I was first diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer back in late 1997....this was a recurrence with mets to the bone, and a change from being er-/pr- to weakly positive to estrogen and strongly positive to progesterone. I went through 9 24-hour courses of Taxol spread over a 9 month period, followed by radiation, having my ovaries removed and going on a variety of aromatase inhibitors (I did arimedex, then upped it to aromasin).
In 2009, I began to have some issues which didn't appear to be breast cancer...only in 2010, I found I had new mets to many bones, 14 years after kicking it back. I went on Faslodex and zometa (failed), I did 9 courses of Abraxane, which left me with extreme neuropathy (I had had some neuropathy from Taxol, but no where near like this) and misc. other annoying side effects (I've become the tums queen). After 2 months, my markers started to rise...so they put me back on Tamoxifen which has had some success...I had tumor flare (from tumor markers in the 90s shooting up to 238) before they started coming down.....for 2 months.
I got the call yesterday that my tumor markers were back up to 279 and that I'm now waiting to get scheduled for a baseline scan and back into the chemo trenches.
Part of the fun stuff is that my husband was working for a small employer which self-insured their employees. After reporting in December that they were going to reduce their health care burden, and just after they got their year end report for health care benefit usage in the previous year, my husband, who was the sole developer of a product line which had been growing and doing very well bringing in millions of sales each year and who had only had glowing reviews with no previous reports or murmurs of disatisfaction...was called into an office and told that he was no longer needed. We were basically paid off (age and race discrimination could have been played here) with a years severance and a year's insurance (which was smarter for us to take and run than to try to fight it)....so now, I'm playing the OMG, what now game...
There's talk of Xeloda...and some other chemo drugs. He seems ready to put me on Afinator/Aromasin as soon as that combo is approved...although from what I've been hearing, that might not be such a good idea.
Sheesh....what a mess!
Lisa Q.
http://michigoose-longtermbcsurvivor.blogspot.com/
Eight Breast Cancer Symptoms: When To Worry 
Ten Breast Cancer Myths Debunked 
Eat to Live: 10 Things to Know About Breast Cancer and Nutrition 
Breast Cancer Survivors: 10 things to guard against 
Oh, Lisa - what a mess is right! It's hard enough dealing with cancer; or lack of a job; or lack of health insurance, but all three at once - plus new mets - is way beyond "not fair." It's just indescribable. It must be tough even to know where to start. Would that we had humane, affordable health care in this country... maybe some day.
In the meantime, have you spoken with the social workers at the hospital where you're treated? They may know resources for getting some of your treatments paid for. I hope and pray this next round of chemo beats that cancer back for a good long while; and that your husband is successful in finding a job soon. Sending positive energy - PJH
Thanks, PJ, I'm not treated at a hospital, but at a cancer "clinic" and I've been finding that although Dayton, OH isn't small....it sure isn't New Haven, CT. Things are different down here. I don't know that they HAVE a social worker. They have someone who works out payment plans for your bills, but that's all I know about. A number of stage IV people have suggested that I apply for SS disability....so that in 2 years I can get Medicare or medicaid (I get foncused as to which is which) so that if the provisions made in "Obama care" are overturned, I have some recourse.
I find it really awful that those of us who are affected don't really understand, nor do the general populace. I am going to start a letter writing campaign so that our legislators can begin to understand that buying insurance when the insurance companies won't insure pre-existing conditions even if you have had no lapse in coverage (a friend of mine found out that according to the insurance companies, she has no lungs!) is not an alternative.
There's a lead on one job, we're waiting to see the proposal as it will require a move...possibly to the middle-of-nowhere West Virginia (no offence, WVirginians, you've got a beautiful state but the facility is located an hour from any place I can get cancer treatment at and 4 hours from a good facility and I am in treatment, so I am loathe to do this... and of course it will also mean that we will have to pay out of state tuition for my daughter). The thought of moving while I'm in treatment is not thrilling....
The only solace I'm getting out of this is that if I die, I'm going to haunt the head cheeses in my husband's company who made this descision but good! ;) I just keep on thinking how they touted one woman who found she had the BRCAI mutation who opted for a double mastectomy BEFORE she was diagnosed with the disease and there I was standing there with my Stage IV diagnosis.....hmmm. Lisa
SO many things to think about... It would be great (obviously) if your husband oculd find a job somewhere near a Comprehensive Cancer Center. At least that would ensure you top-notch care. And maybe your daughter can change her legal residence - if she rents an apartment over the summer and stays at school? Not ideal, I know, and it probably wouldn't kick in for a year... Well, if all else fails, I do love the thought of you haunting your husband's ex-employer.
All I can think is - things work out, somehow. It's hard to see how, but I hope 6 months from now you're in a much better place. Take care- PJH