Webinar: Let’s Talk Medicare 2024

Webinar: Let’s Talk Medicare 2024

This could be scary…It’s almost open enrollment season for Medicare!

A dreaded time to receive multiple communications in untold ways that often read like a foreign language. It’s only fitting that we talked about it the day before Halloween.

Join AnCan as we bring experts Amanda Goodstadt, Esq. from Triage Cancer, and Medicare Insurance Broker Kim Umphres to explain all things confusing around 2024 Medicare insurance options, and make this enrollment season a little less spooky and intimidating.

Our panel will explain the whole menu from alphabet soup plans to doughnut holes! Learn the difference between Traditional and Advantage plans and if you can switch between them, what HMOs and PPOs mean, how to sign up to see any doctor anywhere and much more.

Featuring AnCan favorites, Dr. John, Sally Torgeson, Jim Schraidt, and Kim Stroeh, we’ll share some laughs and learn a lot as well.

 

 

Click here for a special handout from Triage Cancer with Medicare resources.

 

Special thanks to Bayer, Pfizer, Myovant Sciences, Foundation Medicine, Myriad Genetics, Janssen – Johnson & Johnson, Telix, and Blue Earth Diagnostics for sponsoring this webinar.

 

 

To SIGN UP for any of our Virtual Support groups, visit our Contact Us page.

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 24, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 24, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 24, 2023

AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Bayer, Foundation Medicine, Pfizer, Janssen, Myriad Genetics, Myovant, Telix & Blue Earth Diagnostics.

UPCOMING WEBINAR – Let’s talk Medicare 2024!Monday, Oct 30 8.00 pm Eastern Register at http://tinyurl.com/ancanmedicare . We plan NOT to make this scary!!!

AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussions are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.

AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.

AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500 https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download

Buy AnCan swag at https://ancan.org/shop/ …. T-shirts and sweatshirts!

AnCan’s Prostate Cancer Forum is back (https://ancan.org/forums). If you’d like to comment on anything you see in our Recordings or read in our Reminders, just sign up and go right ahead. You can also click on the Forum icon at the top right of the webpage.

All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime! You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/          Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/

Join our other free and drop in groups: Men (Only) Speaking Freely…1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/men-speaking-freely/       Veterans Healthcare Navigation… 4th Thursday @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/veterans/

Editor’s pick: Facing the future as a three-year drug holiday falters. (bn)

Topics Discussed

Smooth recovery for kidney transplant patient who chose surgery over radiation; beginning of the end for a three-year drug holiday; turning to Pluvicto after chemo failure — which treatment is worse?; what it’s like undergoing Pluvicto therapy yet again; off ADT for 18 months, but now unexplained fatigue as PSA rises; controversy over Jonathan Epstein; prophylaxis for ADT bone loss; when triplet therapy makes sense; putting out the welcome mat for questions.

Chat Log

Peter Kafka – Maui · 7:20 PM
How much radiation from Pluvicto can a person safely have if multiple cycles are involved?

Al L · 7:26 PM
i didn’tmention it but I talk to Dr Scholz next week as well. He has patients that have had more Pluvicto sessions than I have had. I will be asking him about tolerating multiple rounds.

Peter Kafka – Maui · 7:33 PM
Has Marc had previous PSMA scans? Have they shown up stuff? Just wondering with low PSA profile.

Rick Davis · 7:45 PM
The Active Surveillor

Gary P · 7:52 PM
Here is the WP article:

Gary P · 7:54 PM
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/10/22/johns-hopkins-jonathan-epstein-pathology/

Julian – Houston · 7:54 PM
check this article out: https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/news-why-jonathan-epstein-placed-leave-johns-hopkins-pathologist-addresses-alleged-misdiagnosis-leading-patient-s-bladder-removal?&p2=%5EEQ%5Edec21%5E&prod=HP&cmpgn=dec21&annot=false&sameTabLaunch=false&o=APN12179&installSource=direct&geo=en_US&browser=firefox&darkMode=false&ueid=003fc064-7553-4a55-b6ea-be63cd29de9e&doi=2021-12-26

Peter Kafka – Maui · 7:56 PM
NY Post article from 10-23-23

Peter Kafka – Maui · 7:56 PM
https://nypost.com/2023/10/23/news/johns-hopkins-doctor-allegedly-bullied-staff-to-match-his-wifes-diagnoses-improperly-removed-bladder-report/

Rick Davis · 8:03 PM
Howard’s blog is at https://howardwolinsky.substack.com/

Peter Kafka – Maui · 8:17 PM
What is Chucklet therapy

Veterans with Multiple Sclerosis: A Beginner’s Guide

So, you have MS. You may also be a Veteran of the United States military. What kinds of benefits and resources are available to those who have served and are now living with this debilitating disease? Here we hope you’ll find our beginner’s guide helpful in your search for benefits and resources.

Having MS and navigating the world of healthcare is dangerously daunting all on its own. Throw in some confusion about VA benefits, and you have a confusion cocktail to contend with (see what I did there?).

 

Before we dive in, just be warned: there is a plethora of information. Take your time researching, because there are a lot of links in this blog post. Because there’s so much info to take into consideration, we will do our best to update this blog as necessary. Check back regularly for more information as we come across it.

 

We have to thank Captain James “Jim” Marshall, who is a retired US Air Force Veteran, for bringing up this topic in the first place. Jim regularly moderates our Veteran Support Group, and also attends the High -Risk Prostate Cancer group & Blood Cancer group.

 

Over this past weekend, Jim struck up a conversation with an Air Force Veteran who has MS. He was surprised to learn that MS is, in fact, not covered under the Agent Orange Act or the PACT Act. MS has not been identified as an illness associated with the substances that these Acts target.

 

In his conversation, and subsequent research later on, he found that many people (perhaps as high as 60% of people) were denied upgrades to their disability rating. The VA, depending on evidence, will often award up to 30%. However, sometimes specific symptoms will allow for a higher percentage; one of those being chronic fatigue, which gets a 60% rating all on its own.

Jim also states that Veterans who are prevented from working as a result of their MS may be able to receive a benefit called “Total Disability on Individual Unemployment Ability”, or TDIU. This benefit compensates Veterans at the 100 percent rating, even if their overall disability rating may be less than that. Veteran’s symptoms must be Service-Connected (SC), and already have a 60% disability rating OR have “2 or more service-connected disabilities—with at least 1 rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more”. You also must not be able to hold down a steady job that would have supported you financially. Definitely click on he link above to read more about it and see if you qualify.
The official Veterans Affairs benefits website has a page specifically for those who have MS and are seeking resources.
The website states: “The VA provides health care services to Veterans with MS from the time of diagnosis throughout their life, whether or not they have a service-connected or non-service connected status. If an individual had symptoms of MS in the military, or within seven years after honorable discharge, he/she may be eligible for service-connected disability.”

For those who are new to the benefits game:

The website suggests filling out the VA Compensation and/or the VA Pension form available online or at his/her local medical center for starters.
In fact, there’s an entire webpage that’s full of links and Fact Sheets about your VA benefits.

But oh my goodness, that’s a lot to sift through. Here are a few things on that web page that stand out to us:

Info on Filing and Intent to File – Sounds a little silly, but you may be able to receive retroactive payments for the time between when you submitted your intent to file and when they approve your claim.

Pension Benefit details – At least one of these must be true:

  • You’re at least 65 years old, or
  • You have a permanent and total disability, or
  • You’re a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or
  • You’re getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income

There’s more to this list, so click that link for info on Pension Benefits

Disability Housing Grants Information

  • Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH) for those who own their home, or will own their home, this is a grant that allows adaptive modifications to your home. Can receive up to $109,986 as of 2023
  • Special Home Adaptation Grant (SHA) is the same as the above, but with different qualifications. Can receive up to $22,036 as of 2023
  • Temporary Residence Adaptation for those who are living in a temporary family member’s home that needs changes in order to meet your adaptive needs. You must meet all the qualifying criteria for one of the two grants above. The amount changes depending on which one you qualify for.
Many people with a chronic or debilitating illnesses will tell you that advocating for yourself and your needs is of utmost importance. When dealing with and anything VA-related, persistence is key.
It’s tricky, and it’s a lot to deal with on top of managing symptoms.

That being said, you may benefit from the help of a VA social worker

Keep in touch with your primary care provider and your MS social worker. They’ll be able to help you refine your case for increasing your disability rating. They’re an invaluable source of information and help in signing up for various benefits. The provide supportive counseling to assist Veterans on the physical and emotional impact that MS can have on you and you family. They’re there to be your advocate, your negotiator, your case manager, and more.
If you don’t have a social worker on your team, look for the Social Work department at your local VA, or talk to your primary care provider or MS Specialist.
Here’s a summarized list of just some benefits offered at the VA. These programs require the help of a social worker:
Veteran Directed Care – offers monetary help with personal care services and daily living. Veterans are given a budget, and can even hire their own workers.
Medical Foster Home – This is a residency that’s similar to a nursing home, except Veterans are housed in a private home. Caregiving staff is on call 24/7. The VA ensures that these staff are well trained.
There’s so much more offered, and for so many specific circumstances. We would highly suggest you to look at this website for the VA Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence.
Captain James “Jim” Marshall wants you all to know that if you have any questions pertaining to benefits and navigating the system, feel free to send him an email:

Marshall-James@comcast.net

 

As we mentioned above, this article is just a small portion of info about benefits in the VA system. We will continue to update or even create new blogs as we see fit.

Above all we sincerely thank each of our Veterans for their service. We love and appreciate you!

 

Don’t forget to check out our MS Peer Support Group, which meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month

And of course our Veterans Peer Support Group, which meets every 4th Thursday of every month

 

 

UPDATE #1 – Jim let me know that Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) “is a presumptive condition for veterans with 90 days or more of continuously active service in the military. Any veteran with ALS should apply for Disability Compensation.”.

He goes on the state “Looking into justifying MS [and ALS] as Service-Connected, it is not as difficult as it seems.  If the Vet was exposed to Hazardous Materials, most of us come across such things even in the states, then present VA thinking has MS service-connected because ‘IT IS AS LIKELY AS NOT’ caused by the exposure.”

 

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 24, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 16, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 16, 2023

AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Bayer, Foundation Medicine, Pfizer, Janssen, Myriad Genetics, Myovant, Telix & Blue Earth Diagnostics.

UPCOMING WEBINAR – Let’s talk Medicare 2024!Monday, Oct 30 8.00 pm Eastern Register at http://tinyurl.com/ancanmedicare . We plan NOT to make this scary!!!

AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussions are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.

AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.

AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500 https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download

Buy AnCan swag at https://ancan.org/shop/ …. T-shirts and sweatshirts!

AnCan’s Prostate Cancer Forum is back (https://ancan.org/forums). If you’d like to comment on anything you see in our Recordings or read in our Reminders, just sign up and go right ahead. You can also click on the Forum icon at the top right of the webpage.

All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime! You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/          Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/

Join our other free and drop in groups: Men (Only) Speaking Freely…1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/men-speaking-freely/       Veterans Healthcare Navigation… 4th Thursday @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/veterans/

Editor’s Pick: Common themes this week… mono-darolutamide and drug holidays  (rd)

Topics Discussed
Newbie faces recurrence post-RRP; younger newbie has delayed debulking with advancing situation; spot RT for the General; two opposing situations with mono-daro… a holiday for one and no T for the other; Embr Wave adn estrogen patches; clean scans has doc suggesting a drug holiday; is spot RT alone just whack-a-mole?; abi stops working so what’s next; Zometa gives severe flu like symptoms; Len gets positive scans and turns to spot RT and mono-daro; Paxlovid

Chat Log

  • sent · 5:55 PM
    Stacy Loeb
  • Alan Babcocksent · 6:02 PM
    I will be leaving periodically to check on my wife who is having eye surgery tomorrow.
  • Carlos Huertasent · 6:09 PM
    cognitive what ?
  • Alan Babcocksent · 6:11 PM
    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Daily Life – Great Courses
  • Jeff G.sent · 6:33 PM
    Since I started to eat tofu, I no longer get hot flashes and sweats. Would not be a good plan for pts with gynecomastia.
  • sent · 6:51 PM
    No
  • Gary Psent · 6:56 PM
    darolutamide or nubeqa
  • Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VAsent · 7:21 PM
    Len has the COOL (aka NO SWEAT) gene
  • AnCan – ricksent · 7:22 PM
    97.3 …. Len is cool!!
  • David Muslinsent · 7:23 PM
    i listen to 97.3
  • David Muslinsent · 7:26 PM
    got to go guys. Great meeting as always. Thanks for moderating Len
Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 24, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 10, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 10, 2023

AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Bayer, Foundation Medicine, Pfizer, Janssen, Myriad Genetics, Myovant, Telix & Blue Earth Diagnostics.

UPCOMING WEBINAR – Let’s talk Medicare 2024!Monday, Oct 30 8.00 pm Eastern Register at http://tinyurl.com/ancanmedicare . We plan NOT to make this scary!!!

AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussions are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.

AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.

AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500 https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download

Buy AnCan swag at https://ancan.org/shop/ …. T-shirts and sweatshirts!

AnCan’s Prostate Cancer Forum is back (https://ancan.org/forums). If you’d like to comment on anything you see in our Recordings or read in our Reminders, just sign up and go right ahead. You can also click on the Forum icon at the top right of the webpage.

All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime! You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/          Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/

Join our other free and drop in groups: Men (Only) Speaking Freely…1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/men-speaking-freely/       Veterans Healthcare Navigation… 4th Thursday @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/veterans/

Editor’s pick: Does it make sense to keep your cancer off guard?… & the Group talks A-fib! (rd)

Topics Discussed
AnCan loses two long term men on same day; Zometa side effects; 3+3 (??) newbie addresses mets after 20 years; Gent running out of options needs current sequencing … and new doc; does it make sense to keep the cancer off guard?; addressing A-fib; reducing visceral fat with exercise addresses sarcopenia; darolutamide refused so Gent starts with Orgovyx alone; Payer wrongly refusing NGS somatic testing; blood in urine could be RT cystitis – cystoscopy required; PCa recurs only within the gland.

Chat Log

  • Matt Kriegersent · 3:32 PM
    Here are my recent PSA trends, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster and I would appreciate any feedback. My treatment history is external radiation and HDR brachytherapy completed April 2020, and I was on 2 anti-androgens until June 2022. So 9 (Sept.)/2022 <.06, 1/2023 .06, 3/2023 .06, 6/2023 .35, 7/2023 .17, 8/23 .24, 9/2023 .07 I’m seeing my urologist tomorrow because a few weeks ago, for the only time other than the one biopsy and brachy, I had some blood in my urine – that was surprising but hasn’t happened again since.
  • sent · 3:35 PM
    Too many things to do. You need to talk with the group. You need to make changes now.
  • Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VAsent · 3:44 PM
    Genitourinary Medical Oncologist
  • John Asent · 3:48 PM
    “LHRH antagonist drugs include relugolix (Orgovyx) and degarelix (Firmagon). These will suppress testosterone rapidly and don’t need the premedication with another drug.
  • Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VAsent · 3:50 PM
    Abiraterone for Castration-Sensitive guys is 5MG of Prednisone
  • John Asent · 3:50 PM
    Then, a second dug may be added to add to the testosterone suppression: abiraterone or darolutamide or enzalutamide.
  • marc valenssent · 3:56 PM
    genitourinary MedOnc at Fred Hutchinson in Seattle: Petros Grivas
  • J. Wardsent · 4:00 PM
    I need to hop off now; thanks for allowing me speak about Ken Anderson.
  • TonyFigsent · 4:00 PM
    Brandan Guercio, MD. GU Medical oncologist at Strong. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/26819600-brendan-j-guercio
  • TonyFigsent · 4:01 PM
    Ask to be assigned to him. Harvard Medical degree, MSK Fellowship
  • “Thomas” Maticasent · 4:10 PM
    Where are these “protocols” and/or “guidelines” that Rick mentions?
  • sent · 4:16 PM
  • AnCan – ricksent · 4:37 PM
    Interval workouts, Gents …. I’m standing in for Jimmy. I do them on the rowing machine. eg 2 min on, 2 min off.
  • Geoffsent · 4:40 PM
    Can Jack throw out a couple of lit. references for us?
  • AnCan – ricksent · 4:45 PM
    Here you go Geoff… A Masterclass on Reversing Visceral Fat to Increase Longevity and Reduce Chronic Disease https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-masterclass-on-reversing-visceral-fat-to-increase/id1381257272?i=1000629888710&ign-itscg=30440&ign-itsct=catchall_podcast_ep
  • Jeff G.sent · 4:45 PM
    I eat it with date syrup or pomegranate molasses, or maple syrup or honey. Sometimes I add roasted almond slivers, and raisins.
  • Geoffsent · 4:46 PM
    Thanks for the link!
  • Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VAsent · 4:53 PM
    STEVE -Say the Somatic test is REQUIRED for treatment to proceed.
  • Herb Courtney, Oak View, CAsent · 4:59 PM
    Gotta go. Thanks all. Another good learning experience.
  • sent · 5:08 PM
    Thank you all, need to sign off
  • Julian – Houstonsent · 5:16 PM
    Need to go! Thanks!
Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 24, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 2, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 2, 2023

AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Bayer, Foundation Medicine, Pfizer, Janssen, Myriad Genetics, Myovant, Telix & Blue Earth Diagnostics.

AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussions are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.

AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.

AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500 https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download

Buy AnCan swag at https://ancan.org/shop/ …. T-shirts and sweatshirts!

AnCan’s Prostate Cancer Forum is back (https://ancan.org/forums). If you’d like to comment on anything you see in our Recordings or read in our Reminders, just sign up and go right ahead. You can also click on the Forum icon at the top right of the webpage.

All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime! You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/          Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/

Join our other free and drop in groups: Men (Only) Speaking Freely…1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/men-speaking-freely/       Veterans Healthcare Navigation… 4th Thursday @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/veterans/

Editor’s pick: What next… more Keytruda or switch to Pluvicto?? (rd)

Topics Discussed
Navigating slow-developing recurrence; early days treating denovo lymph mets; Embr to the rescue; post-RT urinary stricture creates problem; hormone therapy poses exercise issues for some of our older Gents; intermittent immunotherapy; new hip after much HT; Group suggests patience before switching therapy; older Gent favors savings to hot flashes; what next when HT does its job? – exercise and a GU med onc!

Chat Log

  • Gary Psent · 5:37 PM
  • GARY Zsent · 5:38 PM
    Thank you for the link, Gary P.
  • GARY Zsent · 5:38 PM
    Thank you, all
  • Boykin Jordan – Springfield, VAsent · 5:46 PM
    Do we meet every week?
  • Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VAsent · 5:47 PM
    Meet 1st & 3rd Mondays 0800pm ET and 2nd and 4th Tuesday 0600pm ET . Jim
  • Boykin Jordan – Springfield, VAsent · 5:48 PM
    Thanks Jim — I’ll update my calendar
  • AnCan – ricksent · 5:56 PM
    Embr wave Ancan50
    https://embrlabs.com/products/embr-wave-2
  • sent · 6:08 PM
    I’m in Palatine and am always looking for people to bicycle with.
  • russ hooversent · 6:16 PM
    holmium laser enucleation procedure
  • sent · 6:24 PM
    773-294-4151 I’m off to AZ on the 15th for the season, let’s definitely get together in the spring
  • sent · 6:38 PM
    Akeega contains two active substances: niraparib and abiraterone acetate.
  • Julian – Houstonsent · 6:39 PM
    Great talk tonight again! Catch you next week. Thank you.
  • GARY Zsent · 6:58 PM
    Gentlemen – Big thanks to all. Had Mohs outpatient surgery 730am today for basal cell on side of face…need to say goodnight for today’s forum. I look forward to our next one. Best, Gary Z.
  • Boykin Jordan – Springfield, VAsent · 6:58 PM
    Good night all. I’ve learned a lot.
  • Carlossent · 7:00 PM
    Thanks for the time.
  • Frank Fabish Columbus OHsent · 7:08 PM
    Got to go. Thanks all.
  • Carlossent · 7:10 PM
    Got to go, Thanks.
Solo Arts Heal with Avesha Michael

Solo Arts Heal with Avesha Michael

AnCan and The Marsh (well renown, long-established theater company with a large following in the Bay Area and venues in San Francisco and Oakland) collaborate every 4th Wednesday of the month for Solo Arts Heal!

 

We had a fantastic September guest in Avesha Michael!

Avesha recently returned to her hometown of Chicago, where she has developed a passion for storytelling and the community surrounding it. During her twenty-two years in Los Angeles, she quickly ditched a legal career to put her whole heart and soul into arts and crafts. She spent ten years as a professional photographer before taking a risk to turn her childhood passion into a new career: ceramics. She founded a pottery studio and humbly and gratefully ran it full-time for eight years, crafting housewares and, more recently, whimsical gnomes. Now, she is counting the days until she can escape the city and start a small homestead, complete with chickens and goats.

She is deeply committed to speaking truth to story and bringing awareness to mental health and trauma-informed, shared human experiences. To her, connection is everything, to be human is to have trauma, and to heal, we first need to learn how to feel.  She holds an MA in Spiritual Psychology, is trained in many healing arts, and was certified recently as a Breathwork Facilitator and Reiki Master.

Avesha will take us on a journey into the complex love between her and her father. She’ll tell of the time when her dad selflessly traveled to care for her when she was bedridden with meningitis. Years later, she found out that he had unexpectedly died alone, estranged from his relationships. She’ll tell the story of caring for the aftereffects of his life and continuing the journey of a relationship that still grows and heals through forgiveness, writing, music, and the love of nature he instilled in her. 

Watch here:

 

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 24, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Sep 26, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Sep 26, 2023

AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Bayer, Foundation Medicine, Pfizer, Janssen, Myriad Genetics, Myovant, Telix & Blue Earth Diagnostics.

AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussions are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.

AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.

Buy AnCan swag at https://ancan.org/shop/ …. T-shirts and sweatshirts!

AnCan’s Prostate Cancer Forum is back (https://ancan.org/forums). If you’d like to comment on anything you see in our Recordings or read in our Reminders, just sign up and go right ahead. You can also click on the Forum icon at the top right of the webpage.

All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime! You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/          Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/

Join our other free and drop in groups: Men (Only) Speaking Freely…1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/men-speaking-freely/       Veterans Healthcare Navigation… 4th Thursday @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/veterans/

Editor’s pick: PSMA scan miraculously clear but they waited 2+ hours to take it — is it great news or a washed-out scan?

Topics Discussed
Lupron, radiation, and chemotherapy haven’t worked for non-PSMA-avid Vietnam vet who’s now struggling with neuropathy; kidney transplant complicates a choice between surgery and radiation; five years of ADT success despite multiple bone mets — due for a drug holiday?; metastasis is gone in his new PSMA scan — but maybe they bungled it; time to scale back from monotherapy to nothing?; check your urine before depending on calcium supplements or they might not work; Bayer won’t help pay for darolutamide — what are my options?

Chat Log

Jim B · 6:31 PM
Hello David!

AnCan – rick · 6:37 PM
Sumit Shah is a GU med onc

Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VA · 6:41 PM
Am Vietnam Vet. Marshall-James@comcast.net 703-338-7341 and a 100% Disbaled Vet

Joel Blanchette Reston, VA · 7:01 PM
Paller Channing

Matt Krieger · 7:06 PM
For Boykin, what makes a protastectomy less likely to cure, is it the evidence of vesicle invasion?

Matt Krieger · 7:09 PM
Thank youm and this sounds familiar, my nomogram had a lower likelihood of cure with protastectomy than what Boykin’s sounds like.

Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VA · 7:26 PM
Sounds like a Bone Scan is in order to find out if the Bone Meds are still active. Jim

Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VA · 7:28 PM
Abby for 5 years, 13+ months Holiday and Testosterone took 10 months to begin to recover. Then it was 113, 33, 134.

Boykin Jordan – Springfield, VA · 7:29 PM
What is oktehome?

Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VA · 7:29 PM
Castrate you like they do bulls.

Gary P · 7:29 PM
orchietomy

Jim Marshall, Alexandria, VA · 7:30 PM
Goodbye the family jewels.

Gary P · 7:30 PM
orchiectomy

Boykin Jordan – Springfield, VA · 7:30 PM
I got it now. Thanks!

AnCan – rick · 7:32 PM
https://www.prostatecentre.com/about-…

Kirt Schaper · 7:39 PM
PYLARIFY® (piflufolastat F 18) Injection Fluorine F 18 decays by positron ,(β+) emission and has a half-life of 109.7 minutes

AnCan – rick · 7:40 PM
Elimination Half-life: 3.47 hr Excretion: Urine (~50% [first 8 hr post dose])

Kirt Schaper · 7:41 PM
elimination half-life is the length of time required for the concentration of a particular substance (typically a drug) to decrease to half of its starting dose in the body

David Muslin · 7:43 PM
Very smart to measure the time waiting and checking name on pee cup. Good lesson for us all.

AnCan – rick · 7:43 PM
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW 18F IMPROVES IMAGE CLARITY PET/CT with 18F has higher sensitivity and better resolution than PET/CT with 68Ga, potentially facilitating more accurate interpretation and reporting of disease assessment16 18F has a longer half-life than 68Ga (110 minutes versus 68 minutes), allowing for more widespread availability as well as more convenient and flexible scheduling for patients and staff3,17 https://www.pylarify.com/pca-imaging

Bob McHugh · 7:45 PM
My PLY scan at Mtg. Sinai was performed at 76 minutes,

Unknown · 7:49 PM
Thanks all!

Unknown · 7:57 PM
Thank you, Rick, Dr. John, James M. , and everyone! I look forward to participating next week.

Jeff G · 8:15 PM
Since I started eating tofu daily and recently started soy isoflavones, my hot flashes are gone

Jeff G · 8:16 PM
IsoRel 200 mg daily ( isoflavone)

A Theological Quandary

sunshine

Here at AnCan, we like to highlight the perspectives of every person that enters our virtual “door”, so to speak. That includes religious perspectives; we are SO proud of how diverse our community is. So, as such, these views aren’t an official AnCan viewpoint.

Now that that’s out of the way, we just thought we would share a more religious perspective on a person’s cancer journey. In her blog, Stingray of Sunshine, author Dana Hendershot asks the question, “If it is truly a God blessing that my cancer was found early, then I also have to believe that God did NOT bless the person whose cancer wasn’t caught early.”

Author, and cancer survivor, Dana Hendershot, goes into depth about those words and phrases that others might deem comforting to someone going through cancer. Phrases like “God has his reasons” are the opposite of comforting for her.

CLICK HERE to read Hendershot’s blog post about her “Theological Quandary”

No matter our religious (or nonreligious) perspective, these sentiments may be felt by many in our community – regardless of which illness you may have.

Thank you to one of our fantastic MS Moderators, Jennifer Digmann, for the blog suggestion!!

Our MS group meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. Check out our calendar for more info on our other groups.

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Oct 24, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Sep 18, 2023

Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat, Sep 18, 2023

AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Bayer, Foundation Medicine, Pfizer, Janssen, Myriad Genetics, Myovant, Telix & Blue Earth Diagnostics.

AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussions are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.

AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.

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AnCan’s Prostate Cancer Forum is back (https://ancan.org/forums). If you’d like to comment on anything you see in our Recordings or read in our Reminders, just sign up and go right ahead. You can also click on the Forum icon at the top right of the webpage.

All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime! You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/          Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/

Join our other free and drop in groups: Men (Only) Speaking Freely…1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/men-speaking-freely/       Veterans Healthcare Navigation… 4th Thursday @ 8.00 pm Eastern https://ancan.org/veterans/

Editors pick: Great session … lots to choose from but benchmark for adrenal markers pre-abi just beats out Adverse Events! (rd)

Topics Discussed

More MRI’s required; risks if any from gadolinium; 2nd opinions on PSMA scan at Fred Hutch; two treatments – which brought success?; metformin – yes, no or ???; tiny changes in ultra sensitive cause anxiety; when to intervene on IHT; soy isoflavones recommended pre- radiation; two sides of anti-oxidants; BPH treatment prior to PCa radiation; best Tx combination for high risk Dx; successful switch to darolutamide; reporting Adverse Events; lazy adrenal gland survives post-prednisone wean; pembro doesn’t show result after 2 sessions – what next?

Chat Log