So far the cost of treating MDS is close to $30,000 since June 1.
Yesterday, we received a call from the hospital that will be doing the Stem Cell Transplant, a procedure and follow up treatment that could run into the hundreds of thousand dollars.
If we didn’t have insurance, there would be no treatment available to us until Ralph qualifies for Medicare (October). Before October, he will have four cycles of chemotherapy at a cost of $40,000. That does not include the co-pays for every chemo visit ($175 per cycle), weekly labs, and any complications that may arise due to the course of his disease and side effects from the chemo.
Ralph has told me that he will not leave a load of debt in order to treat his cancer. If we didn’t have insurance, his outlook would be dismal. Most people at his stage of cancer die within two years from infection, bleeding, or acute leukemia. When the bone marrow fails, it fails to produce enough blood cells to supply the body. The bone marrow could rightly be called the source of life. In order to extend his life, our insurance will be spending a lot of money. Our part is the out of pocket limit (of $2,250 and copays, and extra expenses we are not aware of.
Sorry to be so dismal in my outlook, but it is important to think of practical things. We need to know what to expect. We will be traveling 137 miles one way to the treatment center our insurance will pay for in three weeks. There will probably be multiple trips if he is able to get the stem cell transplant. We don’t know if he will be eligible yet.
How will we get our daughter to work? Maybe she should move as we move forward with this?
annkilter 
That is simply heartbreaking. May I say that I despise insurance companies, who seem to make life MORE difficult than easier in times such as this. I can see that this is a lot to bear and my heart goes out to you. I wish I had other options that could help you, but I don’t:( Still, feelings are not good, bad, right, or wrong. They just are and they are here to tell us something and we need to heed them. And honor them, I think. Pretending they aren’t there or that we are not affected by them diminishes our personal journey through difficult times..at least for me. I may not be able to change what I feel, but I can acknowledge it and let it pass without “holding” on to it with all my might. I am not sure if this will give you a bit of support, but I get my to do list each day and see what I actually can do. The things I can really do nothing about go back into the backpack to be looked at another day. This gives me a bit of reprieve from completely being overwhelmed and some space to breathe. I may not be able to help with insurance companies…but I can try and “hear” you here.
s
I agree. I think I am writing these posts just so I can get some of these thoughts out and writing them out without upsetting my husband and my family. But it is hard. Hard. Thank you for being there.
These are big things that you are dealing with. If it helps to write it out then we will be here reading and lending an ear. No need to apologize for the tone. Sending hugs!