Getting Organized

After years of appointments, treatments and trying to wrap our heads around more information, terminology and foreign situations than we ever imagined, we realized one thing. You have to be organized. Here, we provide some practical tips and advice gained from personal experience, as well as handy downloadable forms.

Things you will need
You will need to carry some information with you to your spouse's appointments. Everyone has his/her own system, whether it is the Lance Armstrong binder, a homemade binder, a plastic or paper folio, or a paper sack.

The things you will need include:

  • Three-ring binder
  • Notepads
  • Pen(s)
  • Business card holder for your binder
  • Three-hole punch for your binder
  • Zippered pencil bag for scraps and pens
  • Files and folders for home use
  • YCS forms

Filing at home
You will get mail and paperwork from the hospitals and everyone who treats your spouse, and it will need to be kept organized. You can dedicate a drawer in your home filing cabinet, or fill up a file crate (or several). Below is a list of some common paperwork you will be receiving:

  • Unpaid bills
  • Paid statements
  • Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from the insurance company
  • Referral letters to specialists
  • Consent forms
  • Hospital records
  • Research
  • Treatment alternatives
  • Treatment guidelines
  • Clinical trials
Personal suggestions
YoungCancerSpousesç board members offer the following suggestions:
  • Keep track of statements on the computer, so you can easily look to see if you have paid them.
  • Use one of your credit cards only for medical expenses and nothing else. It will make tax time easier.
  • Designate a folder specifically for reimbursable expenses (through insurance, charity funds, etc.) and another for receipts you will declare for taxes. Getting organized in the beginning will save you a lot of time later.