So I think I have skin cancer... But I don't have health insurance.

[Leftist Agitator]

There is a free (well, mostly free) clinic in my city, one that was ironically founded by Milan Puskar, the founder of Mylan Pharmaceuticals. I'm calling off of work tomorrow to go and get checked. But I already know what they are going to tell me.

I have a mole on my stomach that has been there since childhood that has started to get darker and grow. It's three or four times the size that it originally was, has jagged edges and is puffier, for lack of a more precise term.

I have compared it to pictures of skin cancer on the web, and it looks remarkably similar to the upper right image in this photo:



I'm 28 years old, and don't have health insurance. I'm either going to die, or be bankrupted in the process of saving my life.

I make $9 / hour, and am working at the most 30 hours a week currently. There is no way that I can afford chemotherapy or even surgery to physically remove this tumor, not without destroying my credit and ruining my chances of ever moving back into a major urban locale. In real cities, they do credit checks before anybody will rent to you, as the residents of the same know all too well. And I love(d) living in the hustle and bustle of Miami when I did. It has been my dream to find work in my field that would lead back to an urban life.

Now, I don't know if I'm going to have a life much beyond what I've already experienced.

What would you do if you were in my situation?

I haven't told anybody in my personal life about this... I felt that DU would be a good place to vent and examine my options.

Anyway, please offer any suggestions that any of you might have. I sure could use some good sound advice right now.

P.S. I know it's not the best idea, but is removing this growth myself a viable option? I'm pretty handy with an X-Acto knife.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. This will be locked but I am telling you right now find free or low cost medical care.

:hug:

Just get an opinion and a biopsy before you start running from chemo bills that might not even happen, ok?

[Leftist Agitator]

3. Well, I'm going to go to the clinic tomorrow...

And I suspect that I know precisely what they are going to tell me:

"You have skin cancer".

Do you (or anybody else) know of a dermatologist or oncologist who does work at a reasonable rate? Preferably one that's not prohibitively far from my location...

Because I'm fairly certain that I will not be able to afford to be treated at the "going rate", as it were.

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Start with the clinic and getting references from there. Also get that Medicaid or

sliding scale assistance if you can. :)

[notadmblnd]

2. Don't panic

it may be less serious than you think and just be a matter of the Dr. removing the blemish.

[RebelOne]

33. I agree. Don't panic.

My mother had a lesion on her face that turned out to be skin cancer. The doctor removed it, slapped a band-aid on it and she was fine.

[MilesColtrane]

4. Go to a dermatologist and tell him/her that you don't have insurance.

Ask how much it would be.

I did the same for a growth on my leg.

He ended up charging me $150 to remove it and have a path. report done on it.

[Leftist Agitator]

6. $150? That's all you were charged, or all that you were responsible for?

Was it a cancerous growth, or was it benign?

If these questions are too personal, I apologize for asking them.

[MilesColtrane]

24. All I was charged.

It was a benign tumor.

[Lorien]

21. A friend of mine did the same thing. She had an aggressive skin cancer

(she was very pale and grew up in Kenya, then moved to Florida). She had to have a good bit of surgery done to her face because of it. In the end it cost her around $800.00. She worked a minimum wage restaurant job with no insurance so her dermatologist helped her to find a surgeon who would save her for a fraction of his usual fees. Ask around and do so NOW. There are a few good souls out there.

[dave29]

5. Now is not the time to worry about insurance, or money.

You need to get to the doctor, pronto.

I am sorry this is happening, and I hope that everything turns out OK. You also need to talk with your family as there may be assistance out there beyond just emotional support. In this environment your story underlines the crisis this country is facing. It is very real and very, very important.

Please do not hesitate. Go see a doctor and worry about your credit, etc once you have that examined by a professional.

:hug:

[Feron]

7. Skin cancer does not automatically mean chemo.

My grandfather had a few cancerous moles removed and that was the end of it.

[Leftist Agitator]

9. Were they just cut out with a scalpel?

Because if that's the case, I can do it myself. I just need to know how deep to cut and how large of an area needs to be excised.

[Sgent]

17. What you cannot do

at home though is check them under a microscope to make sure you got all of the lesion rather than just most of it.

[Leftist Agitator]

20. Well, this science nerd actually owns a microscope, thank you very much.

A 900X toy model, but it's powerful enough to see cellular structure, and if you squint enough on a stained slide, certain organelles.

But I still would have no fucking clue what I was looking at or the significance thereof.

Regardless, you make a very valid point. But I feel that if I excise enough skin, that I might be able to contain this problem before it becomes life-threatening.

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Please don't tell me

that you are seriously considering using a toy microscope and an exacto knife to remove skin cancer.

I mean. Seriously. I know you're scared, but think about this.

[WVRICK13]

29. Seriously

Home surgery is not the option if you think it might be melanoma. Melanoma goes deep and can grow fast you might activate a growth stage in the cancer and you won't know because it will be below the skin. Plus you need a lab to ID the excised area. I don't think they take samples from home surgery.

[Mind_your_head]

8. If you're only making $9/hour and only working 30 hours/week you should be eligible for Medicaid

I think....

From what I have read here on the DU there is a 'right way' and a 'wrong way' to approach Medicaid for these things....something like you can't get Medicaid after you've gone and had your cancer diagnosed or SOMETHING like that ~ I'm really not sure.

Please look through the DU archives (or hopefully those knowledgable about how Medicaid works will chime in here).

Best wishes to you LA :hug: I wish that there was more/better advice I could offer, but there are a lot of knowledgable peeps here. I'm trusting that they'll come through for you.

Peace,
M_Y_H

[Leftist Agitator]

10. Well, I have a condition called Meinere's Disease...

It's a disorder of the inner ear that causes hearing loss and balance problems, among other things. I have been to the WV HHR office, and they told me that since I'm single and childless, I'm ineligible for any kind of cash assistance, but that I am eligible to receive food stamps. I declined the offer because there are people who need those monies much, MUCH more than I do.

I didn't think to inquire about Medicaid. I knew that the disabled were eligible for Medicaid, but I was told that since I'm able to work that I wasn't "technically disabled", and thus didn't qualify.

Are you certain that the poor qualify for Medicaid solely on the basis of their poverty? I honestly don't know if that's the case, but if it is, I'll be certain to go back to the HHR office tomorrow with paperwork in hand.

This situation is frankly scaring the shit out of me.

EDIT: Medicare changed to Medicaid. Two disparate things, DUH!

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Yes, go back and get more info on Medicaid. My family is on it and it is a godsend. There

are basic federal guidelines, but I believe states tweak the program because what I am on is called MaineCare even though it is technically medicaid.

[Sgent]

16. Depends on the state

in most southern states you can't get Medicaid unless your under 21, disabled, or pregnant

[Mind_your_head]

22. I found this on a quick google

Overview of Medicaid eligibility:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaideligibility/

[XemaSab]

13. Go to the doctor

The worst that can happen is they charge you $25,000 and you tell them you can't pay it.

It's sort of like student loans in that way, really. :P

[Leftist Agitator]

18. "It's sort of like student loans in that way, really."

Oh, tell me about it. 80k in loans and I have a shit job with no way to pay them back.

But I could tell you more about food rationing in Europe during the Second World War than you ever wanted to know.

Oh, and unlike student loan debts, medical debts can be discharged when one files for bankruptcy. So I've got that going for me.

Pardon my levity, but right now I think a smile on my face is a good thing.

[cliffordu]

19. I've gone bankrupt twice - no biggy if you are sick enough to get

ruined by health care costs.


Corporations and pension plans go banko because they throw away money. This is your fucking life and health. Don't give it a second thought.

[gimama]

14. Try to be calm, go get it ck'd out..

$$ & 'credit' reports are NOT the priority now. Your HEALTH & PEACE of Mind are priority. And nothing is solved 'better/faster' when You're in a panic or feeling desperate.YOU will be OK..but go get it ck'd out, asap..
I can tell You've already spent much time & energy being worried.. when You 'have to' worry, & look at it, Meditate, instead, & focus LOVE & HEALING Energy on that area. YOU will be OK.

I had a VERY similar situation, was VERY afraid, alone.. I had a 'pre-cancerous growth' ~that looked like Yours, removed from MY leg..
it was removed at my student health center(Doc was a compassionate ANGEL)..
do NOT play doctor on YourSELF!!! (((hug!)))

Please let us know how the exam goes,ok? Will be sending YOU Healing thoughts.

[pissedoff01]

15. If it's bankruptcy or your life, choose life. Bankruptcy is temporary; death is permanent.

[girl gone mad]

23. If you have any money or assets, try to shelter them..

then work out a payment plan with a dermatologist, put it on credit cards, then default. Most doctors understand. You might even be able to find a doctor whose office can help you go about it the right way.

[TeeYiYi]

26. You could go to emergency...

... I don't think an emergency room will turn you away, regardless of finances.

I had that exact same thing show up on my back after using a tanning bed several times. I showed it to my gyno who immediately walked me down the hall to see another young doctor at the clinic for a second opinion. The other doctor cut it from my back immediately. There was no doubt in her mind what we were dealing with. She made sure to cut wide around the growth to make sure she didn't miss any cells. It ultimately biopsied as malignant melanoma and landed me on the official cancer registry. She got it all and I've never had a recurrence. I only saw her that one time.

I had health insurance, but this doctor didn't care about the money. She was only interested in doing the right thing in the moment.

Now, you go do the right thing. Consider having it removed by a professional. You can figure out how to pay for it later. Good luck, whatever you decide. This was my experience. You need to decide for yourself how to proceed.

TYY

[Stephanie]

27. Worried Well

Sometimes we allow fear to overcome reason and fear takes over. You are most likely fine. It's good you are getting this checked out as soon as possible, at least to relieve your mind. But the most likely outcome is that you are fine. Sometimes we extrapolate from the situation we are in (i.e., no insurance) and spin that out in our imaginations to the worst possible scenario. Fear takes over. I saw this often during the AIDS crisis of the 80's. You are doing the right thing in getting checked out, and I am confident you will be fine.

[alfredo]

28. Are you a veteran? if so go to the VA.

[shockra]

30. You might want to read about Black Salve

http://www.altcancer.com/cansema.htm

I've been reading alternative health groups for more than a few years but hadn't heard about this one until recently. I remembered it last month when I had an abscess I wanted to get rid of. Cansema black salve is usually used for skin cancer, but sometimes for abscesses. It smells quite intense, but you only need to put on a small dab. It contains a mixture of potent herbs, many which are generally not taken interally. My abscess is dried out and fine, now. Though it made it more red and irritated at first. I was determined to avoid a situation where I had to have it sliced open and drained, like a much worse one about 6 years ago.

There's an extensive FAQ page linked under the Cansema Introduction. When you get to the FAQ page click on a question on the left to make the whole answer page come up on the right.

You may not want to try, but it always helps to feel one has options. I think it took about 10 days to arrive after I ordered it. Not too bad.

[bluescribbler]

38. Or maybe not

look here

[Princess Turandot]

31. The University of West Virginia's School of Medicine is in Morgantown..

They have a medical center associated with them. The primary hospital affiliate of a med school is called an academic medical center. AMCs are generally at the top of the heap in terms of quality/qualifications. They are non-profits. They almost always have sliding scale programs for people with no insurance. (Their webpage indicates that no one is turn away because of money.) They also constantly need patients, in support of their residency programs.

I'd give serious thought to calling them right now. Did this change happen awhile ago? Describe it (turned black, edges became raggedy). Tell them when you first saw it begin to mutate etc.

Here's the referral page for the dermatology department:

See this page: http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/medicine/dermatology/schedulingAnAppointment.asp

While the growth needs to be removed under any circumstances, if there's a chance that this is malignant melanoma, you really would be best off having it removed by a dermatologists. They know far better how to operate on such growths than a general practice physician. And it goes without saying: put the exacto back in the drawer. And topical treatments don't help melanoma because the real issue is under the skin's surface where an ointment cannot reach.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Edited to add: Another plus about hospitals like these is that they are almost always very knowledgeable about getting people available benefits.

[Leftist Agitator]

39. I am going to schedule an appointment with them today.

Thank you for tracking down this information. I have no idea how I am going to pay for a visit, but I suppose they'll have to see me one way or the other.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

32. Here's a thought. Go to the clinic and get it checked out before you decide the world is ending.

[undeterred]

34. Dont put your credit rating ahead of your life.

Apply for medicaid. Do whatever you need to do in order to get the care you need ASAP.

[natrat]

35. self diagnossing is fucked, end up scaring yourself to death

[era veteran]

36. There are 3 kinds of skin cancer.

I have had two of them. I have had them cut off my face, back, & collarbone. You need to know that usually this is quick outpatient work that doesn't hurt or scar much. Go now, today, and get that looked at. Try walking in a dermatologist practice and ask. Early, easy to do; later, harder. Harder and can spread, if it is a melanoma, to other parts of the body. Melanoma is the worst kind. See a doctor now.

[bluescribbler]

37. I sent you a PM

Removing the growth yourself is NOT a viable option. :hug:

Edited to add Melanoma Research Foundation is a great place to learn more and to get support.