The control freak in me came out as I insisted upon taking my films with me when I left the hospital. I proudly carried them to my breast surgeon's office a week later and proudly carried them back home again after that uneventful checkup.
INSURANCE
Part of my fear revolved around money. There are no easy answers for most people when it comes to health insurance and cancer.
Once you've had any form of cancer, your only realistic option is to stick with some kind of group coverage through your employer. What happens if you are a small business owner or a self-employed person with no group plan? That means you end up with no coverage, coverage that excludes anything related to cancer, or high premiums for major medical insurance that almost isn't worth having. When I dealt with cancer-related surgeries and treatments in 2006, the medical expenses were significant even with insurance, not to mention the lost wages for me and my husband from time away from work and my reduced work schedule during chemo.
When I was job hunting earlier this year, the availability and level of health insurance coverage was a potential deal maker/breaker for me. You can't exactly grill most potential employers, however, on the details of their health insurance plan before the first interview - or before an offer.
One decision that cancer survivors face when looking for a job is whether or not to bring up the fact that they have or had cancer. I found it to be better not to say anything during the interview process.
I've been fortunate to have been able to hold onto health insurance in one form or another through my unemployment and subsequent contract employment.
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