CANCER & $$$$ & The Cross



We all have been blessed with a "cross to bear".  The story goes of a man who was overwhelmed with his respective cross.

"Master, please give me a smaller cross!" he pleaded to Jesus.  "I can no longer carry this one!  It is too way too much for me!"

The gracious Master finally relented and took his cross from him.  He invited the man into the Master's storage room of crosses to select a new cross, perhaps one more to his liking.

The man studied the various crosses carefully.  Some were small and some were HUGE.  Finally his eyes found the perfect cross for him, a very tiny and dainty cross sitting solemnly on a corner shelf.

"Master!  Master! I have found the cross I want.  It is this one here in the corner!"

The Master nodded his head slowly.  "I am sorry, but that is the cross you gave back to me.........."

I am grateful that my cross is no larger than what it is.  As heavy as its burden is, I easily realize that there are people out there with a lot larger cross than mine.

With that being said, let's talk money.  Let's talk about the cost of cancer.



That is an actual picture of me (serious, it IS) on the way to my Urologist's office.  They expect payment in advance.  I can't complain about that because I expect the same at my office too.  Regardless, after every trip to the Doctor's office, I then must go visit my Chiropractor to have my sore back realigned from the strain of carrying that huge bag of cash.  And, as you probably can guess, my Chiropractor expects to be paid too.

Prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment costs rank right up there with the revenues of some of the hugest financial industries in the country, pornography and the National Football League.  Revenues from the NFL run right around 8.2 billion dollars per year.  Estimated revenues in the US from porn run right around 8 billion dollars per year.

And Prostate Cancer?  Not all cancers, but just Prostate Cancer?  Costs in the United States alone for diagnosis and treatment (not research) is right around 9.8 billion dollars per year.

So who is the Financial winner of the United States??

Prostate Cancer??  Football??  Porn??



















PROSTATE CANCER FOR THE WIN!!!!

NINE POINT EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS!!!  EACH YEAR!!





Don't worry.  I ain't gonna ask you all for money.  We have good medical coverage through Christian Healthcare Ministries.  It costs only $300 per month along with a vow to not drink and not smoke and to attend a Christian Church weekly.  That works for us.  My out-of-pocket for all of this will be $500.

But here is a list of my costs so far.  And this is JUST for the DIAGNOSIS ONLY!  Treatment has yet to begin.  So, how much did it cost to find out I had cancer???

Annual checkup with my General Practitioner                                              $195
Blood tests he ordered                                                                                      233
Initial visit to Urologist                                                                                    415
Tests he ordered:
           Urine tests                                                                                                62
           CT Scan                                                                                                  897
           Radiologist for CT Scan                                                                         347
           Cystoscopy                                                                                             518
           Random Biopsy                                                                                   1,257
           Pathologist for Biopsy                                                                            861
Visit to Urologist to have him tell me I have cancer                                         366
Another visit to Urologist (after the initial shock of the news was over)
           to go over treatment options                                                                   366
Yet another PSA blood test                                                                                  96
Visit to second Urologist to get another opinon                                                300
Tests he ordered:
            MRI                                                                                                    2,469
            Targeted Biopsy under General Anesthesia at the hospital:
                           Doctor's Fee                                                                        1,976
                           Anesthesiologist's Fee                                                            810
                           Sacred Heart Hospital's Fee                                                8,679
                           Preliminary blood work and EKG                                         219
                           Pathology Report                                                                   900
Visit to Radiologist to get a third opinion                                                        568

That totals $21,534.  (I hope I did the math right.  After all, I count things for a living.......)

$21,534 to find out I have cancer, talk about it, discuss treatments, get more information about the cancer, get more information about the treatment, and it even includes the over $400 charged for the ten little pain pills to take home with me from Sacred Heart of which I only used one.  One for the bumpy ride home.

Let me say again, this is only to be DIAGNOSED.  The treatment has yet to begin, which will obviously cause my mailbox to fill itself up again with medical bills.

$21,534.  Do you know how many NFL football games I could attend live for that?  And I just won't even make a comment on the amount of porn that would buy.

I am thankful that I have good coverage.  That is truly a blessing.


In the tradition of all cancer survivors, we found these cool prostate-cancer-blue wrist bands.  They say TOGETHER WE FIGHT.  I'm sure that means all cancer people fight together.  But in our case, it also means we fight together as a couple.  Hanna and I proudly wear them together and we fight prostate cancer together.

If I remember right, the proceeds go to the fight to find a cure for prostate cancer.  We found them on Amazon.  If you really want to contribute money to the fight, and/or you want to look cool like us, go order them.

Treatment starts next week with preliminary blood tests and EKGs and pre-surgery appointments.  My next blog will cover all of that, complete with SURVIVOR PICTURES for everyone to enjoy!  Perhaps I'll even somehow get a selfie in the actual operating room!  How cool would THAT be??

See you then.....................






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