Melannie Godfrey
September 11th, 2007
In May 2000 I began to have some health issues that despite several medications and some minor explorative surgery, wasn’t being diagnosed. After months of different treatments, I was finally diagnosed with a brain tumor. I couldn’t have been more stunned than if I was told I was going to grow a third limb! My 14 and 16 year old children had just unexpectedly lost their dad in May of 2000 and I was terrified they may become orphans.The physician ordered an MRI/Brain Scan for a couple of days later and told me that it would probably take 7 - 10 business days before he received the radiologist’s report. Much to my surprise, the doctor called me back within a couple of hours of the procedure and confirmed that I did, in fact, have a brain tumor. Due to all of the recent extensive medications, including some hormonal/steroid medications, the doctor wanted me to wait six months to get the extensive prior medications out of my system and to see if the tumor was in a growing stage.
After a follow up MRI at the first of the year in 2001, the brain tumor I had had doubled in size… with every indication that this very fast growing tumor, would continue to increase and spread with even more disastrous effects. At this time I started seeing a myriad of specialists each week getting them all on board for my pending surgery.In April 2001 I had invasive brain surgery to remove a tumor at the base of my skull and top of my spine that although was benign, it was the size of a large cherry tomato. What I anticipated to be the resolution to this long ordeal was, in fact, just the beginning. There were unexpected complications during the surgery that have lead to many post-operative, lifelong medical conditions. I left the hospital requiring over $2,500 worth of medications a month for a year after the surgery. Had I not had prescription insurance at the time, I honestly don’t know what I would have done.However, after four and a half years of taking $2,200 in medications per month, I became uninsured. Words can’t adequately describe the terror I felt at that time! I applied for medical/prescription assistance through all of the regular, governmental channels to no avail. These organizations always stated they needed even more paperwork verification, despite me giving them every piece of medical documentation I’d ever received, which already weighed about 6 pounds in paper! The horror of not being able to afford my lifesaving medications can’t be adequately conveyed in words I don’t think.
I asked major pharmacies for direction and, at the time, they had no programs to suggest. I wasn’t sure where my next medications were going to come from, let alone how I was going to be able to shelter, feed, and clothe my children. During this very dark period in my life, I became clinically depressed and seriously contemplated suicide as my only option, as opposed to dying a slower death without the medications.
My story, and the millions of others just like mine, should be a loud and clear wake up call to our medical community/government agencies! When a mid-30’s year old woman and mother of two truly begins to believe suicide is her only option instead of dying without her prescribed medications, there’s something seriously flawed in our medical system.
After receiving some assistance from some charity organizations for a couple of months, I became aware of the whole new, much needed assistance of a medical organization called PPA (Partnership for Prescription Assistance) that stepped up to the plate and began providing me with the necessary medications I so desperately needed. PPA picks up where the 40 plus million uninsured/under insured patients have fallen through the cracks of governmental assistance.
Today, I am a 41 year old walking miracle. I have a normal, healthy life where my greatest difficulty is in deciding what to make for dinner. I had no idea that I wasn’t truly alone in the world, terrified of each passing day when I had to “ration” my medications to help ward off the potential withdrawal symptoms, yet not a high enough dose to actually be fully, medically beneficial. For all of the millions of people who I have walked a mile in their shoes, please don’t give up! There are solutions and assistance out there . . . which means you really do have a future!
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