Member Blogs

Congratulations, Ferdi1.  This is indeed very good news.  Thanks for keeping us posted.

Good luck on BCG's.  I know you dread getting started back, so if it helps to vent, please come back and do so.  I vent in my thread all the time, and mostly about BCG's!  Please keep us posted.

Your BC friend,
Rosemary

Thanks Rosemary - I think I am one of the luckier ones with the BCGs.  The first one was fine, the second one was like being hit by a truck and then the truck reversed over me   once I put a plan together to take pain killers after the 1 hour turning routine I was able to keep the side effects manageable.  I'm looking at the results to date and so if it keeps the cancer away - I will continue the treatment but reading the trouble you and a number of the members have had I can see the reticence some may have.  

My consultant warned me of all the side effects to expect and I have to say I am quite pleased that I only got the milder versions.  A friend of mine who has been on maintenance for about 6 years told me that he had a bad one on his last course of 3 and I suppose it is only to be expected. My Doctor tells me it is one of the harshest treatments and always looks at me with sympathetic eyes on that one.

Thanks for all you do on this forum by the way.  I really appreciate that it was here when I was first diagnosed and I intend to keep my http://my-bladder-cancer-journey.blogspot.com/ external blog going if only to prove that after the first shocks and the way that Bladder Cancer takes over your life, you do start to get your own life back and take control again.

Best regards
Ferdi1
Male 49
G3P T1a + CIS July 2006,
CIS October 2006
Clear April 2007,? October 2007 (next Cystoscopy)

Ferdi1,

Thank you!!!!

I was just visiting your blog and scanning some of the entries. Can you catch me up to speed? You started a new job and your insurance is covering your pre existing condition?

I'm thinking about changing jobs someday, but, I am worried about insurance issues .  Have you got any tips?

Your BC friend,
Rosemary

Hello Rosemary,

The Insurance that I am referring to is actually a Product Called Critical Illness Insurance.  I'm not sure if it is a UK only type of policy.  Here we don't have medical insurance for all* - we pay into a national insurance system that covers our GPs, Hospitals etc.  Treatment for me costs nothing to me - the whole service is based on central money from the Government and the payments we make in NI and Taxes.  The NHS has its detractors but I have had what I consider to be the best possible treatment and a Consultant who I trust and admire.

Because I ran my own business at one time (and do again now) I took out insurances against me having a critical illness and so this, after many months, is paying out.  What it will enable me to do is to pay off the mortgage on the house and to have a back stop should I lose my job (again) or something like that.

*  You can take out medical policies and have work done privately in the UK - we have a number of insurance based business that do this like www.bupa.comgenerally large corporates have these in place for their employees as part of their remuneration.  Not many private individuals have them as they are a bit expensive.

My Insurance therefore paid out a single (once only) lump sum to me that I can use for any purpose.  When I took it out it was meant to be used to cover loss of earnings and to cover off any debts and in the case of something more debilitating, allow some help or respite for the family.  That was why I was surprised that I could make a claim and surprised that it paid as I was expecting them to sort of turn up and say - well you are not in a wheel chair or bed ridden and so on.  Reading the policy over and over I see that it is covered.  It puts so much stability into the family and that is important at time like this.  The biggest problem was that it took so long to arrive at this point - 7 months (not the insurance companies fault I hasten to add).

The trouble with insurance is that it relates to you and your circumstances.  I changed to a Critical Illness policy from an Income Replacement one as I felt it was more likely that I would get a critical illness than ending up not being able to work for a specified number of weeks.  I'd also add that I hadn't had anything wrong with me for over 25 or perhaps 30 years at that time.  I have a number of life policies and a number of savings type policies over long terms but we just don't have anything like a life long medical insurance policy.  I've used the same insurance agent for 30 years and so the portfolio has been built up over time and altered to suit the changes in life, marriage, children, house purchase etc.

I hope that cleared up the insurance stuff?  If not, do ask specifics.

On the job front, I got the job I always wanted this time last year and by the time January this year came by, the company was in difficulty and a number of us were made redundant.  Not that I had anything to do with the results of the company overall :-) I hasten to add.

I've run my own business for many years and this new job is interesting as it is through my own business that the job will be run.  It is a new business with large risks but I am able to take on the risk now (where before I wouldn't) because of coming through BC and because of having put some of that insurance money aside to allow me to take a risky 3 months.  If it doesn't work out then at least I will have tried and it won't affect the family either.


I hope this helps or clears things up?  

Ferdi1