Everything about the same. Have had 3 FISH/PCR, CMP, CBC, this year at the same lab, on site where my oncologist is.
Labs Sept 19, 2012 - FISH AT 5% AND PCR AT 6.09 %.
June 2012, - Fish 6.5% and PCR 8.4 %.
March 2012, - Fish 1.5% and PCR 7.623 %.
CBC, CMP, good, glucose was a little high 114, but then it jumps around between 85 to 120. Probably should have fasted.
Kidneys's about the same, GFR EST MDRD 60, GFR COCKROFT GAULT EST 57 LOW, Would like for them to be a little higher. <60 puts me in chronic stage., so I am border line there, sort of jumps up and down a little.
Creatine .86 normal. Bun 13 normal. Everything else normal. WBC 6.2, RBC 4.05, HGB 12.7 Platelet 415, Differential granulyctes in normal range.
All of the above labs were done at Indiana University Simon Cancer Center. Indiana University is a school of medicine where they have students from all over the world come to study and do their internship. The cancer center is in busy downtown Indianapolis. I have to pay to park, but it is only 15 miles from my home. I believe they are the only ones in Indiana that actually do the FISH & PCR in house. I don't know why he, the oncologist keeps ordering the PCR since my FISH is positive. I asked the nurse if the onc would not do the PCR, as it cost the insurance over $3000,00 but I guess he still wanted the PCR.
I mentioned my Medicare would be effective Dec 1, 2012 and I needed to call to find out how that works. Onc said he doesn't know anything about insurance. Nurse said we have older people on Medicare that come here. However I got some literature about Medicare and our UAW benefits. It looks like if I have my labs done in Dec I would have to pay my deductibles, and then pay them again in January when I go for my oncology appointment. That's kind of stupid. So I think I will call Medicare to make sure I understand and push my lab and onc visit both into Jan. That will probably upset the oncologist, he already lectured me about not coming every two months, I said NO, because of my insurance. He has sort of got a short fuse. I took 2 lorazepam before I went to my appointment and didn't say much to him, he did most all the talking. In fact he asked me if I knew that Gleevec would be generic 2013. When he got upset about me not coming every two months, I just repeat myself, I don't think insurance will pay for it because my labs have been the same for quite a few years, including here at Indiana University. Yep every time he goes over the same issue, I just repeat.... and they say women are bad about repeating, I wondering why does he not hear?
All in All, the appointment really didn't go that bad, he just tells me one thing, and I do another, he is not the one who has to pay the bills, and he could have me do a monthly CBC, but when the nurse suggested I call her for a script to do labs, I assume she meant CBC, he said no, yet he wanted me to come in every two months as I am in a short window, and I said I don't think insurance would like that, I am stable for a number of years, diagnosed 2005. I did push the issue, every 3 months, he seemed to be irritable. Again I don't understand if he is so concerned why he just doesn't have me do a monthly CBC locally.
Anyhow I should call Medicare, since it is effective Dec 1, 2012 and see if I will have to pay deductible for 2012 as I am scheduled for another FISH & PCR in Dec then Onc visit in Jan 2013. Seem kind of stupid to pay deducible in Dec for 2012 and turn around in and pay them again for Jan 2013. I will check on it and onc will just have to realize I need to do the practical thing and work with my insurance, if he is worried about me, I can go do a cheap CBC.
Don't know if this makes sense, it is getting late, will proof read it tomorrow.
PamSouth
