Take Your Wins Where You Can Get Them...

It's been a stupidly rough couple of weeks around here.  No other way to say it.  I've been battling landlords, the State of Michigan and insurance companies for the last few weeks, and honestly I'm over it!

I'm currently in the middle of a move from the apartment I've called home for the last 10 years.  I had fallen behind on my rent when I was going through treatment the last time.  I caught back up with the help of some amazing friends and then when I still wasn't working fell behind again.  I had a working agreement with my landlord for payment...  Until he found out the cancer was back.  He decided then to be a douche bag and not let me see how treatments were going to go before deciding that I needed to be kicked out of my place.  I managed to pack 10 years of life up in 3 days and get the majority of it into a storage unit last Friday.  I have to be out of my place on this coming Friday, and I'm not moving all that fast right now.  I don't see making things any easier for my landlord right now.  At least I landed softly for the most part.  I have an amazing life long friend who is going to let me move in with here while I figure out what I'm going to do next.  A lot is going to depend on how badly the treatments wipe me out.  Doctors said they would support me if I want to work, but are equally supportive if I can't/don't want to.  I'll see what happens over the first month of treatment.  If it's not to bad, I will probably try to work, although disability paperwork was sent in already just in case.

In this time, the State of Michigan also decided to rear it's ugly head.  When I was diagnosed in 2014, I didn't have insurance.  I applied for emergency medicade, and was rejected.  I applied a second time, and they were able to finally approve me.  Since then it has been a constant battle to keep my insurance.  I was cut off in January with no warning (I didn't know until I was at the doctors office as a matter of fact) and then I was reinstated at the end of February.  Which was just in time for the tests and the new diagnosis.  When I went to talk to my case worker, she told me that because I had made too much money in the previous 3 months, the state was going to likely cut my insurance.  Because every cancer patient wants to hear that.  Initially I had been approved for my treatment to start, but that got cancelled during the whole deal of me having made too much money in December.  My case worker was extremely unhelpful and really very hostile.  I filed an appeal and for a hearing and basically threw all sorts of paperwork at her when she called to say that my insurance would end on April 30th.  Basically anything I could do to prevent that from happening while I tried to figure out what my next step was.  But I was told by a DHS Customer Support person who was extremely helpful that as long as I had appeals and hearing requests in, they couldn't just cut me off.  First truly helpful DHS person I've ever dealt with, or at least it seems that way!  Today I had my "pre-hearing" and it appears that my case worker was wrong.  I have my insurance re-instated and an open end date at this point.  I met with my worker's manager who couldn't have been more friendly or helpful.  We talked about treatment and prognosis' and expectations moving forward, and it sounds like I at least don't have to worry so much for a little while at least.  I don't expect my case worker to get any more competent or helpful, but I can hope.  And I'm chalking this up as a total win.

I also have my first treatment scheduled for next week.  Which is awesome.  I'm ready to get this train on the tracks and get to shrinking tumors.  I talked to my NPR today and got all the details on how things will work.   That I was able to get in after being canceled last time is awesome.  They're squeezing me in I'm sure, but it's greatly appreciated.  I'm trying to remain calm about what's about to happen, but I'm a bit of a worrier.  So I'm a little hopped up about it, and until I start and find out that my imagination is way worse then reality, I'm going to be on pins and needles.  But I'm ready to roll and have a slot with the infusion team.  So that is also being chalked up as a win.

During all of this going on, I also managed to nuke my car.  It's old and I suppose to be expected, but seriously timing couldn't have been worse.  I was going to get money to tip my movers with when it died on the side of the road.  Not far from home, I was able to catch a ride back to my place, and my sister & brother-in-law was able to help me get it towed.  Checked in today, and they were able to determine I somehow managed to shear off my fuel modulated from my engine.  Yeah, don't ask me how.   But it has to be replaced as well as getting new spark plugs & wires.  It should be ready tomorrow.  Big win there!  I don't live in a place where you can be without a car.  Michigan is the car capitol, not the mass transit capitol.  It's only an arm and half of a leg to get it taken care of, but to get my independence back and be able to finish this move without bugging more people is well worth the money I don't really have to give.  So I guess that is a win as well!

So today I managed to figure out health insurance, a car, move a bunch of boxes and get set up for my treatments.  Not too bad, especially since it's been such a crap time the last couple of weeks.  I'm afraid to say this out loud, but maybe things are turning for the better.  I should probably knock on wood or something now that I've put that out in the universe.  Hoping it's true though.  I could use a little good luck right now.