Mayo Clinic/ACS

I spoke with both the Mayo Clinic and the American Cancer Society today. They're gonna work together to try to get me down to the Mayo Clinic and be seen.

The ACS did say that the doctor out here that hasn't been able to get me in yet and said it could take months and months is the one and only one in the state of Oregon who is qualified to officially diagnose and then treat this. (and they agreed that months and months is way too long considering the relatively short amount of time a person has after becoming symptomatic)

I want this work out ASAP. I don't know how long Mayo's review process is. I have to call their financial department back tomorrow to finish the information process and then they have to gather my records from my current doctors (there's five of them so that should be interesting for them to do) and then make the decision of whether or not they want to take this as a charity case. Then I schedule the appointment three weeks out and call the ACS and they'll help me make the travel arrangements, and I'll have to find a place for the kids to stay out here while I'm gone.

Please pray this all goes smoothly!

 

Yes, it was the one in Arizona we were looking into.

But...I'm now looking into Minnesota. They're not ALLOWED to see me because I'm on a state medical card, and although they take medical cards from some states, they're not allowed to treat people who are on medical cards from the other ones. Even as a charity case.
So I'd have to cancel my medical to be seen.

So I'm considering just packing up and moving on out, but I don't want to live in Arizona, so we're looking into a small town about 30 miles out of Rochester as that's where their main clinic is, and another small town about 11 miles out.

Once I establish residency, I can be seen there quite quickly.

We had been looking into New Mexico, which made the kids very happy, but they're not so excited about Minnesota.

Anyhow, the decision hasn't been made yet. I'm reluctant to move the kids again, but wherever God leads us is where we'll go.

 

Just an update. I've still not decided what to do. I actually don't feel CAPABLE of making such a decision.
I did have yet another test done on Tuesday, and I'm thinking that the results will be the deciding factor. They're are a number of tests they use to evaluate this type of cancer. It's now up to four yes answers and two no answers, but the no answers were big tests. If this last one is a yes, then I'll really consider going. If it's no, it's probably a definite no, I won't go.

But I don't know. I did get some more work out here, God does seem to be making the way for me to be here, but who knows. Like I said, I don't feel capable of making any big decisions at this point in my life. I know I'm not clear headed enough and too close to it all to do so. I slept for the last 17 hours out of 24 hours, this isn't the kind of health and state of mind to be in and make life altering decisions for my kids.

...I guess that's the only word for it!

 

It sounds like it's worth considering!

I just don't know...I'm looking at placing the kids with a foster family right now until I can take care of them like they deserve, so I have to make that decision and take care of it first. I've thought about it and there's just no way I can be sitting in ANY state sick and be able to continue caring for them at this point in time.

My job is also coming into play. I write professionally, and I've had jobs just come pouring in over the last week. It's not easy to get established as a writer, but now I have "inside people" and this is taking off like I never dreamed it would. If I walk away now, I lose everything.

I've talked to my pastor, and two other pastors beside because I basically went suicidal trying to deal with everything. The one really snapped me out of it for the time being, he answered some bible questions I had and went over some stuff with me in scripture that was really key and my heart needed to hear. But as far as the rest? I didn't even get into asking about help with decisions. I'm not even sure if that's appropriate. How can someone else help me decide something like that?