More treatments...

My husband Jim is continuing his radiation treatments. The radiation should have ended by now, but the treatments were not deemed successful so the treatments will be extended by two weeks. Jim is also simultaneously utilizing chemotherapy treatments once per week. These chemo treatments will also be extended, but no end date has been set as of this posting. 

Jim continues to struggle with day-to-day living because he is so very tired and weak. Jim requires several naps per day, and yet he still feels quite fatigued. Things that Jim used to do, now go undone. 


Jim still has his hair. Jim was told that his first cycles of chemo would cause hair loss; but it did not. Jim was told that this round of radiation and chemo would cause hair loss; but it has not. When Jim became sick Jim had let his beard grow. Jim's beard became a sight with uneven growth. Recently, Jim decided to trim his beard. It looks much neater now. 

Jim tries to keep his spirits up, and for the most part he is successful. Of course he has his low moments, but overall Jim maintains a positive attitude. As we often say: It is what it is and play the cards that are dealt to you. 

Another month...

Image from Google Images

As any family dealing with a medical crisis, our family is doing our best to meet our financial needs and financial obligations. I am happy to say that we have successfully made it through another month. For us, this is worth sharing because it has been a challenge at times.

In February we completely drained our savings account to pay medical bills. In March we received financial help from friends and we used the gift to pay down more medical bills. This month we received our income tax refund and again used it to pay down medical our obligations.

About three years ago, and before Jim’s cancer crisis, I had put our family on a “financial diet” to try to pay off all of our debts because I dislike paying interest. That plan has been indefinitely put on hold. No extra payments are being made on any of our debts; instead we are focusing on our minimum payments so that we can try and pay all of our medical bills. I am doing whatever it takes to keep Jim’s treatments going and to stay even with all of our obligations. 

My job pays near minimum wage, but it is steady income and more importantly I truly love the job. Jim is receiving another month of short-term disability at 60% of his previous gross, but we have 100% of the bills in addition to the added medical expenses and all that goes along with that. Jim has to re-qualify for short term disability every 30 days, so we never know from month to month if we'll have enough money or not. Jim will not be able to return to work for quite some time. We have to step out on faith and pray that the disability is approved each month; as well as make up the 40% shortfall. That is so very stressful to us both. 

Our biggest budget adjustments have been: gasoline, groceries, and co-pays. Gasoline to get to all of the various appointments that Jim must attend. Pre-cancer we hardly drove the car anywhere at all but now we are attending many medical appointments per week. Groceries so that Jim can eat healthier. We have always eaten a balanced diet but now we must greatly increase the fresh vegetables and fruits to help Jim's body fight the cancer. Co-pays are $35 for every single appointment, chemo treatment, consultation, lab work, x-rays, etc. I quickly learned that co-pays and deductibles are not the same. Our co-pays are in addition to our deductible (20% of the bill); and in addition to the over-the-counter meds and vitamins that are not covered at all. 

Please keep in mind that I'm not complaining, just stating that ‘it is what it is’ and financial issues are part of the picture. We are happy that we are still maintaining this month. We are proud of the fact that we have met this challenge again this month. 

Interview AND thankful…

I haven’t worked since we've had our daughter Kristen. She is special needs and has many medical, behavioral, and mental challenges. I have to be readily available at a moment’s notice to care for her in case of an emergency. But, now that we are facing Jim’s cancer, things are changing. I have a job interview tomorrow. I have not worked outside the home in over 15 years. 

We have had many financial increases lately. The bottom dropped out of our world (emotionally and financially) with Jim’s lung cancer diagnosis. Jim’s last day of work was January 24th, 2013. We are a payday-to-payday type of family…  and now our one income family went to a no-income family. Jim will receive short term disability (soon I hope) at 60% of his gross pay, but no payments have been received by him as of this blog date. We are blessed that we will have 60% of his income, but we will still have 100% of the bills, and right now we have 0%income. We had a small savings account, but that was emptied last week to cover Jim’s medical deductibles to date, and to cover our monthly expenses. We learned very quickly that co-pay’s ($35 per appointment) do not go towards deductibles. Jim has six appointments this week, which comes to $210 in co-pays alone, plus deductible. Another item that I had not budgeted for was additional fuel for the car. Normally I do not travel much but now we have several trips to the doctors and to various appointments. My gasoline fuel budget has tripled. As of today, we are still current on our bills, but now we have no savings account to fall back on, and no income. That can be scary sometimes. So, that is why I am applying for a job.

My classmates surprised me by providing meals for us during and after Jim’s pneumonectomy hospital stay. That saved us so much time, stress, and grocery money. That was such a blessing to us, a need that I did not even realize that I needed.

Please keep in mind that I am not complaining. I’m just writing about the unforeseen financial challenge that we will have to face. We are a proud family and we want to cover our own expenses without going on public assistance. We do not want to ask for help. So that simply means that I need to find a job since Jim cannot work. 

I am applying for a part-time, morning shift job, so that I will still be available to drive Jim to his many appointments. This job will allow me to get the kids off to school, and to be home when they return, while allowing me to transport Jim to his appointments. The job is only minimum wage, but considering the time constraints that I have to work around,minimum wage is something that I will just have to accept. I know that it will be a job that I will love, so that is a blessing. Maybe I should have finished my bachelor’s degree, lol.

I know that there will be many unforeseen challenges along this cancer journey, and this is simply a blog post about one of those challenges. I will have to step out on faith and ‘play the cards that are dealt to us’… because ‘it is what it is’. I think I have those two phrases drilled into my head. Wish me luck! 

Edit: I wrote this blog at 7am. At 2pm we received a wonderful surprise, financial help from my dear friends and classmates! Yea for stepping out on faith! Happy tears and grateful tears were shed. We just need to say a huge thank you for the financial assistance that was given to us at the exact moment that we really needed it. We were blown-away by the kindness and generosity that has been shown to us. We really appreciate it very much, more that you will ever know. I don't know how they pulled it off without me finding out, but they certainly did! 

You all mean so very much to me, and to Jim, and to our family. Thank you.