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Help Suzanne Aucoin
Update May 10, 2006
Good morning everyone~~
Another sunny day outside. I am trying to get organized and get to the gym for a
personal training session soon…
I realize I need to up to date…. So I had my heavy week of treatment last week.
Roswell Park is a great facility but the delays and wait times to receive Erbitux are
getting ridiculous. I am trying to stay calm and keep busy with reading and crosswords
but when the weather is so great I really don’t like being inside waiting…..
My next CT scan is scheduled for June 5th. That will determine again if I stay on
Erbitux and will also have to re-apply for continued funding. Since I am having some
issues with my skin… infections and sores… I will be taking a break at the end of May. I
am just missing one heavy week of treatment.
Upon further investigation into the liver radiation trial I have found out I qualify. I am
also looking into SIR spheres which is a different form of radiation for the liver. The
challenge with the trial at Princess Margaret is that I have to be off chemo for two
months. While my body needs the break, I am concerned about the lung mets growing
without anything to keep them at bay. I need more information before I make that
decision.
On the fundraising front…. the golf tournament was a great success. We had apx. 113
golfers and terrific weather. It was a fun day and I really appreciate the support that
was shown through participants, donors and volunteers. I am not sure how much we
raised yet.
A disappointing piece of news.. I was told two weeks ago that OHIP was going to
reimburse me for my U.S. expenses with Erbitux (apx. $25,000 usd). They just needed
an itemized expense report from Dr. Garbes to process the reimbursement. Last week,
after they received this itemized expense report, they changed their mind as I went
to a private infusion clinic versus a hospital. The private infusion clinic was $10,000
usd cheaper than the hospital for the same drug and same treatment. They forced my
hand to go there as a result of their denial of my application in Oct. 2005. I am so
frustrated by the continuous bureaucracy and their lack of concern for patients and
taxpayers. I have decided to let my lawyer deal with them as it is out of my control.
So for now… I continue to fundraise and think of different ways to make a positive
difference in this fight with cancer.
Suzanne Aucoin
Good morning everyone~~
Another sunny day outside. I am trying to get organized and get to the gym for a
personal training session soon…
I realize I need to up to date…. So I had my heavy week of treatment last week.
Roswell Park is a great facility but the delays and wait times to receive Erbitux are
getting ridiculous. I am trying to stay calm and keep busy with reading and crosswords
but when the weather is so great I really don’t like being inside waiting…..
My next CT scan is scheduled for June 5th. That will determine again if I stay on
Erbitux and will also have to re-apply for continued funding. Since I am having some
issues with my skin… infections and sores… I will be taking a break at the end of May. I
am just missing one heavy week of treatment.
Upon further investigation into the liver radiation trial I have found out I qualify. I am
also looking into SIR spheres which is a different form of radiation for the liver. The
challenge with the trial at Princess Margaret is that I have to be off chemo for two
months. While my body needs the break, I am concerned about the lung mets growing
without anything to keep them at bay. I need more information before I make that
decision.
On the fundraising front…. the golf tournament was a great success. We had apx. 113
golfers and terrific weather. It was a fun day and I really appreciate the support that
was shown through participants, donors and volunteers. I am not sure how much we
raised yet.
A disappointing piece of news.. I was told two weeks ago that OHIP was going to
reimburse me for my U.S. expenses with Erbitux (apx. $25,000 usd). They just needed
an itemized expense report from Dr. Garbes to process the reimbursement. Last week,
after they received this itemized expense report, they changed their mind as I went
to a private infusion clinic versus a hospital. The private infusion clinic was $10,000
usd cheaper than the hospital for the same drug and same treatment. They forced my
hand to go there as a result of their denial of my application in Oct. 2005. I am so
frustrated by the continuous bureaucracy and their lack of concern for patients and
taxpayers. I have decided to let my lawyer deal with them as it is out of my control.
So for now… I continue to fundraise and think of different ways to make a positive
difference in this fight with cancer.
Suzanne Aucoin