The Upswing Week

Mom went out with her longtime girlfriends this afternoon for a choir concert. It was the first time that mom has been out and about in a few days. I hope that she is having a good day!!

This should start the "upswing week" for Mom. She started to feel better the 3rd week after her treatment, just in time for her next treatment. Hopefully, this will hold true this time around. The fatigue and really achy legs have been rough for this round of treatment for Mom. Add on the bad allergy season to this and Mom hasn't been feeling that great the past two weeks. It was a battle to get mom out to do things for the past week. I mentioned that she need to go for a walk multiple times, but I don't think that she did. The fatigue won out. I have a feeling that it will be more of a battle to get her to do some exercises and walking for the next month.

A week ago was our family Easter gathering. Mom did very well! She and Aunt Marilyn were the "queens" of the event. Everyone came up to them, instead of Mom and Aunt Marilyn going to them. It was a very nice gathering. I barely got to talk to either of them, as I was keeping an eye on Brynn and Beckett.

Mom has started to receive statements and bills from Cleveland Clinic and her insurance company. If you didn't know a statement of services from an actual bill, you would be in big trouble! The insurance statements in themselves are confusing to me, but thankfully, Mom understands them. I told her that obviously she needs to concentrate on the bills from the Clinic. This would actually be what she owes, because the insurance company has finished negotiating the prices. Speaking of prices....this is an eye opener. Mom received a statement from the insurance company for the neulasta shot that she receives the day after chemotherapy. The Cleveland Clinic billed the insurance company $13,000 for the shot. Yes, I said $13,000!! The actual cost was renegotiated to $6,000. Mom will have to pay $428, so far. This is an example of the craziness of the health care costs! This is only the beginning of the bills coming in......