Drivers beware - Don't get sick on the road

Hello Fellow Drivers,
Recently I was a team driver with my mate. Unfortunately, I got sick and had to be hospitalized in a state far from our home. The fleet manager of the dispatchers where we were dispatched from called me the 2nd day in the hospital and grilled me about how long would I be off, and what was wrong with me. At the time I had no idea, of either. I was told that I might Lymphoma, and could be off as long as 6 months. Stupid me told him this. This guy ran with that info and I was fired (medically terminated) that day. I was in the hospital for 5 days. They also terminated my insurance that night at midnight... This was all done before we even had a diagnosis. I had only been working for them since May 08. I was devastated after I got out and found out that I had no insurance. I had a biopsy and it was confirmed to be Follicular Lymphoma. Luckily, it is a slow growing cancer. People rarely even know they have it until it gets to at least stage 3. Stage 4 being the worst. I have stage 3.
After being released from that hospital, my mate and I sat in the hospital parking lot waiting on a load for 21 hours. Finally I called the owner of the company and he got us a load to go back to my home state, so I could get home and get the medical help I need. This is the worst I have ever been treated by any company. The upper management of this company are ruthless. They only care about one thing and that is the all mighty dollar. They have on their signs We Show respect to all of our drivers... What a joke. And most drivers of this company will agree it is a big JOKE.
I lost my insurance the 2nd day in the hospital, and was forced to take the Cobra insurance which is about 3 times higher than the insurance I had with the company. So now, here I am without a job and having to pay for Cobra insurance. Their policy on insurance should be illegal. Most insurance should last at least 30 days from the time of termination. Not theirs... Midnight of termination and your out....This is probably due to the guy running the money part of the company. I've heard people call him a hatchetman.. And I am very inclined to agree..Does anyone out there know if I have any recourse to take about the insurance? I am now facing Chemotherapy, and Radiation. I've already been through tons of tests, which were not very comfortable. And now I will be stuck with paying the 20% that the insurance doesn't pay. If the company had any compassion for any of their employees, they would at least have offered to pay some of the insurance. But I haven't heard a thing. Not even a card..
The cancer I have is treatable, but not cureable. And the Cobra insurance only lasts 18 months. I will be receiving treatment for at least 6 months. After that 18 months, I am up a creek. I will have to look for other avenues for help with more chemo and radiation in the future, since the Lymphoma will resurface at some time in the future. I'm hoping they have a cure by then, but everyone knows that probably won't happen, as Cancer is a thriving business with the medical and pharmacutical companies. I'm also a nurse, so I know the ropes of that stuff. I really enjoyed driving with my mate. But I sure didn't know driving companies were so ruthless. Are there any companys out there that aren't ruthless?
My oncologist (cancer doctor) said that I would feel good as new in a couple of months.. I probably will be bald, and skinny, but will feel better ha ha.... And I will be able to go back to work. I sure won't go back to work for that company. I will probably take a local job where I live so I can get my treatments. Hopefully there will be a company somewhere here that has some compassion for those that have cancer.
Regards
Dewfrogg

 

Hello Everyone, Sorry for the long wait for a response. I was in getting tests yesterday, once again to get a port put in on Monday. Sure am dreading that, but it has to be done so I can start my Chemo on Thursday. Some of the side effects scare the crap out of me. I know I will probably be okay, as others have. I'm not looking forward to becoming bald, but hey, at least I can find out what I look like as a baldy... ha ha.. Demi Moore shaved her head, and looked pretty good.. Maybe I'll look okay too. I have a dewrag to wear... Got it at a truck stop when I found out I had this stupid disease.
You all have helped me loads. I think the state from which I got my checks is an at will state too. I know Texas is. So the employers can fire you for just about anything.. And you usually can't do a thing about it. I think all employees should sign a petition to get that changed for their favor. But I don't see that happening. I will try all of the state places, and government too. I already applied for Social Security Disability. That can take as long as 3 years without a lawyer. But I will be okay in a couple of months, I hope. In the meantime, I have to pinch every penny. I just hope there will be a trucking company that will hire me. Otherwise, I will go back into nursing, which I hate. But it will afford me a decent living. I am also going to talk to a lawyer as soon as I can get one to call me back. I've tried several and never got a call back. But I won't give up. I was told yesterday by a nurse at the hospital where I was getting tests, that another lady had the same thing I had and she went in and got stem cell and is cured..... I'm going to try that too. I think it's still in the experimental stages. I'll be their guinea pig for sure!!! Thank you all so much for your info.
Sincerely
Dewfrogg