Please send T&P for my auntie.

[3girls2luv]

She is my daddy's sister and my most favorite aunt ( I named dd3 after her ) and she was diagnosed with cancer on Friday. She is the strongest lady I know, she lost her dd who was only 2yrs old in 1974 and dd3 looks so much like her.

They have not found the source yet but they have found some tumors that are pretty large. One is near her aorta and another one in her abdomen.

They drained large amounts of fluid from her abdomen on Saturday because she was having trouble breathing. They are waiting for Medicaid to approve her so she can be sent to a cancer hospital but sadly this could take too long.

I cried pretty much all weekend because I can't bear the thought of loosing her. She lives about 5hrs away but she lived across the street from me when I was growing up. Please keep her in your T&P.

My mom and I will be making a road trip to go see her this weekend.

[busy_i_am2007]

Keeping her and your family in my thoughts and prayers!

[3girls2luv]

Thanks Busy. We were just informed that they will be moving her to another hospital which will be a little closer to us but she still can not go the Cancer hospital until she gets her medicaid.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I'm so sorry. I'll be thinking about her and you.

They are waiting for Medicaid to approve her so she can be sent to a cancer hospital but sadly this could take too long.
This type of thing is why we need universal healthcare.

[3girls2luv]

Yes Judy I agree. I have seen some people die waiting on medicaid approval for cancer treatment. Her family is driving her because I am guessing since she does not have insurance, an ambulance transfer was not possible. The shocking part is that my other aunt was able to get her oncologist to accept her without insurance. The part that scares me is that three of my dad's sisters have cancer now. One breast cancer, one uterine cancer and now this one with possible ovarian cancer.

[Scissors]

I'm so sorry. I hope she gets the help she needs and soon.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Yes Judy I agree. I have seen some people die waiting on medicaid approval for cancer treatment. Her family is driving her because I am guessing since she does not have insurance, an ambulance transfer was not possible. The shocking part is that my other aunt was able to get her oncologist to accept her without insurance. The part that scares me is that three of my dad's sisters have cancer now. One breast cancer, one uterine cancer and now this one with possible ovarian cancer.
That's scary. :(

My sister doesn't have health insurance, and when she was literally close to death with pneumonia and other lung problems, we were able to get St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta to take her. Is there a similar hospital in Texas that does cancer treatment? (Hell, for that matter, call the one in Atlanta and see if they will take her. It might be worth the trip.)

[3girls2luv]

I actually remember that Judy and I thought of that when they called me on Saturday. I remember how much trouble you all had getting your sister the help she needed. The oncologist she has now literally told her that without insurance she was not going to get to the cancer hospital and that the family needed to realize that not much can be done until medicaid accepts her. My mom thought that that was cold but its reality and sometimes Drs just tell it how it is.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Unfortunately, it usually is reality, and people often die as a result. However, don't just sit back and wait. At least try to contact hospitals to see if one will take her.

[JudyJudyJudy]

This might be worth a try:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2352454_texas-low-income-no-insurance.html

[3girls2luv]

She is being sent to another hospital which is in the same city as the Cancer hospital to that's a plus. I am going this weekend or sooner if I need to. It just seems that all they are telling them is what she has and not what they are planning on doing. I hope its not because they don't plan on doing anything because of the cost and lack of a way to pay.

My other aunt thinks that the family may not completely understand what they are being told and that they were hoping that I could make the trip to talk to the doctor my self. This family is very high strung and they become hysterical at the drop of a hat. I've been trying to get a hold of my cousin all morning but she has not answered but I am guessing they are busy getting ready to move her.

[JudyJudyJudy]

3girls, did you see my post right before your last one?

[3girls2luv]

I just talked to my cousin Judy and she has already got the ball rolling but they are waiting for the oncologist to give the confirmed diagnosis because her record still says R/O cancer. He has told the family that she has cancer but for some reason he has not put in her record. They won't transfer her either even though the other doctor has accepted her. My cousin said that the fluid is building up in her abdomen again and she wants her to be moved ASAP. I told my cousin that if worse comes to worse she can take her AMA as long as she is stable. Its about an hour drive and auntie is not on O2 so she should be able to make it. The cancer hospital said that they will accept her as soon as she gets a final diagnosis.

This is driving me nuts!!

[JudyJudyJudy]

That's good to hear. I hope your cousin will stay on the doctor's ass to get the official diagnosis. I'd take her AMA if necessary.

[3girls2luv]

Yes I told her not to wait because auntie could get worse and I would not advise her to move her if she gets unstable. Right now she is comfortable and doing good so now is the time to ride that Dr.'s ass until he does something and if he does not then they need to just get up and out.

My poor cousin just got her DS (12 yo) out of the hospital on Thursday too, he had the swine flu and pneumonia so she is under a lot of stress. Thank God her older sister finally made it there and is going give her a break so she can go tend to her son and take him to his follow up appointment. The other sister is flying in from Niagra Falls tomorrow and she is the oldest.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Your poor cousins. :(

[3girls2luv]

They will be draining some more fluid from her abdomen today to help her breathe a little better and to get her ready to be taken to another hospital. They are also going to do a needle biopsy of the masses they found in her stomach.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Other than draining the fluid, I honestly think they just need to leave her alone until they get her to a hospital that specializes in this.

Let us know how she's doing.