Friday, June 24, 2005
Another busy week
Following the wonderful assistance I received last weekend I went out on Tuesday and bought some wood and am getting ready to build :) I want to build a headboard for our main bedroom queen sized bed as well as a small porch and back steps leading from the kitchen. Also on Tuesday I went to Bible study as well as seeing a CPA about my taxes for the upcoming year. He suggested I relook at one item on last year's taxes. Oooppss! On Wednesday Char picked up her new car, a Hyundai Elantra and seems to like it fairly well. Thursday I saw an attorney (he believes most of my stuff is in pretty good order) and went into Omaha for a blood test and a procrit shot.
Tricare turned down my request for Velcade (which I expected since it isn't FDA approved for Lymphoma) but my case manager said they would pay for anything else associated with the delivery of the drug. I talked to the UNMC case manager and Dr. Popa and will visit further next week about it. As far as I can tell all I need to do is get the drugs paid and we should be able to move forward. There are a number of ways I will explore to get that accomplished.
After some very circular discussion with the VA about medical records it looks like they will approve 100% disability. Bummer that this is the result although the benefits will be useful.
Well, as you should know I am in Moline, Illinois this weekend to visit with some friends from my military days. It should be a good weekend. Next weekend I am going camping with Matt, Kate and the boys so the blog won't be updated until July 5th. Have a great couple of weeks and I will see you all later.
Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." God harbors no evil towards us and wishes all to come to him. If you died tonight, where would you spend tomorrow?
Love
Bob
Tricare turned down my request for Velcade (which I expected since it isn't FDA approved for Lymphoma) but my case manager said they would pay for anything else associated with the delivery of the drug. I talked to the UNMC case manager and Dr. Popa and will visit further next week about it. As far as I can tell all I need to do is get the drugs paid and we should be able to move forward. There are a number of ways I will explore to get that accomplished.
After some very circular discussion with the VA about medical records it looks like they will approve 100% disability. Bummer that this is the result although the benefits will be useful.
Well, as you should know I am in Moline, Illinois this weekend to visit with some friends from my military days. It should be a good weekend. Next weekend I am going camping with Matt, Kate and the boys so the blog won't be updated until July 5th. Have a great couple of weeks and I will see you all later.
Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." God harbors no evil towards us and wishes all to come to him. If you died tonight, where would you spend tomorrow?
Love
Bob
Sunday, June 19, 2005
A restful Sunday after a full weekend
Hello all:
As I noted earlier the end of the week has been very hectic. I didn't sign up for hospice yet because I can't receive treatment while on hospice. In addition the hospice folks thought it could wait. I do look pretty good all things considered.
On Friday I had an appointment with Dr. Popa and we discussed my visit with Dr. Bierman. My blood counts are better then Dr. Popa anticipated. My white cells are at 7000 (smack in the middle of average) and my red cells are normal. My hemaglobin is low so I will continue to eat foods that will boost them. She said if the Velcade effort failed she might have some ideas for life extending efforts. Note they are meant to 'slow' the disease spread not cure it. I also heard on Friday that the insurance company has sent our request to peer review. We also bought a Hyundai Elantra. Yes I know about its former reputation but it is rated fairly well on Consumer Guide and it does come with a nice group of features. It is a 5 speed basic get what comes with it vehicle. Check it out on the web and you will see it looks like a good buy.
On Saturday a blessing rained on our house. Because this is an open blog I won't mention names but about 8 folks from work (or husband/friend of a Mutual person) joined us. A neighbor, my son and daughter and my sister-in-law in attacking a number of jobs around the house. A chimney came down (with very slight damage to the air conditioner with the first brick) and the hole was filled after concrete was poured to make a cap a couple feet down. Some fire brick was save to build planters as well as some concrete bricks for landscaping efforts. The wood burning furnace, after great effort, was brought up from the basement and most of the duct work taken out. I smartly waited, after breaking a basement step taking it down, for the furnace's removal to consider the damage to the steps. However I only have two to replace now :) It was a MAJOR chore getting that heavy thing out. We dug up the septic access, cut the lawn and field, trimmed around the place, cut down a number of scrub trees in the backyard and added dirt by the foundation where a gutter drain hose was pulled up. The fireplace chimney cap area was re-shingled and the bricks around the foundation of the house were painted to match the siding (where it was formerly red). About 2:00 we had lunch (brought by our friends from work) and shortly after called it a day. The food was outstanding based on comments from the diners and the lasagna (one of my two favorite dishes) to die for. It was a tearful experience for Charlotte and I when it was over. I was overwhelmed!
God is good and I thank Him so very much for these fine people! I love you guys.
My next update will be next Friday the 24th from Moline, Ill. We are driving there to meet some friends from Ohio. We were stationed with them a number of years and they are really the only ones we still have contact with.
Bob
As I noted earlier the end of the week has been very hectic. I didn't sign up for hospice yet because I can't receive treatment while on hospice. In addition the hospice folks thought it could wait. I do look pretty good all things considered.
On Friday I had an appointment with Dr. Popa and we discussed my visit with Dr. Bierman. My blood counts are better then Dr. Popa anticipated. My white cells are at 7000 (smack in the middle of average) and my red cells are normal. My hemaglobin is low so I will continue to eat foods that will boost them. She said if the Velcade effort failed she might have some ideas for life extending efforts. Note they are meant to 'slow' the disease spread not cure it. I also heard on Friday that the insurance company has sent our request to peer review. We also bought a Hyundai Elantra. Yes I know about its former reputation but it is rated fairly well on Consumer Guide and it does come with a nice group of features. It is a 5 speed basic get what comes with it vehicle. Check it out on the web and you will see it looks like a good buy.
On Saturday a blessing rained on our house. Because this is an open blog I won't mention names but about 8 folks from work (or husband/friend of a Mutual person) joined us. A neighbor, my son and daughter and my sister-in-law in attacking a number of jobs around the house. A chimney came down (with very slight damage to the air conditioner with the first brick) and the hole was filled after concrete was poured to make a cap a couple feet down. Some fire brick was save to build planters as well as some concrete bricks for landscaping efforts. The wood burning furnace, after great effort, was brought up from the basement and most of the duct work taken out. I smartly waited, after breaking a basement step taking it down, for the furnace's removal to consider the damage to the steps. However I only have two to replace now :) It was a MAJOR chore getting that heavy thing out. We dug up the septic access, cut the lawn and field, trimmed around the place, cut down a number of scrub trees in the backyard and added dirt by the foundation where a gutter drain hose was pulled up. The fireplace chimney cap area was re-shingled and the bricks around the foundation of the house were painted to match the siding (where it was formerly red). About 2:00 we had lunch (brought by our friends from work) and shortly after called it a day. The food was outstanding based on comments from the diners and the lasagna (one of my two favorite dishes) to die for. It was a tearful experience for Charlotte and I when it was over. I was overwhelmed!
God is good and I thank Him so very much for these fine people! I love you guys.
My next update will be next Friday the 24th from Moline, Ill. We are driving there to meet some friends from Ohio. We were stationed with them a number of years and they are really the only ones we still have contact with.
Bob
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Sorry about the update being late
So very much is going on this weekend. I will give a full update on Sunday the 19th. :)
Thanks
Bob
Thanks
Bob
Monday, June 13, 2005
Been to UNMC
I was seen by Dr. Bierman and UNMC today and he really didn't give us much hope. There is a drug that I could take, Bortezomib (aka Velcade), that might prolong the inevitable for a month or two. It hasn't been approved by the FDA for Burkitt's lymphoma and it is iffy that the inusrance company will ok it. The doses (4) are about $1,100 apiece and I can afford that but the total cost would be higher. One web site estimates $24,000 so if Tricare won't approve it I would have to decide if the extra month or so is worth the cost. Personally I am inclined not to do it 'out of pocket' since it isn't a hope for a cure but rather a hope for an extension of time. God can give that to me without the drug if he wishes. I am unclear on what Dr. Bierman meant by the need to do the drug as soon as possible except that Dr. Popa may have been right on with her time prognosis of 1-2 months and he thinks the spread needs to be stopped sooner rather than later. Ever notice how that phrase is used more and more now? ;) Sooner rather than later.....
There is also a clinical trial that will begin the end of the month that I might be eligible for. That would be paid with DOD money rather than Tricare money so it is worth a shot and I would take it if offered.
Well that is all for now I guess. I will update the post on Friday of this week.
Cheers and God be praised.
Bob
There is also a clinical trial that will begin the end of the month that I might be eligible for. That would be paid with DOD money rather than Tricare money so it is worth a shot and I would take it if offered.
Well that is all for now I guess. I will update the post on Friday of this week.
Cheers and God be praised.
Bob
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Nothing new going on here
Just treading water. The hospice folks are coming out this Friday. I guess there was some confusion about them coming out Tuesday. Other than that all is fine here in mudville :) Charlotte and I visited with the pastor Tuesday as well as a funeral home and a cemetary. We are continuing to pray that God grants me more years on this earth. I am in no hurry to leave my wife and family but He is righteous and always just in his actions. I appreciate all who continue to join us in prayer in the name of our saviour Jesus Christ and you should know that I feel very good physically and mentally. My faith is in Him as well as my trust and it will carry Charlotte and I through this time as it did David as told in 2 Samuel 22.
Cheers
Bob
Cheers
Bob
