Reflections on a Nightmare

On Friday, June 27, 2008 just after lunch the insurance case manager phoned me to say that the appeal had been denied, that frankly "Jane, you're just not sick enough". She then read parts of the report in which the physician reviewer for the insurance had written that until I need transfusions for anemia, am symptomatic for full blown acute leukemia, plus a few other less than lovely things, the "risk" of a transplant outweighs the benefit. I phoned Wake Forest where the RN case manager hadn't picked up the message from the insurance. She was obviously deflated. The team at Wake Forest will regroup on Monday, June 30. In the meantime I've talked with medical people in Asheville, asking for further suggestions and input. For a reflection on some of the above, please return to my website/transplant.

First of Two Written Appeals

I received a phone call from the insurance RN case manager on Wednesday, June 25, 2008, saying that she had received the first appeal letter from Wake Forest, that it was considerably more in depth than the original submission, that Dr. Hurd had addressed point by point the issues raised in the original denial for transplant. The same day the RN case manager from Wake wrote an email to me, calling the letter grounds "for optimism and hope". I repacked my bag and reorganized the books and movies to take to Baptist Hospital on the campus of Wake Forest for the six week stay.

High Summer

As of today, June 22, 2008 the bone marrow transplant team at Wake Forest has not submitted the first written appeal. I appreciate their desire to be thorough. However time seems to be slipping through my fingers. To hurry would be to court mistakes. To linger is stress upon stress. Today is high summer. The moon is beginning to wane. There is a hope of rain. Quote from KungFu Panda: Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.

Diagnoses

January 15, 2008 Diagnoses: fibrosis of the bone marrow, i.e., scar tissue in my bones; cobwebs inpeding production of hemaglobin; thrombositosis, i.e., too many platelets. acute lymphocytic leukemia--early stage; small lymphocytic lymphoma--early stage ; Further test: PET scan; Treatment option: bone marrow transplant.

The Day the World Stopped being According to Jane

May 22, 2008 My journey to wholeness and complete health has begun, not with a bang but a whimper. After months of preparation both by Wake Forest/Baptist Medical Center and myself and my support system, the physician reviewer of the insurance company has denied final approval for a bone marrow transplant. A follow up phone call one week later between the Wake Forest physician and the insurance reviewer resulted in an upholding of the denial.