generic vs brand name

Happy Superbowl Sunday!

Currently, I’m sitting on my couch, the fireplace is on, football game is almost approaching halftime, [can’t wait for you, Lady Gaga!], and Ace is curled up at my side. No Superbowl party for this one, just a nice, quiet little evening at home.

Tony and friends went to Vegas, again, [insert eye roll emoji]. He claims I started the best tradition last year by planning his surprise party, & they just didn’t get enough. I actually have no problem with him taking a boys trip, but playing the same moves as the surprise party I carefully planned last year, irked me a tad. But, as others have told me, I should take it as a compliment; they had SO much fun on the trip I planned, they just HAD to do it again.

So, full circle, that brings me back to why it’s just me, hanging out on the couch for the Superbowl, which, again, I’m okay with 🙂

In other news, tonight was my last night taking Gleevec.

Yep, you read that right: it’s my very last night.

As of tomorrow, I will be taking the generic form of my chemo pill, Imatinib, and I’m nervous as hell.

As of January 1st, my insurance switched their drug coverage, meaning as of January 1st, I was going to be switched to the generic, instead of the name brand chemotherapy. I was notified of this change back in November by letter & started the steps I needed to take to ensure I would still be able to stick with Gleevec, for hopefully the remainder of my treatment plan.

Long story short, I did all the necessary steps, my doctor filed all the vital paperwork, but my insurance stuck to their fine print & denied the claim to refill Gleevec.

Now, I’ve done my research, I know that by law, generics need to be the same as brand name medication. I know companies need to clock the same research hours, the drug make-up needs to be same, blah, blah blah. It doesn’t make me feel ANY better about switching this far into my five year plan, especially when Gleevec was working, for the most part, pretty well. I had minimal side effects, my scans have looked great, and I was finally okay with the whole process in general.

Of course something like this takes place and rocks everything.

Overall, it boils my blood to no end that people can make these types of decisions from their ivory towers, unaware of the fears and what-ifs of people in my position. The past couple days have been an open door, welcoming nightmares, monsters, and thieves of sleep. I hope and pray that people involved in this decision, [from all equal parts – my insurance company, the pharmaceutical companies, etc…], will never have to feel what I felt. I hope they never are in a situation of others making decisions that effect their own health or the health of people they love, feeling completely helpless.

& I have been praying that this new little pill will do it’s job over the next year. I pray that hopefully my LAST year on chemo, isn’t littered with new issues, and that it will be smooth sailing until April of 2018.

I was thankful to be surrounded by family all weekend. Since Tony, usually my person who keeps me from going insane, was gone, it was nice to have my sister, mom, and dad to lean against. They kept my mind busy; I had a sister sleepover Friday night, breakfast with my grandpa Saturday morning, and amazing, basically court-side, tickets to the Timberwolves last night. I feel pretty lucky.

I’m going into tomorrow, [also Tony’s birthday], with an open mind and good attitude. I didn’t come this far to be pushed back into a hole of wallowing & darkness.

I am brave & I will be brave.

Off to fetch myself an evening snack of caramel ice cream – thanks for listening.

xo