The time is ticking down as far as Marion's round of treatment. She is one week away from completing the external radiation. She still has two chemotherapy treatments to go. She'll be thankful for that, I assure you. More on that in a bit. She has an operation on the 22nd to implant some device...erm...well, so she can get internal radiation done. I'm not too certain on the procedure, but I'll get prepped the day of like last time.
The chemotherapy is brutal. Marion is getting Cisplatin which causes (what I consider) severe nausea and vomiting. She handles it pretty well, and has lost only 10 or so pounds. The weight loss isn't really all that bad considering how aggressive the Doctors are in relation to the treatments. She's been experiencing a loss of appetite the past few days. We are kind of lucky because we're so close to a hospital just in case. Through all of this, Marion has been so good. I'm truly proud of her as she faces this. Earlier in the week, she said she wanted to be off the chemotherapy. I talked her off the ledge because the chemotherapy is what is stopping the spread further at this point.
In other news, Disability is asking for tests that really don't explain much. They asked for the PET Scan which really doesn't say anything at all. Sure, it says that there was an increased metabolic activity in the known cervical mass. However, it doesn't state that the mass was cancer, nor did it stage the cancer. I faxed over the reports she had done from the procedures on Jan. 18th. That was the procedure that actually staged the cancer and explains why it was staged in that way. Hopefully, with this new information, her claim will be approved. Who knows with the mounds of bullshit you have to tread through. Not to mention that trying to reach the caseworker is harder than attempting to communicate with a jellyfish. Ugh!
My Unemployment hit a snag on my birthday of all days. I was attempting to claim for the week and it said I had to call in rather than use the net to re-certify the claim. I did so and was informed that since I worked in PA, my NJ claim was over and I would have to open a claim in PA. Oh, and they had to backdate all this to August. This effects the WBR. Anyway, to make a long story short...and cutting out details such as making 10 calls over the past two days to two states, being lied to, being hung up on...finally after over two weeks of bullshit, NJ sent over my wage information (which should be attached to my Social Security #) but, anyway, NJ sent over my wages and they can now make a financial determination.
Keep in mind that I haven't received any type of benefit payment since the end of February. I had to ask for money to just pay my electric this month. While my bills are current, I'm still not sure when I'm going to receive anything. They still have to do an eligibility determination because I was terminated from Colonial Penn. Granted, I have a pending case with the EEOC over some charges. Granted, NJ already determined I was eligible. But, what am I supposed to tell my landlord? What I am supposed to do when I'm facing cable, electric, phone, etc. coming due all at the same time? The people in PA say this happens all the time...but, does that make it any better? It's crazy when you think about it.
I'll survive. Marion and I always have. I just wish once we'd have a stroke or two of good luck. Sometimes, the hardest thing in this world is to live in it.
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