Insurance hoops

In January of this year, my employer changed health insurance companies.  For the better part of the last ten years, I've had Humana as my carrier.  They have always been fair and helpful.  On the days when I did end up having to call customer service, it was usually quick and painless.  Not anymore!

We now have Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida....and can I just say....I really, really dislike them.  According to the human resources department, the change from one insurance carrier to another was supposed to be "seamless" to us.  We were not supposed to see "any difference".  HA!

Besides having to change information at every doctor's office and on every school or medical form, I've also had to pay a much higher premium!  I'm paying around $800 per month for coverage for our family!  This does not include the higher co pays....$25 for the regular doctor and $45 for specialists....and $75 to $100 for scans or outpatient procedures.  I've also had to change one doctor (who is not on the BC/BS plan) and deal with the fact that several of my routine (but cancer related) medicines are now on a higher tier.   It all boils down to more money from us!

Now, I realize that health insurance is a luxury and a privilege.  It's not a right!  I get that.  Trust me, I'm extremely thankful that my company offers coverage at all!  Many of my friends and family do not have this as a benefit.  But, I do work for a hospital and it does seem like the right thing to do...to offer services to the very employees that make the services that others receive possible.

For a family that is healthy, none of this would seem like a big deal.  BUT, if any member of your family has a serious illness, the stakes are higher.  Literally.


Just today, I went to the pharmacy to get a new prescription filled.  My oncologist has changed my medication from Arimidex to Femara.  When I walked in there to drop it off, the whole place was a wreck.  Apparently, the roof leaked over the weekend and they are having to replace furniture, carpet and merchandise.  As a matter of fact, when I was there last week, they had just placed a brand new ATM machine in there.  It was gone today!  Probably ruined by water damage.  Bummer.

When I talked with the pharmacist, she explained that they do carry that particular med there, however, she only had 18 pills on hand.  She was going to fill my script with those 18 and then I would have to come back later to get the rest filled. Lovely.  This almost always happens to me!  It never goes smoothly when I get my prescriptions filled.  Sigh.  I said "OK" and went outside to wait (no place to sit in there today).

About 10 minutes later, the tech came out and said that, get this, they can't fill the prescription because the Femara needed to be pre-authorized.  Are you kidding me?  She said she would contact the MD's office and then they would need to contact BC/BS. 

I called my oncologist when I got back to the office.  They said they couldn't do anything until the pharmacy calls them.  I'm hoping that they are all communicating the way they are supposed to.  I've only got about a weeks worth of the Arimidex left.  They don't have much time to get this straightened out!

All I know is that....I'm tired of jumping through the insurance hoops!  I mean, I don't even like basketball!

It's THAT time of year again!

Hello friends and relatives....yes, it's THAT time of year again!  It's time for my annual mammogram.  I know that I have inundated you with prayer requests over the last two years...but I'm going to ask for more!

Tomorrow morning at 7:30am...I'm scheduled to have a Bone Density Study.  This is primarily to check for bone changes due to the Arimidex that I take everyday.  Apparently, the medication can cause osteoporosis.
Then, at 8:30am....I will have my annual mammogram.  I don't think I have to explain what this test is for.

Please take a few moments to remember me in your prayers.  This is ALWAYS a scary time for me....I'm doing my best to focus on the "Be Not Afraid" part of my blog title....but isn't there usually safety in numbers?

Thanks so much!

Yet again!

I hesitate to even mention this on my blog...mostly because of pride, but here goes anyway....
I've started Weight Watchers for the umpteenth time! I've been very inspired by the book I'm reading called Walk Away the Pounds! Since chemo started and since I have begun the Arimidex, I think I've gained about 12 pounds! That's a lot of weight to gain in 7 months!
I bring this up mostly because I feel like, if I tell you about it, perhaps I can be more accountable. Does that make any sense?

W.W. is definitely not cheap! We don't have a lot of extra money laying around so this decision was well thought out. However, the registration is free right now and you get free E-tools. Dan and I decided that being healthy is a high priority for me right now. The healthier I am, the less chance for the cancer to return. I'm not going to do any before or after pictures for you.....too embarrassed (there's that pride again) for you to see the way I look. Perhaps you've noticed that there have been exactly TWO pictures of me on this blog! If and when I reach my goal weight....maybe I'll post a picture. Don't count on it though!

I am going to keep a running total of the weight that I lose on my sidebar. Encouragement and chastisement are both welcome! If there is anyone out there who wants to join me in this, just let me know...we can encourage each other.

Here we go!

I started my Arimidex today. This is yet another part of my cancer treatment...hopefully, the last part. If all goes well, I will be on this medication for the next five years. The list of side effects for this drug goes on and on and on......but, so far I'm not experiencing anything that I can't handle. One of the big ones is hot flashes! I've been having those anyway as a result of the chemotherapy and the shot of Lupron I got last week. One of the other possible side effects is "irritability". Hmmm, really.....well now, let's not go into detail about that one!! Frankly, I'm not sure I can get more irritable than I have been these days. Sometimes, I feel like I'm mad at the world....only it's my family that gets the brunt of it...not the world. I think part of it is that everything is such an effort for me these days. My energy level is nowhere near where it was before all this started. Every part of my body hurts...especially my joints. I have put on several pounds and I've yet to be able to shed them....although honestly, with the holidays and all....I'm not really trying. I feel uncomfortable because of the extra weight.
The swelling is a day to day thing....I'm still experiencing some pitting edema and my left arm is in the beginning stages of lymphedema so it is swollen most of the time. Some days I just feel like Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!
My hair is beginning to grow...ever so slowly! I would call it...fuzzy. I lost most of my eyebrows and eyelashes although some of them held on. Right now, I basically look like.........a cancer patient! Imagine that!
I don't know why I'm whining so much! I really have no right to. We have been so blessed with the help of wonderful friends and family (especially this Thanksgiving/Christmas season) that it seems wrong to be bummed about anything at all! It's just that, well, at the end of the day.....I still have cancer and that really sucks! I wonder if there is a patron saint of whiners?

Well, I had no intention of making this a pity party....but I'm glad you came anyway! There's certainly no fun in having a party all by yourself!