Community Connection: Ovarian Cancer Canada is looking for volunteers! Could you help?
OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Community Champion. Over a few hours each week, you would be part of a team that helps connect people, support conversations and are thought leaders for OVdialogue. This is your opportunity to give back to those who have/continue to support you through the tough times, share your unique experiences, and help celebrate successes. For more details of what this entails, please reach out to @Mfallis (mfallis@ovariancanada.org).
OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Community Champion. Over a few hours each week, you would be part of a team that helps connect people, support conversations and are thought leaders for OVdialogue. This is your opportunity to give back to those who have/continue to support you through the tough times, share your unique experiences, and help celebrate successes. For more details of what this entails, please reach out to @Mfallis (mfallis@ovariancanada.org).
Ovarian Cancer Canada is thrilled to share that we have some exciting updates on the way for OVdialogue. These enhancements are designed to strengthen our community and make your experience even better.
Stay tuned for more details, and feel free to share your thoughts below. Let’s make this community even stronger!
Stay tuned for more details, and feel free to share your thoughts below. Let’s make this community even stronger!
Follow up from Today's Teal Thursday
Strongwoman
Moderator
in Resources
Hello,
I am going to comment here on some things I saw come up on the chat today that I was not able to be part of.
Disability Tax Credit---My accountant mentioned it to me and I printed off the forms and gave them to my family doctor to fill out. It is 18 pages long. I put on sticky notes anything that was applicable to a section for my doctor. That way when she called me, all we had to do was more or less "fill in the blanks" for her to be able to complete the form. I sent my complete package off last week and included anything that I had on file that my doctor did not include (like CT scans etc). So will wait to see what happens. There is also a check box that says "apply to previous years" which if applicable can be addressed should the CRA think so.
CPP Disability---I have recently looked into this as well. There are 2 Forms in each section. The one section is an "Application" and they urge you to fill this out and send it in even without the second part. The second part is "Medical Confirmation" form which would be completed by your family doctor, nurse or oncologist (there are other health care providers listed but those were the ones I remember). In each of those sections it is then divided into" Non-Terminal" and "Terminal". From what I have read Terminal is defined as an "imminent death within 6 months". When speaking with my Nurse Case Manager on my Palliative Team indicated that a Social Worker could assist in filling these out and also determining what else might be available to oneself. I am waiting until my next CT scan results before determining which one to fill out based on the results. Both of the sections are lengthy even for the doctor to fill out.
Life Insurance---My adjustor let me know after asking about my policy and MAID, that on my policy that if deemed palliative I was eligible to fill in a form to receive half of my policy. This is so people can enjoy more and stress less. My Oncologist filled it in for me and was a bit lengthy as well. I also found out that should I choose MAID that my policy is still in force.
Regarding equipment etc---Palliative Team has let me know that if applicable, they can get things to try out (I think on a trial basis) and if it is something that works out and is necessary can either be bought or rented. That is all I know on that front and have delved into it deeper.
Regarding Pelvic Floor Therapy----It is very expensive as indicated in the chat. The question to ask first from your team is: Do you think this may be permanent damage or something that physiotherapy would help. Is it something that during surgery it was cut on purpose or attached to something that may be causing the problem. Based on my own knowledge and background, I would say that for most of us, if it is something that happened during surgery the chances of it being reversed are slim. What a negative Nelly eh? I don't mean to be but also don't like to see people taken advantage of and would like them to spend their money where they will get relief from something plus the time and energy it takes for any one of us to go somewhere for more appts. None of this means that it won't work for some out there. I think it depends on your medical history of disease, past surgeries etc to determine that but ask as many questions as you can before you commit.
Palliative Care----If this applies to you, I encourage you to reach out and take advantage of it. It helps me make decisions in my treatment. I weigh heavily on "quality of life" and what that looks like compared to the "medical advice or norm for treatment". As my palliative doctor indicated, "you will know by how you are feeling what to do. If you are waivering, you don't have all the answers and are more than likely not ready." (those aren't the exact words but something similar. Case in point, (I have seen both Oncologist and Urologist about my kidneys and hydroureternephrosis that is both sides and the right is severe) and it has been indicated that a bilateral (both sides) nephrostomy be performed. I can't make that decision right now. I need to know what the medication is doing or not doing, what is going on with the tumour on the descending colon and what the kidneys are now looking like before I can agree to anything. Once I have those answers I can make a decision and know I will be okay with whatever I decide. Currently I sit in "unknown" land and I don't like it. I find myself talking to my palliative doctor a lot in order to make decisions going forward. They will often bring something to my attention I haven't thought of or will indicate, yes, it's time to do this. I have recently joined a Palliative Care Program at Hospice for patients not caregivers (as that one is separate) and find it helpful. The one here also has a library of books that you can check out and borrow which I will be looking at next week to see if there is anything there that might help me through some of this unchartered territory. There is also programs for families during a palliative diagnosis and grieving as well.
I hope some might find this helpful and will reach out to your teams or contacts in your healthcare team and perhaps get some answers.
I am going to comment here on some things I saw come up on the chat today that I was not able to be part of.
Disability Tax Credit---My accountant mentioned it to me and I printed off the forms and gave them to my family doctor to fill out. It is 18 pages long. I put on sticky notes anything that was applicable to a section for my doctor. That way when she called me, all we had to do was more or less "fill in the blanks" for her to be able to complete the form. I sent my complete package off last week and included anything that I had on file that my doctor did not include (like CT scans etc). So will wait to see what happens. There is also a check box that says "apply to previous years" which if applicable can be addressed should the CRA think so.
CPP Disability---I have recently looked into this as well. There are 2 Forms in each section. The one section is an "Application" and they urge you to fill this out and send it in even without the second part. The second part is "Medical Confirmation" form which would be completed by your family doctor, nurse or oncologist (there are other health care providers listed but those were the ones I remember). In each of those sections it is then divided into" Non-Terminal" and "Terminal". From what I have read Terminal is defined as an "imminent death within 6 months". When speaking with my Nurse Case Manager on my Palliative Team indicated that a Social Worker could assist in filling these out and also determining what else might be available to oneself. I am waiting until my next CT scan results before determining which one to fill out based on the results. Both of the sections are lengthy even for the doctor to fill out.
Life Insurance---My adjustor let me know after asking about my policy and MAID, that on my policy that if deemed palliative I was eligible to fill in a form to receive half of my policy. This is so people can enjoy more and stress less. My Oncologist filled it in for me and was a bit lengthy as well. I also found out that should I choose MAID that my policy is still in force.
Regarding equipment etc---Palliative Team has let me know that if applicable, they can get things to try out (I think on a trial basis) and if it is something that works out and is necessary can either be bought or rented. That is all I know on that front and have delved into it deeper.
Regarding Pelvic Floor Therapy----It is very expensive as indicated in the chat. The question to ask first from your team is: Do you think this may be permanent damage or something that physiotherapy would help. Is it something that during surgery it was cut on purpose or attached to something that may be causing the problem. Based on my own knowledge and background, I would say that for most of us, if it is something that happened during surgery the chances of it being reversed are slim. What a negative Nelly eh? I don't mean to be but also don't like to see people taken advantage of and would like them to spend their money where they will get relief from something plus the time and energy it takes for any one of us to go somewhere for more appts. None of this means that it won't work for some out there. I think it depends on your medical history of disease, past surgeries etc to determine that but ask as many questions as you can before you commit.
Palliative Care----If this applies to you, I encourage you to reach out and take advantage of it. It helps me make decisions in my treatment. I weigh heavily on "quality of life" and what that looks like compared to the "medical advice or norm for treatment". As my palliative doctor indicated, "you will know by how you are feeling what to do. If you are waivering, you don't have all the answers and are more than likely not ready." (those aren't the exact words but something similar. Case in point, (I have seen both Oncologist and Urologist about my kidneys and hydroureternephrosis that is both sides and the right is severe) and it has been indicated that a bilateral (both sides) nephrostomy be performed. I can't make that decision right now. I need to know what the medication is doing or not doing, what is going on with the tumour on the descending colon and what the kidneys are now looking like before I can agree to anything. Once I have those answers I can make a decision and know I will be okay with whatever I decide. Currently I sit in "unknown" land and I don't like it. I find myself talking to my palliative doctor a lot in order to make decisions going forward. They will often bring something to my attention I haven't thought of or will indicate, yes, it's time to do this. I have recently joined a Palliative Care Program at Hospice for patients not caregivers (as that one is separate) and find it helpful. The one here also has a library of books that you can check out and borrow which I will be looking at next week to see if there is anything there that might help me through some of this unchartered territory. There is also programs for families during a palliative diagnosis and grieving as well.
I hope some might find this helpful and will reach out to your teams or contacts in your healthcare team and perhaps get some answers.
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Comments
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Here are the links to the Applications--The Disability Tax Credit is below and the CPP Disability is the link to the Overview and everything else you need to know about it. Hope this helps someone.
Canada Pension Plan disability benefits: Overview - Canada.ca
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As an "extra" to the Palliative part above: I checked out the library at Hospice it was wonderful. I found 2 books that I felt resonated with me. The one in my area has it marked out as "Palliative Care" and "Grief/Grieving". If there were more sections, I did not look or see them as I was focused on a section and their selection.
So, where I go, you "check out" the books but there is no "due date" to return them so you aren't on a clock and timeline. That be also be helpful to anyone out there.
So, again, check the one in your area and ask if they have a "library" and how it works. It is all I did.
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