Prescription and an X-Ray

I am pleased to announce that the prescription debacle has come to an end!

While Walgreen's and Optum Rx could not figure out how to fill my prescription for Odansetron/Zofran, an anti nausea medication, that I need to take prior to ingesting my new chronic mylogenous leukemia drug, Bosulif; St. Luke's Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy did!

My poor oncologist's nurse, Sara, has been such a trooper; faxing prescriptions here, there and everywhere! St. Luke's was a last ditch effort on my part, as I had high hopes of them knowing how to bill for this "insurance uncovered" medication, as I knew they often filled prescriptions for many outpatient, cancer patients. I put all my faith in them.

Off Sprycel 4 months

Yesterday they called with good news, bad news scenario; the bad news was that there was NO WAY insurance would cover this medication. The good news??? That they could fill the prescription for $16.32!!! This, in my book was a total WIN!!! The other pharmacies wanted between $160.00 - $200.00; what the heck? Isn't that just crazy? Needless to say, I went and promptly picked up my medication, with many thanks!

Goes to show you, that persistence DOES pay off!

Second on the agenda; a chest x-ray. As you all probably know, I recently switched my TKI medication from Sprycel, to Bosulif, following several years of significant pleural effusions.

Typical Effusion on Sprycel

I have now been off of Sprycel for four months and one week; long enough, one might think, for the effusion to be completely gone. Since I have been home, I noticed that I am still short of breath when going up and down stairs, and since I read, and freak myself out, that it is "Possible" for some people on Bosulif to have pleural effusions, especially after having chronic pleural effusions on Sprycel, my physician and I though it prudent to get a chest xray; just for "good measure."

This way, if nothing else, we have a baseline.

I am happy to report that while I still have "some" fluid in my left lung, it is greatly reduced from my previous x-rays; this is outstanding news and has me smiling, ear to ear!
See how quickly my mood can change??

Off to the grands tomorrow! I am SO excited!!

Be well, my CML warriors!