Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

See a million links on the internet, or start here:

https://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2013/US-Hea...

And, frankly, I believe USSR succeeded in this implementation. I mean you can't make it substantially better than it was (taking technology advancements into account). It was great at preventing epidemic outbreaks, vaccinations, general population health, etc.

My sister picked up typhosus in a very remote part of the country, disease not known to primary care physicians for decades (well, they study it in medical schools but just like a historical artifact). But the system worked perfectly, she was diagnosed, sent to a special facility, got necessary treatment (and became a subject of research with daily visits of medical students from all across the city) and got out perfectly well (besides losing all her hair, but that part recovered quickly).

It's just everything has its pros and cons. And when you preach socialized state-owned healthcare, don't think you'll always be at the 'pros' side. Some people end up at the 'cons'. I'm not saying that my mother fell victim to this system, she fell victim to the idiocy. But the system made her suffer beyond what is acceptable in the civilized world.

I was afraid, but not alone. Family and friends showed up strong in every way. You'll find that people are really caring and compassionate if you let them be. Ask for help.

Your employer wants you to get better and they want to help you. I'm a freelancer with hourly clients so it was especially hard on my finances. I turned to credit cards, savings, and family to help out. Ultimately, I tried to handle as much as I could, as long as I could. Depending on the type of treatment, you can still work. My clients understood and stuck with me when I had to take a break.

I did work up until the really bad parts of treatment. Throat cancer is a very hard course of treatment as you have radiation daily plus weekly chemo. I was very nauseous and tired, but mentally I was ok for a good while. There are pain meds you can take that don't mess with your head very much. Take them if they prescribe them.

Get the best coverage you can. Fight your insurance company if you have to. Don't back down. The last thing they want is a cancer patient getting denied care. I had to fight the insurance company for all the tests up to and including the needle biopsy. After they found it was cancer, the insurance company rolled over and paid for everything without argument. I hit my out of pocket maximum within the first round of treatment.

The other patients you will meet can be a great resource. If you go through chemo, it will most likely be a big room with lots of chairs so you can talk to the other patients. Ask about tips and tricks. There's lots of good info on how to combat the side effects.

Confirm any supplements/vitamins with your doctor as some chemicals can hinder the chemo meds. Buy Ensure Plus. It's hard to feel like eating & that's a good way to get calories. Make sure you get enough calories. You need energy to fight.

Don't believe people that tell you X cures cancer. They don't fucking have cancer. Go with what the medical community can validate with science. All those treatments have all been debunked thoroughly and there is no conspiracy against vitamin C. Doctors want you to get better. Survival rates have doubled in the last 10 years.

Chemo is not worse than cancer. That's ancient history. Nowadays the anti-nausea/pain/steroid meds are amazing. It's not like the old days where you vomit constantly for a year. I'm not saying it's easy, but it's better than it was even 5 years ago.

Take it serious. Don't give in to fear or negativity. Ask your Doctor to shoot straight and not sugar coat the facts. Don't think about the future. Stay in today. Don't lay in bed all day. If all you can do get is up just sit outside. Let your friends/family see you sick. You don't need to be alone.

Choose life. I mean it. Make that choice every day.

It's hard to explain, but you'll face a choice at some point during this path. Choose life.

If you get shafted by your employer during maternity and they pull coverage early, and give you misinformation re: COBRA timing, and it's not an open enrollment window with the state exchange, even if you can convince the state exchange to let you in before the next open enrollment period, the soonest they might do that is at the end of the month.

And if you have any ongoing treatment issues, the temporary/indemnity insurance you'll have to buy won't cover any preexisting conditions.

TL;DR–if you get left in a lurch, you're still stuck on temporary insurance which won't cover preexisting conditions.