Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Referrals.

Blah. The remainder of this pregnancy will now be referred to as, "my 40 week immunosupressant" I said it today to my sons endocrinologist's Nurse, Cheryl. I was in rare form. It just came out of my mouth that way, because... thats what it feels like... That is my reality, and making fun of it makes it SO much easier to deal with. Cheryl really liked that one. I also had to get on the phone trying to get a fax number for Aetna. I ended up getting to the wrong department, and the guy would not give me the fax number... He said he didnt have it. "come on buddy, stand up from your desk and ask the guy next to you what it is then, would ya?" I wanted to say that. The guy was saying that he couldnt give it to me, and would have to transfer me to a department that was soley formed for the sake only of giving out the fax number to people like me. Cheryl and the gal following her that day for training walked in at that point. I was showing off a little, because I know Cheryl spends all day on the horn with jerks like this guy... I cant act jerky at work either, so I do it when I can. Poor Cheryl is holding on Queues like I was all the time for patients like us, just to get things covered.
So, like I said... I was showing off. "So, you cant give me the fax number, but you can transfer me to someone who can??? How come you dont get a company directory like that person does? Do you have to earn Tenure first?"
The guy was mad. "I just dont have it go give to you!" He said shortly.
"They should empower you." I said. "youre a human being, you know? You seem pretty smart to me... I think they are selling you short. Yes I will hold"
Cheryl laughed, and so did her trainee. I looked at her. "he cant give me the fax number" I shrugged.
Well, he deserved it. He chose to work in the corrupt innards of an insurance company. I dont feel sorry for him. He has to break hearts all day long.

The fact is simple. Insurance comanies make more money by NOT paying for you and your selfish illness all the time. How dare you get sick and have insurance, what an outrage... What about the poor CEO's at these insurance companies who have daughters turning thier sweet 16 and want thier party on MTV, and therefore HAVE to fork over half a million for the entertainment alone? How can you look those poor girls in the eyes, as they tell thier chauffer to take them to the party planners to put down a deposit, and explian to them that they cant have 500 grand for entertainment, but have only 500 grand for the whole party? Do you want to be the one to do that???
WHO just said, "with all my might.." ???? OH that was me.
So, how about you people sucking it up some, and living with a little less for a minute here, and lay off on the insurance company. How in the heck are they supposed to run a successful profiteering business while people like you are filing new claims for "new and better" diabetes options. Settle down, people!!! It is JUST diabetes, Take your shot and suck it up, how 'bout???

So today, I felt like giving insurance companies a little hell. So I did. All in the name of good fun. I guess if I call and waste a little of thier employees time with things they are not able to do... and sass mouth, then it will cost them a little cash somehow down the line...
and i am gonna get that from them one way or another.

I have come up with ways to cost them cold hard cash.

1. go to the ER for slivers and such.
2. Go to teh E.R. for low blood sugars. (after you treat of course) Do it every time. Youjust want to make sure there was no brain damage.
3. Have your doctor order more blood glucose strips. They cost a buck each. Ten a day for 30 days is... well, I dont have a calculator, but I bet thats more than like say... fifteen dollars or something. My doc ordered us 12 a day and thats what we get. I might up it soon. Two can play at thier game.
4. call the number and tie up the lines all the time with stupid questions, call to see if they got a bill yet. Call and ask what time it is. Find someone you like there and call.
5. Find out what your insurance company will cover for tests and labs, how often, and then ask your doctor to write a letter of medical necessity for twice that amount. At the very least, make sure that you get those tests as OFTEN as they will cover it.
6. Date an employee for inside company info.. if you are single, or you are sure your spouse wont mind.
7. file appeals for anything that is denied. They will pay a doctor a load of money to find a reason to deny you coverage. Then find out how much money they paid that doctor, (and I dont know any doctor that does anything for less than a grand) and then call them and ask them for a price comparison: which is more, paying for my 1000 dollar piece of medical equiptment... or paying six doctors a few grand each to fins reasons to deny coverage? and then say, "because we can keep doing this..."


Those are all I can think of. Fight your dirty insurance company, and bad bad insurance doctors and nurses. They have no soul left... if they ever had one.

And have a laugh about it.

Friday, March 14, 2008

What sucks.

I was feeling better. A lot better, Thanks to Mr. Zofran, Mr. Zantac and a lot of rest. I got back to near normal functioning level. I worked all week, and the only time I got a little sick was after dinner on the night shift, wednesday. I went home and barfed my guts out a few hours later. Blamed it on hyperemesis gravidarum. They say its rare, but I dont feel like the chosen one... That is for certian. After this baby, I am having my tubes tied, cauterized, torn out and beaten in front of other peoples tubes to make and example of them. Yes I really am thinking about that.
One thing I have been doing that makes this blog pertainent is checking my sugars here and there, all willy nilly like. I dont do my glucose tolerance test for another 4 weeks, so I have been checking. My post prandials are good, usually between 80 and 110. Pretty nice, except for the fact that I only eat very small portions at a time these days, and only a couple times a day-- lecture someone else-baby's doing fine.
But one thing consistent with the pregnancy and possibly me in general is that I have elevated fasting bgs. Usually around 118, 116, nothing TOO worrisome, (yes my doctor knows)but I have been noticing lately that number is creeping up.
Today was 135. And my post prandials are getting to be up to 120 or so too... not so great.. I am not too worried, I cant be too much of a wuss about some gestational diabetes... Really, I cant complain. The glucose tolerance test will be of interest to me, to see where I come up in numbers.

All that said, There was a chill in the air today, after three really nice days. 9It got up to 58 one day, and that was glorious) But Nolan started getting stuffed up a little.
This afternoon I kept reminding the boys to shut the door, because I could feel the chill in my sinus... And that put me in a bad mood, because I know just what that feeling means.
The tingling at the back of the nares, like you swallowed a freshly opened gulp of soda right out of a glass bottle... Fizzy like.
Damnit. I am getting sick again. WTH is wrong with me????
How can I just get sick again, I just got OVER beign sick, I should have some type of grace period!!!!
This is not fair. Not again. Its like my immune system just packed up and left the moment the egg was fertilized... "well... I can see where I'm not needed!" huffed my immunities, and walked out the door.
Then tonight, I decided to check the sugars. Four hour post prandial- 136. Now, I know, we all have elevated bg's with infection. But now I am thinking that the sugars are running high, and that is why I am catching everything that comes within a city block of me.
And I work at the hospital. Great.
I am currently pursuing other employment, some less intense nursing... Mental health field... see, that stuff is not contagious. I am so tired of working with infection. I never used to catch anything, but now... I may as well lay in bed and cuddle with all my patients, because no matter what precautions I take... all of this stuff is going around... Most of it is droplet- contracted-- much more easy to catch, esp if you have an ill fitting mask, or a patient coughs, gets a miniscule drop on your skin, you absorb it, and viola-- you have a contagious illness that is going to put you out for a week.
*sigh* Only 20 more weeks. I am halfway there...
On the bright side,
If I am diagnosed with GD-- I am going to ask the doc to put me on the animas pump-- Then I will give it to Nolan when I am done with it.
I am still the lucky one-- Gestational diabetes goes away after the baby is born...
This kid had better be something special... I will tell you that much. SOmething tells me it will be.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Its been awhile. To everyone who likes to read these blogs, I apologize. I have been worked over and run ragged as of late.
But today I feel like I have a new lease on life, or... even own one, imagine that.
I caught influenza B at work, and.... being all kinds of pregnant, became very very ill due to it, got dehydrated, and my electrolytes went all to hell in the crafty little handbasket we hear so much about when we talk of that trip.
I was knocked clean cold for two weeks straight. I could not move. and in the midst of the fevers, the hacking and vomitting, I started to become dehyrated.
It ran me over, killed me, took me to the cleaners, bedraggled me, zeroed me, played me out, and all the euphamisms you can think of, and then... it enlightened me.
When I was at the hospital getting some fluids, just plain old Nornmal Saline for me thanks, no twist of lemon, No I dont want to look at the dessert menu, just saline for me please.
Enlightenment. I know you want me to get back to the inspiration for this blog, and you know what? I will. right here. I was ever so slightly acidodic. Meaning, my body was spilling ketones, and eating itself. for a few days that went on.
Now.... When I learned what my levels were, I first said, (the nurse in me did anyway) "well no wonder i feel like such a load of S***." My doctor laughed. Then I blurted out, "Jeez. My son probably feels like this half the time."
My doctor silently nodded. Then he sent me for tests. I drove myself to the hospital, (probably shouldnt have) and the moment my head was clear, it jumped back into my mind.
The things I expect of him when he feels like hell.
Pick up your coat off the floor.
when he feels like he is the floor.
Get dressed and do a correction bolus, and for the love of all thats holy would you stop drumming on everything?
Do your homework.
Carry your laundry upstairs and put it away.
He never says a word.
He must feel like he took five benadryl half the time and entered a lard eating contest, (urpy that is to say) and then tried to run six miles.
The kid is amazing.
I need to cut him some serious slack.
I whimp out after a couple of weeks of it, and here he is taking it all in stride, and growing into a responsible young man while he's at it.

What the Hell is wrong with me?