why I might not be going to ES this year

[Dinero]

Luckily it is one of the slowest growing and slowest to metastasize cancers that exist. This will work in your favor.

Ongoing prayers for you, Amigo.

[TalonChief]

Well, my nagging tennis elbow don't sound so bad now....

Still prayin' here, Mikey.

[Scabbydoo]

Praying that your next "treatment", whatever it might be, will be as successful as mine was.

[RoadWolf]

Just catching up on this Mikey.

All the best thoughts and prayers for you and Jan.

[par_fore]

Prayers from here Mikey!

You got this.

[lil Pistolero DPH]

Big prayers from here Mikey, sorry you're going through all this crap. Energy hugs to you and Jan, love ya buddy.

[polarbear]

Prayers for ya here Mikey, hope the doc gets his stuff together and takes care of this. God Bless.

[fxr4mikey]

Thanks Everyone !!!! We'll be alright !

now we just hope that it doesn't spread between now and the next 3-5 months when we make another attempt to rid my body of it .....

Ride Safe when you go out !!

[Big Cheese]

Stay positive Mikey, you can whip this!
Extra prayer from here.

[fred1369]

I just found this thread, didn't know you had all this going on, Mikey. My doctor says these things grow so slow it ain't worth foolin' with. You musta had a real active one. Look at the story you can tell around the campfire. Praying for you.

[OKC Fatboy]

Mikey, I just saw this. Sorry for the late response.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am praying for our brother Mike. I pray that his prostate cancer does not metastasize while he waiting for his prostate to heal. I pray the cryotherapy treatment will be completely effective and kill all viable cancer cells. Please be with him and his family during this difficult time and give them peace and grace to deal with this problem. Please heal and restore our brother back to complete health.

In Jesus Christ's Holy Name I pray!


Amen!

[Dinero]

Amen.

[fr8dog]

Originally Posted by OKC Fatboy

Mikey, I just saw this. Sorry for the late response.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am praying for our brother Mike. I pray that his prostate cancer does not metastasize while he waiting for his prostate to heal. I pray the cryotherapy treatment will be completely effective and kill all viable cancer cells. Please be with him and his family during this difficult time and give them peace and grace to deal with this problem. Please heal and restore our brother back to complete health.

In Jesus Christ's Holy Name I pray!


Amen!

Thanks, OKC. Adding my Amen!

[Sonic]

Amen....

[fxr4mikey]

well, it's been more than 3 months .... so in late March the cryothearpy procedure had to be aborted.

I had to wait 3 months for everything to get back to 'normal' (Jan says 'like anything is 'normal' about you )

So near the end of June I go see the Dr and get an ultrasound exam (that's always fun )
The Dr reports to me that everything as resumed it's normal place. All the blood from the hematoma has been re-absorbed back into the body, he can easily see everything that he needs to see with the ultrasound probe.

He has to have seen me within 30 days of any procedure ... so after much discussion we decide that we'll try the cryo again.

I tell him that I have places to ride to and Friends to visit ... I'll be back in July ... so 7/28 I go see him and we schedule the procedure for 8/24.

That's a Monday ... on FRIDAY 8/21 the insurance co calls me and informs me that the request for the authorization of the procedure has been denied ....

Stated reason is that according to the Medicare Guidelines:

Item/Service Description

Cryosurgery of the prostate gland, also known as cryosurgical ablation of the prostate (CSAP), destroys prostate tissue by applying extremely cold temperatures in order to reduce the size of the prostate gland. It is safe and effective, as well as medically necessary and appropriate, as primary treatment for patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, Stages T1-T3.

Indications and Limitations of Coverage

Cryosurgery of the prostate as a salvage therapy is not covered for any services performed prior to June 30, 2001.

Salvage Cryosurgery of Prostate After Radiation Failure. Salvage cryosurgery of the prostate for recurrent cancer is medically necessary and appropriate only for those patients with localized disease who:

Have failed a trial of radiation therapy as their primary treatment; and <------ I have not
Meet one of the following conditions: Stage T2B or below, Gleason score <9, PSA <8 ng/mL. <------ I meet the first two

Cryosurgery as salvage therapy is therefore not covered under Medicare after failure of other therapies as the primary treatment. Cryosurgery as salvage is only covered after the failure of a trial of radiation therapy, under the conditions noted above.



Wonder if the government knows that there have been significant improvements in cancer treatments in that past 14 fricking years

Stupid, no medical reason why it isn't also medically necessary and appropriate for all cases of failed ablation treatment procedures .... back in 2001 they had never heard of HIFU in the U.S.A. even though it had already been used in most other major countries around the world.


So now we are in an APPEALS process, playing cat and mouse with the Ins Co. .....

One thing that may/or may not be in my favor ... is they have already approved this procedure for me once .... had it not had to be aborted I maybe would be fixed already ....

dammit


OK, well, I think we're supposed to know something by next week. IDK, I signed papers to allow the Dr. office act as my agent and they are dealing directly with the Ins Co ..... now I can't get the Ins Co to call me back or tell me any status about the review or when it will be completed ...

IF they continue to deny the request, radiation will be in my future.