Looking to the future

Well this week was suppose to be another chemo week. But Iva successfully dodged it. She has not been wanting to take this last round ever since it was first proposed. Back in July when the MD Anderson doctor suggested another 3 rounds of chemo, she immediately began the bargaining process. She has adamantly insisted that she could only fathom doing 2 more rounds. She has now completed those 2 rounds.

And along comes the Jazz Cruise. She leaves for the cruise on November 8th--much too soon to take a round of chemo now. She would more than likely be at her worst during the cruise if she were to take chemo now, so her oncologist has agreed to hold off for now. When she comes back she will have scans and go in to see the MD Anderson sarcoma specialist. If we can pay them. We owe them $13,000. They have sent Iva to a collection agency, I am told. HA! What are they going to do? Ruin her credit? Good luck with that!

Anyway, on Sunday Mimi, Iva's mother, is leaving to go back to Macedonia. She is on a mission to squeeze some money out of the Macedonian Government. They have a Medical Fund, which will pay for your treatment in a foreign country if the treatment is not available in Macedonia. Well, they denied Iva's claim because they already had paid for care in Austria and the Austrian doctors would not give us a statement saying it was recommended Iva came to America. Damn doctor egos. They told Iva that her records showed her coming to the US was her own personal choice. Yes, it was. It was a choice to live! It was a choice to be close to family and a support system. It was a choice to come to the best sarcoma clinic in the world. I mean, really! How can they say that choosing one's life isn't medically necessary? Ridiculous. So now Mimi is going there to move the appeal along. Beg, bribe, whatever it takes. Iva may be done with chemo for now, but she has expenses that are unpaid. She will be having more expenses incurred with additional scans next month, possible surgery to remove the lung tumor, possible radiation to treat the spine tumor. . .on and on it goes.

In the midst of all of this, Iva is looking to the future. She is searching for herself. She is searching for her confidence. She is searching to replace some of what she has lost. She isn't quite sure where to find it, but it is great to see her trying. She has applied to a handful of jobs. She is considering going back to school. She is planning and thinking. I desperately hope she finds what she needs.