Amputation to Rid Cancer

I was in complete shock when I read this story. And I have to say, I am not sure I would have been strong enough to have this procedure done to me. Here's the story:

A Lacey's Spring, Alabama women underwent a translumbar amputation on March 27 th 2009. Translumbar amputation (also known as hemicorporectomy) is a medical procedure that removes the legs, pelvic bones, genitals, urinary system, rectum and base of the spine (in short...everything from the waist down). A very drastic way of ridding one's self of cancer, but was necessary to live.
Melissa McCutcheon is a single mom with 2 daughters, Alyssa is 13, and LeAnna is 14. She was diagnosed in October 2002 with cervical cancer. Since that time, Melissa had undergone numerous surgeries and treatments to help stop the cancer, but they failed. She had 54 radiation treatments, chemotherapy, hysterectomy, removal of part of her colon and bladder, and surgery to disconnect her right kidney...but the cancer still spread.
The cancer then forced her to become bedridden by effecting the bones in her hips and giving her nerve damage in her legs. It was when it finally spread to the base of her spine, that she consulted her gynocologic oncologist about the translumbar amputation.
The doctors said the surgery went as "planned" and she is recovery nicely. Melissa will eventually be fitted with a "bucket shaped" prosthesis to allow her to sit up.
This was an extremely intense story for me to read as I am sure it is for most. Her courage and strength is heroic to us all. I would like to leave you with this quote from Melissa McCutcheon:

"My daughters want me to be there to go to soccer games, to their graduation, if this is the only way that can happen, they're OK with it. More than anything, I'm happy to have a shot at finally being rid of the cancer."

The Right to Live vs. Insurance

not sure about everyone out there, but i reside in zagreb, croatia. i am a united states citizen, born and raised for 35 years, so i know how the US health care system is. i currently have insurance to which we (my boyfriend actually) pays every month. it is expensive but mandatory here.
it is extremely difficult to find a gynecologist that accepts insurance that is taking on new patients. let alone trying to find one that speaks english. so everything so far has been out of pocket expense and quite frankly, we are going broke because of it.
if paying for insurance is required, then the government should be required to provide adequate doctors.
when i go into the hospital, fortunately (i guess), it will be covered by insurance. however, the cost of the operation is 4,000 kunas and 150 kunas per night, roughly 4 nights, in the hospital. those figures are our co-pay of 10%. so the entire process will cost about 4600 kunas or $1000 our expense and 46,000 or $10,000 totaled.
why does a procedure that they consider to be "routine" and only takes about 2 hours cost $8000 to begin with?
and why does the person who is needing the surgery have to pay? haven't they been through enough? when will the bureaucrats get off their asses and start helping civilians? do we not have a right to live or does that just pertain to the elite?

Beginnings

well, it's official. we found out last night that it is in fact cancer. i need to call my doctor after january 7th and we can set up an appointment for surgery. needless to say i have been doing a lot of reading on the internet about hysterectomies, chemotherapy, radiation, etc...
its very scary, but i am trying my best to stay optimistic about all of this. its not the fact that i am fighting cancer for the second time in my life, but the fact that i am fighting. and i will continue to fight for as long as it takes.
this is not the end of my life, but the beginning. my outlook and perspectives are finally taking form. and though i am far from being an olympic athlete, i can and will jump any hurdle this life has to offer. i have the right to free will, the right to free speech and i have the right to live. i have been alive for 37 years, but now is when i finally start living.