David was at his parents' home one night when he suddenly collapsed. The next morning, he was brought to the Emergency Department at Irvine Medical Center where he received a CT scan. His films showed a mass in his brain, and he was rushed immediately to St. Joseph to remove the tumor. A few weeks after his surgery, David was diagnosed with a frontal lobe tumor.
David felt that his oncologist, who he saw following the removal of his brain tumor, was purely a clinician who lacked the sensitivity needed from a health care provider. He did not know what questions to ask his physician in regards to his cancer and its effect on his life, and the physician likewise did not offer such information on behalf of his cancer patient. Five years after being diagnosed with cancer, David looks back at his past encounters with his physician and realizes the importance of having doctors that are advocates for their patients, particularly adolescent and young adult patients who have barely begun to live out their lives. He noted that many physicians believe their adolescent and young adult cancer patients to be young and therefore healthier and stronger than their patients who are children and the elderly. Because of this belief, physicians offer less support to their adolescent and young adult cancer patients.
A major issue for David throughout his battle with cancer was retaining his health insurance coverage. When first diagnosed, David was a student at the University of California, Irvine, and therefore had student health insurance coverage. However, after his diagnosis, David had to commit much of his time to receiving the cancer treatment, and had to take time off from school. He was no longer covered through the university and he struggled to be approved for health insurance. Initially denied coverage from Blue Cross, David was covered first under Medi-cal, California's Medicaid program, for some time. His coverage under Medi-cal was limited, and so David continued to struggle with paying for his care. Some time later, David was covered under Medicare until Blue Cross finally accepted him after a resubmission of his application to Blue Cross for a separate program. David emphasized that a young adult is at a point in his or her life either pursuing graduate school, beginning to pursue a career, or still figuring out the next step of his or her life. It is a time in a person's life when he or she has not necessarily reached financial stability, and health insurance coverage is a big issue, as young patients cannot yet pay for their treatments.
Although finished with his chemotherapy and radiation treatment, David must continue to receive MRI scans every 3 months to check whether cancerous growth has returned in his brain. When his life begins to resume to where he left off prior to his cancer diagnosis, he is reminded once again of the uncertainty of his future health status when he receives the MRI scan. However, David does admit that even with such constant reminders, he is a cancer patient who beat his odds of surviving.
What is your dream job for the future and why?:
"Outside of marrying rich, right? That I could study forever….yay. I haven't really given much thought to a dream job. I will be studying for my PhD in English… but I suppose I would rather be the next Jon Stewart (and I am referring to him starring in really bad movies, not the next daily show host) or save the world, but I haven't figured out that one yet. Although… I do keep putting on a red cape and jumping off my bed… then again… maybe I am just insane." – David