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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Kerri Offline OP
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Thank you, Alpaca. Wishing you well, also. Thanks for listening.


37 y/o fem at Dx (23 wks preg @ dx on 3/16/11)
SCC L oral tongue (no risk factors)
L partial gloss/MND 3/28/11 @ 25 wks preg
T1-2N0M0; no rads/chemo
Tonsillectomy on 8/6/12 +SCC L tonsil T2-3N1M0 (HPV-)
Treated with 35 rads/7 carbo & taxol (Rx ended 10/31/12), but many hospitalizations d/t complications from rx.
Various scans since rx ended are NED!
Part of genetic study for rare cancers @ MGH.
44 years old now...I wasn't sure I would make it! Hoping for 40 more!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Kerri Offline OP
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Hi, my friends.

My husband (Dan) and I are meeting with the long term disability attorney this Friday.

I'm getting very anxious, but I am doing everything I need to do in order to protect me and my family.

I'll keep you all posted.

Love in OCF,
Kerri


37 y/o fem at Dx (23 wks preg @ dx on 3/16/11)
SCC L oral tongue (no risk factors)
L partial gloss/MND 3/28/11 @ 25 wks preg
T1-2N0M0; no rads/chemo
Tonsillectomy on 8/6/12 +SCC L tonsil T2-3N1M0 (HPV-)
Treated with 35 rads/7 carbo & taxol (Rx ended 10/31/12), but many hospitalizations d/t complications from rx.
Various scans since rx ended are NED!
Part of genetic study for rare cancers @ MGH.
44 years old now...I wasn't sure I would make it! Hoping for 40 more!
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,024
"OCF Kiwi Down Under"
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
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"OCF Kiwi Down Under"
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,024
Best wishes Kerri,
Thinking of you, Tammy xx


Caregiver/advocate to Husband Kris age 59@ diagnosis
DX Dec '10 SCC BOT T4aN2bM0 HPV+ve.Cisplatin x3 35 IMRT.
PET 6/11 clear.
R) level 2-4 neck dissection 8/1/11 to remove residual node - necrotic with NED
Feb '12 Ca back.. 3/8/12 total glossectomy/laryngectomy/bilat neck dissection/partial pharyngectomy etc. clear margins. All nodes negative for disease. PEG in.
March 2017 - 5 years disease free. Woohoo!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 29
Contributing Member (25+ posts)
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 29
Good luck, Kerri. I think you're doing the right thing.


Mom (beautiful soul) 12/4/14 SCC L tongue (neg. biopsy 10/14);
1/8/15 hemiglossectomy/neck dissection: T3N1, extracapsular extnsn, PNI, pseudoglandular/spindle cell, margins not clr;
2/2/15 RT/carbo/taxol;
4/15/15 CT clr;
5/15 neuropathic/trigeminal pain/headaches;
6/15 recurrence flap margins/BOT; cancer encroaching skin
7/23/15 hemiglossectomy; clr margins & nodes
10/22/15 CT: nasopharyngeal tumor, jaw, and necrotic nodes; tumor under chin/corner of mouth
11/5/15 left cancer behind




Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,671
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,671
Hi Kerri - Just checking in and hoping that everything went well with the attorney meeting today for you and your husband. You certainly did everything to be prepared in the best way possible and really do deserve some good news coming your way.


Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)



Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Kerri Offline OP
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Posts: 596
Thanks for checking in, Anne-Marie!

We had a very good meeting with our new attorney.

She was compassionate, confident, and seems like a very good fit. I feel even better after meeting her and knowing that she came highly recommended from my SSDI attorney.

I signed an agreement with her for her to do all of the work involved up to this point and to represent me at the field rep meeting. If they end up denying my claim, then we need to talk about further fees.

The downside to getting an attorney for this kind of case is that you have to pay for services as you go, rather than working with an attorney on a contingency basis. So, Dan and I agreed to pay $1200 (in 2 installments of $600) for the services that I already mentioned. For what she is doing, the fee seems very reasonable and to tell the truth, Dan and I were expecting to have to pay a lot more. Also, they are willing to work with us on paying in installments. They know that their clients are struggling financially and this is the kind of law they practice.

Currently, my policy pays out $1500 a month, so spending $1200 in the hopes that we prevent them from denying my claim and stop paying out, then the money seems well worth it. Dan had to recently liquidate $7000 in the lingering investments in order to keep us afloat until the end of the year.

I'm trying to keep my stress in check, but it's difficult for me. I'm grateful to have such a wonderful husband who is my teammate in life!

I'll keep you posted with any further developments.

Love in OCF,
Kerri


37 y/o fem at Dx (23 wks preg @ dx on 3/16/11)
SCC L oral tongue (no risk factors)
L partial gloss/MND 3/28/11 @ 25 wks preg
T1-2N0M0; no rads/chemo
Tonsillectomy on 8/6/12 +SCC L tonsil T2-3N1M0 (HPV-)
Treated with 35 rads/7 carbo & taxol (Rx ended 10/31/12), but many hospitalizations d/t complications from rx.
Various scans since rx ended are NED!
Part of genetic study for rare cancers @ MGH.
44 years old now...I wasn't sure I would make it! Hoping for 40 more!
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,671
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,671
Kerri - It was great to hear that everything went so well with the attorney meeting and that she was so well recommended. I'm sure that does put your mind at ease. It is really hard to keep stress down . . your mind tends to go over and over things but if you can try to give the stress a time limit, like two minutes - then stop and force your mind to go to the more positive elements of what's happening, like that wonderful husband of yours, it might help. . . Or the cute things your children do or say. My kids are all 40+ and they still do and say cute things. :-)
I hope everything continues to go very well for you and Dan. Do keep us posted.


Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)



Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Kerri Offline OP
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
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"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Thank you, Anne-Marie.

You are so thoughtful, always.

Those are all good suggestions! I like the two-minute time limit smile.

Love in OCF,
Kerri


37 y/o fem at Dx (23 wks preg @ dx on 3/16/11)
SCC L oral tongue (no risk factors)
L partial gloss/MND 3/28/11 @ 25 wks preg
T1-2N0M0; no rads/chemo
Tonsillectomy on 8/6/12 +SCC L tonsil T2-3N1M0 (HPV-)
Treated with 35 rads/7 carbo & taxol (Rx ended 10/31/12), but many hospitalizations d/t complications from rx.
Various scans since rx ended are NED!
Part of genetic study for rare cancers @ MGH.
44 years old now...I wasn't sure I would make it! Hoping for 40 more!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Kerri Offline OP
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
OP Offline
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 596
Hi, friends.

I just wanted to give you an update.

Dan and I met with my attorney and two Metlife representatives.

Dan and I were well prepared with a spreadsheet document containing every date of service, provider, their contact information, etc. We also had all scans listed with dates. Basically, every medical encounter (except inpatient stays) since my first cancer in 2011. Thank goodness for Google calendar!

There were pretty impressed and thankful that Dan provided all of the information they requested in such a thorough and organized way. Dan is a self-proclaimed data organization nerd, lol! I am grateful to have him for so many reasons!

My attorney was great. She is a former occupational therapist and I am a former physical therapist, so she has great insight into my job requirements as there are many areas of overlap in the things we do for patients.

The worst part was anticipating the appointment. Once we were there and got going, I felt more relaxed. The meeting lasted about two hours, where most last about an hour. There was a lot of ground to cover.

Dan and I were very relieved when it was over. I was emotionally drained. My attorney felt as though the meeting went well and that we have a good chance at being able to keep getting my monthly benefit paid.

Although she does not represent me for my SSDI claim, she said that she feels as though once I get a hearing, that I have a good chance of overturning the appeal and getting SSDI benefits.

I'll be sure to keep you posted. Thank you for all of your support, as always!

Love in OCF,
Kerri


37 y/o fem at Dx (23 wks preg @ dx on 3/16/11)
SCC L oral tongue (no risk factors)
L partial gloss/MND 3/28/11 @ 25 wks preg
T1-2N0M0; no rads/chemo
Tonsillectomy on 8/6/12 +SCC L tonsil T2-3N1M0 (HPV-)
Treated with 35 rads/7 carbo & taxol (Rx ended 10/31/12), but many hospitalizations d/t complications from rx.
Various scans since rx ended are NED!
Part of genetic study for rare cancers @ MGH.
44 years old now...I wasn't sure I would make it! Hoping for 40 more!
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