I need a BMT to live but have no insurance. Do I just curl up die?

[txplumber]

Five months & nineteen days is today. A picture is worth a thousand words. This photo was taken in a dimly lit hospital room without the benefit of a flash. I look pretty good online, ten times better than what I saw in the mirror tonight. A latino model, I am not, but this is not me. Welts, rashes and bumps invited themselves to my face, neck, and chest.

On the Blood Transfusion Sheet, the 2nd reminder states “Insure consent for transfusion is signed”. I have signed this form over 50 times it gives the hospital permission to transfuse. The complications that may result from a blood transfusion are numerous. I just spent the last few hours researching them online. I am drinking coffee and finding answers to questions that never entered my mind until last night. This page can be filled with medical facts, but I will recount in my own words what happened.

About 8 pm. I was pre-medicated and prepped for a transfusion of fresh frozen plasma. I have a 20 gauge needle inserted into the wrist of my left hand. It is in an awkward position and hurts just to have it in. When the Benadryl was injected it burned. I informed the nurse and she put in a saline flush, the pain eased some what. I still had another injection that was to be given at 9 pm. She began to gather that as well as my night time medications. In a matter of minutes while she was out of the room I felt my life end.

There was no bright light. Nor were there harps playing or angels singing. My eyes closed, tears dripped from my eyes. A burning inferno began to boil inside of my being spewing forth a legion of vile sensations that blazed throughout my body. The heat was intense, I stripped my clothing and staggered to the restroom throwing cold water on myself to cool the heat. I was strapped inside a mound of fireants. The itching was intense, a childhood bad habit turned good. I bite my fingernails to the quick. If there was so much as a few millimeters of fingernail on the tips I would have ripped my body to shreds.

I hit the call button and a nurse appears disconnecting the IV and stopping the transfusion. Than I call Des, she is the closest in proximity and woud be clear headed. She arrived in minutes, she plays poker, watches sports and can cuss like a sailor. In other words, she is pretty tough. When she steps into the room and looks at me I can faintly hear an “Oh Sh*t” under her breath. She asks who the nurse is and dissappears.

Nurse & Des return. I am given a dose of some type of steroid. The nurse was cool, and calm in her duties. (I can not express in words the treatment and care I have received by the staff of Tomball Regional. If I had to try, it would start with COMPASSION, PROFESSIONAL, or a thesaurus of other descriptive words for which I am thankful) My heart beat is racing and my breathing is labored. My cousin was trying to keep me from scratching but I saw more bumps emerging. Panic is a mild form of what I felt. A few hours later it seems I weathered the storm. It was my first complication brought on by the multiple transfusions I must endure to survive but I am sure it will not be the last. It is 4:30 am and I do not want to close my eyes. May never shut my eyes the same way again.

I read a lot. Grisham, Kellerman, Villasenor,TIME & The Houston Chronicle. It is in the lyrics of a song by Kenny Chesney that is bringing me comfort at the moment. The words strung together are the thoughts that are running through my head. Here they are…

Preacher told me last Sunday mornin`
Son, you better start livin` right
You need to quit the women and whiskey
And carrying on all night

Don`t you wanna hear him call your name
When you`re standin` at the pearly gates
I told the preacher, “Yes I do”
But I hope they don`t call today
I ain`t ready

Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven
Have a mansion high above the clouds
Everybody want to go to heaven
But nobody want to go now

Said preacher maybe you didn`t see me
Throw an extra twenty in the plate
There`s one for everything I did last night
And one to get me through today
Here`s a ten to help you remember
Next time you got the good Lord`s ear
Say I`m comin` but there ain`t no hurry
I`m havin` fun down here
Don`t you know that

Everybody wants to go to heaven
Get their wings and fly around
Everybody want to go to heaven
But nobody want to go now

Someday I want to see those streets of gold in my halo
But I wouldn`t mind waitin` at least a hundred years or so

Everybody wanna go to heaven
It beats the other place there ain`t no doubt
Everybody wanna go to heaven
But nobody wanna go now

Everybody wanna go to heaven
Hallelujah, let me hear you shout
Everybody wanna go to heaven
But nobody wanna go now
I think I speak for the crowd

This disease has progressed to a form of Russian roulette that I do not want to play. My bone marrow transplant needs to be approved by MD Anderson in Houston. They need to hear me, know that I am here and I need them. Copy and paste this posting or write your own and send it out. It is now 5:15 am and I am going to email every media outlet I can. Send a link to the blog, ask people to read it. I am not asking for monetary donations or even blood donations. I need your time, a few minutes. Forward my story, someone out there can help me. I have to believe that. They may not know I need them or I have been too prideful to ask. Now I am not only asking, I am begging. I’m both too old and too young too be this scared.

Thanks,
Roger Contreras
txplumber@gmail.com
http://www.IHaveMDS.com

[billboy]

Hi Roger,

Obviously you’re in a tough spot. I’ve never been without insurance so I can’t speak directly on the subject: however, here are some possible leads for you:

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22bone+marrow+transplant%22+%2B+%22no+insurance%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

This is a list obtained when googling “bone marrow transplant” + “no insurance”. Other searches could be made as well. Look the entries over, make some calls, maybe you can find some significant help.

Also just what are the specifics of your MDS? Perhaps you could update your profile.

Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

Bill F

[billboy]

Hi Roger,

Obviously you’re in a tough spot. I’ve never been without insurance so I can’t speak directly on the subject: however, here are some possible leads for you:

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22bone+marrow+transplant%22+%2B+%22no+insurance%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

This is a list obtained when googling “bone marrow transplant” + “no insurance”. Other searches could be made as well. Look the entries over, make some calls, maybe you can find some significant help.

Also just what are the specifics of your MDS? Perhaps you could update your profile.

Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

Bill F

[txnmomma]

Roger..

*hugs*
I am going to email you know.

[MNladyslipper]

Roger,
I can’t imagine. My husband’s bill is over $360,000 this year. That doesn’t even count the prescriptions. Revlimid was $17,000 a month! We are not to transplant yet. We are fortunate to have the insurance. I don’t know what people do without it, but pray that you find out how to get treatment.
Good Luck!
Bev

[Jimbob]

Roger,
I sent an email to your gmail account but no response. did you get it? and how are you doing?

[Author]

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