This has been a tough week, as you have so patiently experienced with me. I have found many things in this past week that have been a revelation to me in one form or another. The biggest has been that I really do understand what is wrong with the Health Care System in America now.
I’m not going to complain about my pain, or how sad and depressed I have been all week or any of the poor me stuff.
On the contrary, I am in a very happy and upbeat mood on this, my 51st birthday. It has nothing to do with my birthday. It just happens to coincide is all.
First off, I slept almost all day Sunday (which I needed badly) and woke up today to the sun and warmth of a beautiful fall day in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan.
Secondly, I finally received my Neulasta injection, which is very important to the building of blood cells after chemotherapy sessions. But there also lies my one problem with the whole deal.
See, one 6 ml syringe of neulasta costs $3600 ……..you read that right. That is the problem, If I have 8 cycles in this round of chemotherapy (possible) that comes to over 26k for the 8 single syringes of neulasta by the end of this round. Which, in and of itself, is not a back breaker, but all these little medicines cost an enormous amount. There are many. Not to mention the procedures and clinic visits that are involved and you may be able to see where I’m going with this…….
Many people in America are not as lucky as me to have great health benefits from their workplace. What about the families that have worked hard all of their lives and not caught their “american dream”? It’s a huge drain on nearly half of all the people in this country. Of the 6 ml that make up the neulasta injection, about 5% of it is the actual drug, which would put the cost of an actual 6 ml of neulasta 20 x 3600 (or just about $72,000), the rest of it is a mixture of sterile liquids that are safe to inject into your body without having to worry about hurting yourself.
Which puts it at just about one of the most expensive fluids on earth seemingly. Still, I understand its value, but What I dont understand is why do they have to squeeze every cent of profit out of it??
It’s been a tough week….but I am very happy to say that like all things that dont kills us, I think I am stronger. have a nice day!
Tags: cancer, common man, happiness, life, pain, pharmaceutical companies
