“We thank Jesus we weren’t alone”

By nature, my husband and I are very active people. We’ve always owned our own businesses and, after returning home to Casey in retirement, we’ve continued to follow our entrepreneurial spirit by acquiring some local business opportunities and using them to give back to our lovely community in our own way.  

We also care very much about eating healthy and exercising, so I was in complete shock when a pulled muscle in my back simply wouldn’t go away. The pain was excruciating and lasted for weeks.

My husband, Greg, insisted it was time for me to see a doctor when I told him the pain seemed to have moved to the other side of my back.  My initial attempt to get an appointment was going to be weeks away and Greg wasn’t going to let that happen.  He says I have a very high pain tolerance and realized there was definitely something more serious going on. 

Greg managed to convince our provider it was essential I get in the next day.  During the exam, I couldn’t lie down on the table without having difficulty breathing.  Immediately my doctor ran tests to check for heart issues. The results came back with high enzyme levels, prompting a quick transfer to the emergency room as they were concerned I was having a heart attack. Interestingly, that was the only time the enzyme level was high. I believe it was God’s way of getting me into immediate care. 

Thankfully, the cardiac tests and CT scan came back normal, but what I heard next surprised me.

“We see lesions on your spine.”   A few days later, my oncologist gave us the news.  “We think you have multiple myeloma. The pain is from three broken ribs—not a pulled muscle. We need to do more testing to confirm, but if we don’t move quickly, you have six to 12 months to live.”

I began treatment right away, which included a prescription costing $21,000 per month. I didn’t like the sound of that, so we started praying and asking our family and close friends to pray, too. God provided: A couple of days later, we got a call from a pharmaceutical company offering to provide the medication free of charge for one year.

Meanwhile, the doctor told me that if I could go into remission, I could be a candidate for stem cell transplant, helping me fight the disease for the long-term.

I called CHM to let them know about my diagnosis and the referral I was given. Together, we explored the doctor’s health outcome success rate and learned they required $300,000 upfront—another cost that seemed impossible to me.

Again, God provided: CHM’s Cancer Care Solution staff found three high-quality facilities that do the same stem cell transplant but at a fair market price.

Yes, we knew that CHM would take care of us no matter what, but we also realized we were fighting not only for ourselves but for so many others. We wanted to get the best care and the most cost-effective result. It might have been easier, in some ways, to stay close to home, but the cost difference was massive. After much prayer, we felt clear about our choice: Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland.

Though it was outpatient care, CHM arranged and paid lodging for those four months of medical care. Additionally, CHM called me several times a week to check on my well-being and pray with me.

CHM’s knowledge of the cancer journey and which organizations to involve have benefitted us immensely.  It actually seems odd to us that people would ever want to go down the path of conventional insurance if they know what we know.

Our experience with CHM has been outstanding.  Over time, providers have become more aware of the program and that’s made it easier.  We have found that most providers offer significant discounts for cash pay.  Greg has had several surgeries, including back and shoulder, and the process has been outstanding.  We have had very little out of pocket even though the surgeries themselves were quite expensive. 

I have more treatments to undergo, but I’m doing very well and have only a few restrictions remaining. I’m looking forward to my one-year checkup this October and am expecting a great report. God is restoring my health, and He has provided in so many ways throughout my journey—including through CHM’s Cancer Care Solution (CCS).

As a patient, facing the process was daunting and unfamiliar.  CCS staff not only simplified the process but took away the arms-length nature of it all.  They were caring and easy to talk to.  They walked us through the process as a friend, rather than an adversary (as so many insurance companies seem to be). 

CCS was the perfect situation for us: CHM staff walked us through the cancer journey as a friend. Together, we found high-quality care to save my life. CHM members took care of us financially, and the CHM staff handled the entire thing. We thank Jesus that we weren’t alone.

We love being part of this community and working together for each other.  We want to encourage every CHM member to KNOW that God is faithful in all things and He is using all of us to bless those in need.  In our case, it was us who needed to be lifted up and we are so grateful.  We were repeatedly reminded that others were praying for us, even those of you we don’t know personally.   Yes, financial support is crucial, but we have learned (as many of you have as well) that our strength and resources come from the Lord.