I am absolutely not the kind of person who has a cleaning lady. I am not rich, don't have a big house. Getting old, but not that old yet. But I can't not keep up and it drives me nuts. I only need it to be average, not spotless. But it takes me so long to get one area done, then another, before I make it around the house, its all dirty again. Maybe if I moved faster, had more energy, less stuff, less hobbies, no pets, etc. it would be ok, but that's not the situation. So I have been thinking about trying to find help for a while.
Finally got the name of someone a former co-worker uses that she is happy with. That was probably a month or two ago. Took me that long to get around to calling. I don't do anything fast, and hate calling people. Plus I have been slowly working on some of the worst spots. She is supposed to come see on Sat. then start the next Sat. If she shows, and if she does not run out screaming.
I am so nervous about having someone come clean for me. Silly huh? I am embarrassed that I am kinda a slob with hoarding tendencies. That I have so much stuff I plan to recycle, or do crafts with. I don't kill spiders even in the house. That even though my bunny's are box trained, there are the occasional pellets on the rug, esp. when they have a spat. I make a lot of my own cleaning stuff out of non-toxic ingredients. I almost never use bleach, having a hard time even buying it again. But most cleaning people will not understand this. Esp. if English is not their first language. What to get for them? My grandmother used to feed her cleaning lady lunch. My usual salad probably would not cut it. I am such a hermit! Such a social misfit.
I always hear people say the cleaning lady is coming, they need to go pick up first. So I am not the only one. But for me its more than pick up. It can look like it has not been cleaned in a month. That's why I need her. But it can't look like its been a year.
The woman that I know that recommended her is very picky, and I am sure is very tidy. No pets, no messy hobbies. She pays her $50. Its not possible for one person to totally clean my house in 8 hrs. If she was able to do half once or twice a month for $100. I would be thrilled. I could spend more time on other things (like picking up) or the yard, or crafts, etc. I also have a very big fear that in trying to work fast, things might get broken. I have so little family that the stuff I have that belonged to them is super important to me, and can't be replaced. There is no point in having it, if some is not out on display, but it all has to be dusted. Carefully. I also don't want it to get back to this person I used to work with, how messy I am.
No, its not like the houses on Hoarders, yet...its like some of them were a year or two ago though. At least now I can use my hip for an excuse. Yes the pain is very real, and it does slow me down and make it harder to do stuff. But I was not able to keep up even before it wore out. Partly because I refused to stay home all weekend and work on it. Sat. fine, but not Sundays too. Now, since walking hurts so much, I am staying home more. But after I recover from surgery I would love to be out on Sundays again...without the thought of my house getting worse and worse.
I hope this woman works out ok. It would be a big load off my shoulders. I will keep you posted on this.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Breakfast
Its Sunday. For some unknown reason the local power company decided today would be a good day to do some maintenance on the electric lines. They sent me a warning letter that today the power would be going off about 8:30 and be off for up to 7 hrs. Happy Sunday to me.
So I made plans to go out to breakfast with a co-worker and her sister. We have not socialized out side of work before, but it sounded good. I wake up hungry and am useless until I have my tea. No power, no tea, and best not to even open the fridge. So we meet at her favorite breakfast restaurant. The Sunrise Cafe. I had never been. Its probably about 15 miles from me. It was like a movie set cafe in some small town where everyone knows everyone, and its the place to be. Interesting. The food was great, the service was great.
But my friend, T. grabs the check and no matter how many times I shoved money at her, she totally refused to take it. Yes, it was a very nice gesture. But....we make the same. Granted, she also has a husbands income. But it was not my birthday or any other special occasion. We do not normally do this, so no idea if I will be able to easily pay her back next time by grabbing check faster. If I even remember to bring extra money if there even is a next time. I could certainly afford my own breakfast and had every intention of paying for it. Yes, it was very nice and generous of her. But I am so uncomfortable with that. Why do people do that?
My policy is only if its a relative, or some sort of celebration, or someone I either have, or might some time sleep with can they pay for me. Otherwise, just let me pay my own way. You can be generous and pay the tip if you want. I can deal with that, but not my whole meal. I socialize so seldom I get very nervous before joining someone. But I think it went OK, other than the paying thing.
Then I tried to do some errands. Yeah, I actually accomplished some, but it was so hard and so painful. My hip is so bad. I spent all day yesterday doing house stuff. But what I accomplished should have been done in no more than half a day. Everything takes so much longer when I am in pain, and unable to bend. Some days are worse than others. Sometimes I know why, and sometimes not. There was no reason for yesterday to have been so bad. Today was only a tiny bit better. The pain just sucks the life out of me.
Then I went to a movie. It was about the time power should have been back on, but could not be sure, or take any more pain of trying to do stuff. It is my weekend. So I went to see "The Adjustment Bureau". I liked it. It gives you something to think about. Matt Damon is so much better and cuter than he was early on, I think. The ticket guy, Cory, was adorable too.
After the movie I went out for yogurt. I love the self serve places. I am always amazed at how fast it adds up. Its 39 cents an oz. Where is the cents symbol? How strange. Anyway I figure, I am not even filling my cup up, it should be like 3 something. But no...its almost always 4 something. A whole pound would be $6.24. So apparently I must be eating about 3/4 of a pound each time. That is amazing.
That on top of the breakfast place gives very large servings. Both my friend and her sister are bigger than me, but brought part of their breakfast home for tomorrow. I ate every bit of mine. Oink, oink.
6:30 Sunday night. I accomplished very little this weekend. And I now have about 6 weekends left before my surgery. Yikes!!! So much to do, so little time, and too much pain to function like a normal person. Lets hope I am less sore next weekend.
So I made plans to go out to breakfast with a co-worker and her sister. We have not socialized out side of work before, but it sounded good. I wake up hungry and am useless until I have my tea. No power, no tea, and best not to even open the fridge. So we meet at her favorite breakfast restaurant. The Sunrise Cafe. I had never been. Its probably about 15 miles from me. It was like a movie set cafe in some small town where everyone knows everyone, and its the place to be. Interesting. The food was great, the service was great.
But my friend, T. grabs the check and no matter how many times I shoved money at her, she totally refused to take it. Yes, it was a very nice gesture. But....we make the same. Granted, she also has a husbands income. But it was not my birthday or any other special occasion. We do not normally do this, so no idea if I will be able to easily pay her back next time by grabbing check faster. If I even remember to bring extra money if there even is a next time. I could certainly afford my own breakfast and had every intention of paying for it. Yes, it was very nice and generous of her. But I am so uncomfortable with that. Why do people do that?
My policy is only if its a relative, or some sort of celebration, or someone I either have, or might some time sleep with can they pay for me. Otherwise, just let me pay my own way. You can be generous and pay the tip if you want. I can deal with that, but not my whole meal. I socialize so seldom I get very nervous before joining someone. But I think it went OK, other than the paying thing.
Then I tried to do some errands. Yeah, I actually accomplished some, but it was so hard and so painful. My hip is so bad. I spent all day yesterday doing house stuff. But what I accomplished should have been done in no more than half a day. Everything takes so much longer when I am in pain, and unable to bend. Some days are worse than others. Sometimes I know why, and sometimes not. There was no reason for yesterday to have been so bad. Today was only a tiny bit better. The pain just sucks the life out of me.
Then I went to a movie. It was about the time power should have been back on, but could not be sure, or take any more pain of trying to do stuff. It is my weekend. So I went to see "The Adjustment Bureau". I liked it. It gives you something to think about. Matt Damon is so much better and cuter than he was early on, I think. The ticket guy, Cory, was adorable too.
After the movie I went out for yogurt. I love the self serve places. I am always amazed at how fast it adds up. Its 39 cents an oz. Where is the cents symbol? How strange. Anyway I figure, I am not even filling my cup up, it should be like 3 something. But no...its almost always 4 something. A whole pound would be $6.24. So apparently I must be eating about 3/4 of a pound each time. That is amazing.
That on top of the breakfast place gives very large servings. Both my friend and her sister are bigger than me, but brought part of their breakfast home for tomorrow. I ate every bit of mine. Oink, oink.
6:30 Sunday night. I accomplished very little this weekend. And I now have about 6 weekends left before my surgery. Yikes!!! So much to do, so little time, and too much pain to function like a normal person. Lets hope I am less sore next weekend.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Massage
I had a massage yesterday. I have gone regularly, but not real often for many years. I started when I was a grocery checker and had a perpetual knot in my shoulder from scanning all day.
First was some guy at a massage place. OK, but awkward.
Then Richard, at his house in La Costa. He had his pic in his ad and seemed OK. Saw him for years, then he moved away. He would often go deep, but I knew I needed some of that. He taught me to breath through the pain, and it would help loosen things up.
Next was Linda, just a few miles away, which was very nice. Plus she was a bunny person. That was a plus. Her dog, which did not like every one was always so excited to see me. I would only go about every 3 months, and parking was a ways away. Yet he always knew when I drove up. She was real good. I was sorry when she made a career change. I wondered if the dog missed me.
Then Marni. She was farther away, and OK. Not quite as good as Linda, but OK. By then I was not making near enough to live on, let alone any extras. I didn't want to totally stop going, so figured I would just go a lot less. She offered me a half price deal. I was grateful and reluctantly took the deal. Years later when I was making more, I upped it $5. and planned to gradually work my way up to full price, but things kept coming up, and I did not. Sometimes I would feel guilty, but then think maybe $35. today would be more useful to her than $60 in two more months, cause I would need to go less. Anyway, one day about a year ago I was 15 minutes late...for the first time. I was sorry, and she was annoyed. I knew it would have to be a shorter session. After I handed her my check, make an appt. for 2.5 months later, and left. The next day I get an e-mail saying she was sorry, she could no longer afford to give me a reduced rate, I might want to try a massage school. I felt like I had been fired. I asked if that did not work for me, if I could still come see her, and she said of course. But it felt so awkward, after I was "dismissed", that I have not. I feel bad it ended that way. I would have payed more if she had asked, I would have just gone less, but the way it was presented after all these years just did not feel right.
I went to a place in Oct. It was OK. She went very deep in my shoulder area. I let her, figured I needed it. So even though it was kinda hurting, I didn't ask her to lighten up. It was OK. Nothing wrong, but seemed like 3/4 of her time was my shoulder area, and I wanted equal time on the rest of me. I would have gone back eventually, but hadn't.
Well someone at work recently mentioned going for a massage. I asked who and where and she raved about Naya. She is fairly close, and runs different special deals. I tried her out. It was good. I have serious bone pain now, that I had no expectation of her helping, but thought she could un-pretzel some of my muscles that are compensating. Not exactly sure what she did different, but what a difference! I felt 2 inches taller. My pain went from my usual 8 down to a two after. Of course it is going back up today, and I can't see her every day, but even today its less than 8 and I am walking better than I have for a while. I know it won't last, but what a treat to feel a lot better for a while. I plan to see her at least one more time before my surgery, and soon after I am able to drive again. I hope she sticks around for a while.
I am happy to have found a good one in the area again.
First was some guy at a massage place. OK, but awkward.
Then Richard, at his house in La Costa. He had his pic in his ad and seemed OK. Saw him for years, then he moved away. He would often go deep, but I knew I needed some of that. He taught me to breath through the pain, and it would help loosen things up.
Next was Linda, just a few miles away, which was very nice. Plus she was a bunny person. That was a plus. Her dog, which did not like every one was always so excited to see me. I would only go about every 3 months, and parking was a ways away. Yet he always knew when I drove up. She was real good. I was sorry when she made a career change. I wondered if the dog missed me.
Then Marni. She was farther away, and OK. Not quite as good as Linda, but OK. By then I was not making near enough to live on, let alone any extras. I didn't want to totally stop going, so figured I would just go a lot less. She offered me a half price deal. I was grateful and reluctantly took the deal. Years later when I was making more, I upped it $5. and planned to gradually work my way up to full price, but things kept coming up, and I did not. Sometimes I would feel guilty, but then think maybe $35. today would be more useful to her than $60 in two more months, cause I would need to go less. Anyway, one day about a year ago I was 15 minutes late...for the first time. I was sorry, and she was annoyed. I knew it would have to be a shorter session. After I handed her my check, make an appt. for 2.5 months later, and left. The next day I get an e-mail saying she was sorry, she could no longer afford to give me a reduced rate, I might want to try a massage school. I felt like I had been fired. I asked if that did not work for me, if I could still come see her, and she said of course. But it felt so awkward, after I was "dismissed", that I have not. I feel bad it ended that way. I would have payed more if she had asked, I would have just gone less, but the way it was presented after all these years just did not feel right.
I went to a place in Oct. It was OK. She went very deep in my shoulder area. I let her, figured I needed it. So even though it was kinda hurting, I didn't ask her to lighten up. It was OK. Nothing wrong, but seemed like 3/4 of her time was my shoulder area, and I wanted equal time on the rest of me. I would have gone back eventually, but hadn't.
Well someone at work recently mentioned going for a massage. I asked who and where and she raved about Naya. She is fairly close, and runs different special deals. I tried her out. It was good. I have serious bone pain now, that I had no expectation of her helping, but thought she could un-pretzel some of my muscles that are compensating. Not exactly sure what she did different, but what a difference! I felt 2 inches taller. My pain went from my usual 8 down to a two after. Of course it is going back up today, and I can't see her every day, but even today its less than 8 and I am walking better than I have for a while. I know it won't last, but what a treat to feel a lot better for a while. I plan to see her at least one more time before my surgery, and soon after I am able to drive again. I hope she sticks around for a while.
I am happy to have found a good one in the area again.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal
Good website to keep handy. Lots of important links in once place.
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Orb Weaver spider pic
Could not seem to add a good pic like this to the last post, so here. Great pic of one. Thanks.
triangle.com Share
triangle.com Share
Spiders
I am one of those odd people that think spiders are beautiful. Do I enjoy having them crawl all over me? Not so much. But do I kill them on purpose? Absolutely not! Besides being beautiful, they are all Gods creatures and have a definite place in the world.
That being said I know I am probably in the minority, as I seem to be in so many things. Well recently I noticed a beautiful orb spider on my patio.
They make the most incredible webs. Anyway I was thinking I should move him before I had this guy (P) I sometimes hire to help me do work around the house came over next. But I completely forgot. The P came over, and we were getting a lot done. He said something about pet spiders. Then I remembered...! Did you kill my spider on the patio? To his credit, he did admit it and apologize. But the poor spider is still dead. I feel so bad about him. Some spiders die so easy. The daddy long legs in my showers...I save as many as I can from drowning, but sometimes they drown so quickly I can not save them in time. I feel bad, but what can I do? But will full killing of a big fat guy, that probably took a while to die getting mashed!! That horrifies me.
Yes there are poisonous spiders with bites that can really hurt you. But not all spiders are that dangerous, and even those will not chase you down to get you. Should you avoid the dangerous ones. Probably, but that does not mean you need to kill them. Unless maybe you have small stupid kids and pets that you can't be sure will avoid the spiders, and being small would be even more susceptible to problems with them. And the non dangerous ones should all get to live out their lives. If they are someplace you don't want them, just move them. Don't kill them, they are not hurting you. And may even be helping you by eating more dangerous insects...
Sorry little guy. Sorry it happened, and sorry I did not save you. RIP,
That being said I know I am probably in the minority, as I seem to be in so many things. Well recently I noticed a beautiful orb spider on my patio.
They make the most incredible webs. Anyway I was thinking I should move him before I had this guy (P) I sometimes hire to help me do work around the house came over next. But I completely forgot. The P came over, and we were getting a lot done. He said something about pet spiders. Then I remembered...! Did you kill my spider on the patio? To his credit, he did admit it and apologize. But the poor spider is still dead. I feel so bad about him. Some spiders die so easy. The daddy long legs in my showers...I save as many as I can from drowning, but sometimes they drown so quickly I can not save them in time. I feel bad, but what can I do? But will full killing of a big fat guy, that probably took a while to die getting mashed!! That horrifies me.
Yes there are poisonous spiders with bites that can really hurt you. But not all spiders are that dangerous, and even those will not chase you down to get you. Should you avoid the dangerous ones. Probably, but that does not mean you need to kill them. Unless maybe you have small stupid kids and pets that you can't be sure will avoid the spiders, and being small would be even more susceptible to problems with them. And the non dangerous ones should all get to live out their lives. If they are someplace you don't want them, just move them. Don't kill them, they are not hurting you. And may even be helping you by eating more dangerous insects...
Sorry little guy. Sorry it happened, and sorry I did not save you. RIP,
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Insurance Frustration
I have been lucky enough to have OK medical coverage through my employer for many years now. But...my share goes up and up, and it keeps changing and getting more and more complicated. That so many people actually fight Obama on trying to improve this system I can not understand at all. The fruit cakes!!!
I guess the company I was the happiest with, was Pacific Care, and Sharp Mission Park. It was the first time I felt like I had one place to go to handle most things, and I did not have a lot of out of pocket costs or paper work to deal with. I had a reasonable co-pay for some things, the rest all just got paid. Like magic.
Maybe 2 years ago, my company switched to Blue Cross, and around that time Sharp Mission Park, became Scripps Coastal. I was not thrilled, but did not want to change to Kaiser. People either love or hate Kaiser, there does not seem to be a big in between group. My wonderful Pacific Care Dr. had moved away, but many things about the group stayed the same, and I stayed. This last open enrollment, I considered switching. I was pretty sure I would have a lot more medical expenses this year, and spent quite a while looking on line, and making some calls. I couldn't figure out what the new co-pays would be, or what surgeons were still considered in my network. Decided to stay with what I had.
Now I am preparing for Major surgery. My hospital co-pay went from 0 to $200., and they prefer that I use Scripps hospital, rather than Tri-City that I used last time. Scripps is newer and nicer, but further from me and most anyone that would be giving me a ride. Plus the last surgery I had there resulted in nerve damage. Maybe just a coincidence, but why not go where things went well last time, and are closer? But if the co-pay is a lot more, I will go to Scripps.
The surgeons schedule person explained that things have changed a lot with my insurance, they no longer have to get referrals, and prior authorization from my PCP, now they go right to Blue Cross.
One of the complications is my insurance card now lists 2 co-pays for office visits, and two different ones for specialists. I had no idea which was which. The surgeons office charged me $25. co-pay. OK. Then I get a bill asking me for $15. more, saying my co-pay is $40. OK, that's a lot. Plus if they were wrong about that I better call them and check out some other stuff.
First ask for an explanation of my two co-pays. Apparently my co-pay will always be the higher one because of the medical practice. When I went on line to research and check before choosing, I should have noticed if the practice had a little ribbon icon next to it or now. A ribbon means I pay the lower co-pay, no ribbon means I pay the higher one! And I would know that how??? My co-pay is the same at either hospital, provided my medical group gets a referral to Tri-City before I go in. If they fail to do that I would be expected to pay everything!! The whole $56,000 or so cost.
So I call the surgeons schedule person back and say I have been told I need to get a referral to Tri-City from my med. group first or they will not pay, and I want a copy of that in my hand before I go there. Meanwhile, maybe I should also book something at Scripps in case they will not authorize it, so all the good dates and times are not gone.
She who had seemed quite nice before, practically yelled at me "I don't know how many times and ways I have to explain this to you, you don't need to get authorized by your med. group. Yours is not a true HMO, we go directly to Blue Cross for all authorization, once you have gotten the initial referral to us for treatment. I do this all the time, with lots of people with the same insurance and Med groups as you. If you want to go to Scripps, fine, but you can't book both places, and tie up a spot, and its too early to get any authorization from Blue Cross. She calmed down a little as we talked. Seemed to better understand why I was so concerned. When I said I would call Blue Cross back, she gave me some key phrases to use when talking, and said if they still did not get it, ask for a sup.
So I do that. Mind you I called Blue Cross Monday, so I call back. The answers are a little different, but way closer to Mondays Blue Cross, than to the surgeon office. In my mind, the insurance co. should know even better that the surgeon who has to try and keep track of multi plans. I ask for a sup. get an assistant sup. She finally agrees that yes, the surgeon can directly ask Blue cross for an authorization, and that should not be a problem, and they can ask for anything while I am in the hospital, but before or after everything has to go back to my PCP. (who did I mention I have only seen twice in my life, and am not that crazy about?).
I am totally visual. I prefer making all my phone calls from my private home desk, with a note book and anything I need to refer to in front of me. My med. group closes 11 minutes after I get home from work. The hold time is usually 10 minutes. I have yet to discover any after 5 or on weekend number besides the answering service. At least the surgeons office and Blue Cross I have been able to actually talk with after work.
I am already a wreck dealing with everything I need to do to prepare for this surgery and recover, esp. with having a few remaining animals, and living alone, with no family around, and way less friends than I had last time I went thorough all this. If I go with the current Tri-City date....its 3 months from tomorrow!!!!!.
By then I want my filthy house clean. My badly overgrown yard tidied up. I am used to doing everything or it does not get done. Lots of bad experiences trying to hire help. I work full time. I am still way behind from being too depressed about my ducks to do much of anything. Trying to force myself now in prep. for the surgery, but there is tons to do. I am slow, and in pain much of the time. I don't want anyone to see my house. I need a ride to the hospital and home. I would prefer it not be with a stranger. I need a ride back to the Dr's. at 2 weeks, and at 6, then I should be able to drive again. I need a ride to the first physical therapy season. I need someone to take care of my animals while I am in the hospital for 4 days, and to help me with them for 6 weeks. The bunnies are not that difficult, but cleaning my disgusting turtle tank...unless you have done it, you have no idea how gross it is. I don't see how I can do it before 6 weeks, yet not comfortable sitting on my butt watching, while an acquaintance does it for me. I have 2 cars and a 1 1/2 car drive way. I need someone to start my cars up a few times, maybe move them a little, so I am not ticketed for being in the same spot in front of my house too long, Someone to take the trash out the first two weeks. Actually groceries are the least of my worries. I can stock up on most things, and the rest that is something more people are OK about helping with. Getting your own meals with a walker is difficult, but I managed last time. Though they were usually cold by the time I got them to the table. The walker part should only be two weeks. The no bending part is 3 months. Doing this in summer so I can skip socks, but there is always something, like changing my sheets, or forgetting my clean PJ's are in the bottom drawer, etc. So this is why people stay in relationships...just for help getting through stuff like this. Its just the first 6 weeks. But I will be such a basket case before then.
I will need help putting the stupid white support hose on and off for two weeks. Help washing my hair a time or two. I will probably need the dressing changed a time or two. Someone here at least the first time I shower. Even if I hired a home health care person, I only need like an hour a day, and there is probably a minimum. I don't want to throw away money just to meet the minimum, and don't need a baby sitter. So far the only person who has volunteered to help at all besides working full time, is super busy being super woman, and I am already kinda uncomfortable with. Appreciate the offer, but personal care too? Damn this all stinks. I had a lot of people say they would help last time, yet I still felt I was pretty much on my own, and hoped for more support next time. Instead I have way less. How did this happen? Lots of people way more "difficult" than I am have all kinds of support. Why not me? How did things get this way? People keep asking me if I have someone to help me. When I admit to my utter embarrassment that I do not, they don't know what to say. Its not like they want to volunteer. Then quit asking. I am a rock, I am an island, but feeling rather mossy lately. Or maybe just cracked. At least moss is having a relationship with the rock.
I guess the company I was the happiest with, was Pacific Care, and Sharp Mission Park. It was the first time I felt like I had one place to go to handle most things, and I did not have a lot of out of pocket costs or paper work to deal with. I had a reasonable co-pay for some things, the rest all just got paid. Like magic.
Maybe 2 years ago, my company switched to Blue Cross, and around that time Sharp Mission Park, became Scripps Coastal. I was not thrilled, but did not want to change to Kaiser. People either love or hate Kaiser, there does not seem to be a big in between group. My wonderful Pacific Care Dr. had moved away, but many things about the group stayed the same, and I stayed. This last open enrollment, I considered switching. I was pretty sure I would have a lot more medical expenses this year, and spent quite a while looking on line, and making some calls. I couldn't figure out what the new co-pays would be, or what surgeons were still considered in my network. Decided to stay with what I had.
Now I am preparing for Major surgery. My hospital co-pay went from 0 to $200., and they prefer that I use Scripps hospital, rather than Tri-City that I used last time. Scripps is newer and nicer, but further from me and most anyone that would be giving me a ride. Plus the last surgery I had there resulted in nerve damage. Maybe just a coincidence, but why not go where things went well last time, and are closer? But if the co-pay is a lot more, I will go to Scripps.
The surgeons schedule person explained that things have changed a lot with my insurance, they no longer have to get referrals, and prior authorization from my PCP, now they go right to Blue Cross.
One of the complications is my insurance card now lists 2 co-pays for office visits, and two different ones for specialists. I had no idea which was which. The surgeons office charged me $25. co-pay. OK. Then I get a bill asking me for $15. more, saying my co-pay is $40. OK, that's a lot. Plus if they were wrong about that I better call them and check out some other stuff.
First ask for an explanation of my two co-pays. Apparently my co-pay will always be the higher one because of the medical practice. When I went on line to research and check before choosing, I should have noticed if the practice had a little ribbon icon next to it or now. A ribbon means I pay the lower co-pay, no ribbon means I pay the higher one! And I would know that how??? My co-pay is the same at either hospital, provided my medical group gets a referral to Tri-City before I go in. If they fail to do that I would be expected to pay everything!! The whole $56,000 or so cost.
So I call the surgeons schedule person back and say I have been told I need to get a referral to Tri-City from my med. group first or they will not pay, and I want a copy of that in my hand before I go there. Meanwhile, maybe I should also book something at Scripps in case they will not authorize it, so all the good dates and times are not gone.
She who had seemed quite nice before, practically yelled at me "I don't know how many times and ways I have to explain this to you, you don't need to get authorized by your med. group. Yours is not a true HMO, we go directly to Blue Cross for all authorization, once you have gotten the initial referral to us for treatment. I do this all the time, with lots of people with the same insurance and Med groups as you. If you want to go to Scripps, fine, but you can't book both places, and tie up a spot, and its too early to get any authorization from Blue Cross. She calmed down a little as we talked. Seemed to better understand why I was so concerned. When I said I would call Blue Cross back, she gave me some key phrases to use when talking, and said if they still did not get it, ask for a sup.
So I do that. Mind you I called Blue Cross Monday, so I call back. The answers are a little different, but way closer to Mondays Blue Cross, than to the surgeon office. In my mind, the insurance co. should know even better that the surgeon who has to try and keep track of multi plans. I ask for a sup. get an assistant sup. She finally agrees that yes, the surgeon can directly ask Blue cross for an authorization, and that should not be a problem, and they can ask for anything while I am in the hospital, but before or after everything has to go back to my PCP. (who did I mention I have only seen twice in my life, and am not that crazy about?).
I am totally visual. I prefer making all my phone calls from my private home desk, with a note book and anything I need to refer to in front of me. My med. group closes 11 minutes after I get home from work. The hold time is usually 10 minutes. I have yet to discover any after 5 or on weekend number besides the answering service. At least the surgeons office and Blue Cross I have been able to actually talk with after work.
I am already a wreck dealing with everything I need to do to prepare for this surgery and recover, esp. with having a few remaining animals, and living alone, with no family around, and way less friends than I had last time I went thorough all this. If I go with the current Tri-City date....its 3 months from tomorrow!!!!!.
By then I want my filthy house clean. My badly overgrown yard tidied up. I am used to doing everything or it does not get done. Lots of bad experiences trying to hire help. I work full time. I am still way behind from being too depressed about my ducks to do much of anything. Trying to force myself now in prep. for the surgery, but there is tons to do. I am slow, and in pain much of the time. I don't want anyone to see my house. I need a ride to the hospital and home. I would prefer it not be with a stranger. I need a ride back to the Dr's. at 2 weeks, and at 6, then I should be able to drive again. I need a ride to the first physical therapy season. I need someone to take care of my animals while I am in the hospital for 4 days, and to help me with them for 6 weeks. The bunnies are not that difficult, but cleaning my disgusting turtle tank...unless you have done it, you have no idea how gross it is. I don't see how I can do it before 6 weeks, yet not comfortable sitting on my butt watching, while an acquaintance does it for me. I have 2 cars and a 1 1/2 car drive way. I need someone to start my cars up a few times, maybe move them a little, so I am not ticketed for being in the same spot in front of my house too long, Someone to take the trash out the first two weeks. Actually groceries are the least of my worries. I can stock up on most things, and the rest that is something more people are OK about helping with. Getting your own meals with a walker is difficult, but I managed last time. Though they were usually cold by the time I got them to the table. The walker part should only be two weeks. The no bending part is 3 months. Doing this in summer so I can skip socks, but there is always something, like changing my sheets, or forgetting my clean PJ's are in the bottom drawer, etc. So this is why people stay in relationships...just for help getting through stuff like this. Its just the first 6 weeks. But I will be such a basket case before then.
I will need help putting the stupid white support hose on and off for two weeks. Help washing my hair a time or two. I will probably need the dressing changed a time or two. Someone here at least the first time I shower. Even if I hired a home health care person, I only need like an hour a day, and there is probably a minimum. I don't want to throw away money just to meet the minimum, and don't need a baby sitter. So far the only person who has volunteered to help at all besides working full time, is super busy being super woman, and I am already kinda uncomfortable with. Appreciate the offer, but personal care too? Damn this all stinks. I had a lot of people say they would help last time, yet I still felt I was pretty much on my own, and hoped for more support next time. Instead I have way less. How did this happen? Lots of people way more "difficult" than I am have all kinds of support. Why not me? How did things get this way? People keep asking me if I have someone to help me. When I admit to my utter embarrassment that I do not, they don't know what to say. Its not like they want to volunteer. Then quit asking. I am a rock, I am an island, but feeling rather mossy lately. Or maybe just cracked. At least moss is having a relationship with the rock.
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