The Cost of Cancer

Hi I am The Jive Bunny and I have breast cancer, have had the lumpectomy and node dissection and now am facing radiation and chemotherapy...but at a cost.

 I was diagnosed with IDC in March 27th from a yearly mammogram,  had a biopsy; and then all the procedures leading up to the lumpectomy on my left breast and nodes in April 26th just after my 65th birthday on April 9th, 2017. Happy Birthday to me I made it to 65 with cancer.

According to my blood, I have 100% estrogen and progesterone that my body produces acting on my cancer cells. Tamoxifen blocks estrogen from acting on cancer cells, aromatase inhibitors work in a different way from tamoxifen and aromatase prevents the formation of estrogen from other that your body produces.
Possible side effects are hot flashes and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, thinning of the hair, vaginal dryness, less bladder control, difficulty sleeping, diminished sex drive, carpal funnel syndrome and bone loss from taking this medication.
To reduce the risk of fever and you have private health insurance, there is a once in every three weeks
injection under the skin called Neulasta given on the first or second day following chemo. It costs approximately $2,500.00 per injection so a total of 10,000.00 after four chemotherapy daycare sessions.
On May 23rd, I entered Princess Margaret Cancer Centre on University Street in Toronto, Ontario for the first time. I was amazed at the number of people waiting to be served by doctors mostly older patients. I was taken on time by a very pretty assistant and led into a doctors office. A handsome resident explained my cancer to me and then the Doctor came in with the chemo information.
My two tumours from the lumpectomy were low grade and one high grade 111 showing High Grade Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. The Doctor recommended TC chemotherapy to reduce the chance of breast cancer coming back by killing off any microscopic cells that may be present in my body.
T for Taxotere and C for Cyclophosphamide. I was given the option of sending my high grade 3 tumour to California for a cost of $6,000.00 to see if I qualify for this treatment.
I agreed to have my tumour sent to California for the procedure and realized for $6,000.00 I could go with it as I have never been to California.
The side affects of this type of chemotherapy is severe hair loss, tiredness, menopause if still having periods, decreased sense of taste, weight gain, sour mouth, memory loss, and fever. Here is where the $2,500.00 per injection with private health care if you have it comes in.

So all in all I will meet up with my Doctor on June 13th, to find out what happens and then start TC chemotherapy daycare the next day once in every 3 weeks. Radiation therapy will start at least 3 weeks following the last treatment with chemotherapy.

Time will tell if I will be cured of my breast cancer and if I can classify my self as a cancer survivor.

This is a very frightening part of my life when I should be enjoying retirement and not having to battle cancer at such a high cost.