I'm sorry what? I ask stupefied at the admissions desk of the outpatient center where I'm scheduled for a Monday morning operation. The lady behind the desk can tell that I'm getting upset. "Uhm..we need $500 upfront in addition to your $100 insurance deductible." she says softly trying not to upset me. I know none of this is her fault and tell myself that and calm down.
"But why? Isn't my insurance paying for this?" I ask. "Most of it" she answers. She tells me all the business mumbo jumbo and insurance stuff that I don't understand as to why the additional $500 is needed. Which after I sit there and process it through actually reading all the registration documents pretty much amounts to the insurance paying jack for my stay and only paying for most of the surgery. I begrudgingly give the lady behind the admissions desk my bank card and she quickly and every so painfully deducts $600 from my bank account. I know feel sicker than if it were just my gall-bladder.
"I know it sucks" she tells me. "Tell me about it" I reply. "Used to be hospitals took care of their patients first and then worried about getting paid later. Now you can't even get into one without making what amounts to a down-payment on an apartment." I say out kinda loud. The older lady sitting behind me in the waiting room yells out, "Damn straight!!!" "I hear that" says another gentleman.
I finish filling out my paperwork and provide them with my power of attorney just in case something happens and I can't make decisions for myself. I recently updated this to include MTG just in case my parents aren't available to do this. After I leave the outpatient center I go to the doctors office to pay him his piece of the pie. Which I don't have a problem with, in fact I expected that. The girl there goes over everything I need to do Sunday night to get ready for the surgery. I thank her and start to head out. "Hey!!" she yells out. "Yeah?" I answer. "Wait let me validate your parking pass." I hand her the parking pass for her to stamp it. "Now you won't have to pay the parking garage fee." she says kindly. "Thanks a bunch." I say.
Surgery may be a bitch. But what's worse the the co-pays and lousy insurance coverage. BLUE CROSS BLUE SHEILD YOU SUCK!!!
Showing posts with label surgery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label surgery. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Blah, blah,blah
I look at MTG through the reflection in the 360 mirror that I'm standing in front of, she sits there drinking a jack and coke and eating M&M's. The tailor has his measuring tape out and is making sure the cut for my new bespoke dress shirt is just so. He has the template from the last time I ordered a dress shirt, but he makes necessary adjustments as its been a while. Pinning more cloth in here, loosening a little there.
The building that the men's clothing store is in is new. They used to be in an old section of the mall across the street, but they finally moved into their own building. I've been coming here for quite sometime now. I usually buy all my formal and work wear from here. Just about everything I buy is tailored and since I basically wear suits all week long I pay a higher price for quality, but I'm content in the knowledge that these clothes will last 5 times longer than anything I buy at retail stores. I like the new store, its wide and bright and opened. No longer stuffy and old like it was in the mall. The same people work here. There's rows of fabric on the far walls, and suits that are pre-made you can get hanging there too, or you can have then hand made which I prefer. They still sell pre-made clothes but their not brands you can find at regular department stores. Well maybe Neman Marcus or Dillards. They have a large sitting area now that you can wait in as the salesmen and tailors wait on you hand and foot. You sit there in front of a giant plasma telle drinking anything you can ask for. Soda, water, tea, coffee, latte, a nice scotch, whiskey, jack and coke. And its all free. Well...actually I suppose it's a little to spend on customers on drinks and snacks, when you're there your probably going to at least spend no less than $1,000 bucks.
I had to get a new white dress shirt, as I pretty much completely destroyed my last one. And I only had it for 3 months. Stupid me I left a piece of chewing gum in my front shirt pocket. I didn't want to take the whole package of gum with me so I just put a single piece in my pocket. But I forgot about it and then washed the shirt, and put it in the dryer. Well basically the washer chewed the gum for me in the pocket and the dryer cemented it into the fabric. In other words it ain't coming out. Now my once favorite white dress shirt is now worn by MTG around the house as rumpus wear. I mean really it just looks like a stain on the pocket but damn it when you spend $140 bucks on a shirt cut only for you it hurts when you realized that it's your fault you messed it up.
So here I stand arms up being re-measured. I figure since I'm here I might as well go the whole nine yards and get a couple of white shirts and a couple more in different colours. As well as a new suit. After we finish the measuring the tailor takes me to decide on the fabric. The white is easy, but the style of fabric takes some mulling over. However the other two shirts takes at least an hour for me to decide on, as I try to decide the colour, if it should be solid, striped, texture. I finally decide on one deep burgundy red, and one blue with thin yellow stripes. Then I have to decide the style of cuffs, the collar style, buttons. It's a long process. And that's just the shirts.
I have time to waste right now as my surgery isn't scheduled till Monday morning. Seeing as I have plenty of time off, I decided to get this done. Besides I know they'll be done before I even have to go back to work. Well the shirts will anyways.
MTG seems to really like this place. I wonder why? Me thinks the drinks and M&M's. I had to get out of the house as I was getting buggy from being in doors all day and since the weather is finally nice enough to go out and about in. I still kinda upset though that I have to wait till Monday for surgery. But I'd rather wait and have the same doctor who worked on me last time, work on me again. He is very good. But I must say the pain gets a little worse everyday. I have more tests I have to take tomorrow. How much blood do they need to analyze? My arm is going to be a giant purple lump from all the needles that have been going in it.
Oh well better safe then sorry. MTG helps me pick out a few ties, and I pay and we leave. I just spent a good amount of cash and it feels weird paying that amount and walking out with a small bag of ties and collar stays and handkerchiefs. Well by this time next week my shirts should be done. I just need to remember not to put gum in my pocket again. Stupid, stupid stupid.
The building that the men's clothing store is in is new. They used to be in an old section of the mall across the street, but they finally moved into their own building. I've been coming here for quite sometime now. I usually buy all my formal and work wear from here. Just about everything I buy is tailored and since I basically wear suits all week long I pay a higher price for quality, but I'm content in the knowledge that these clothes will last 5 times longer than anything I buy at retail stores. I like the new store, its wide and bright and opened. No longer stuffy and old like it was in the mall. The same people work here. There's rows of fabric on the far walls, and suits that are pre-made you can get hanging there too, or you can have then hand made which I prefer. They still sell pre-made clothes but their not brands you can find at regular department stores. Well maybe Neman Marcus or Dillards. They have a large sitting area now that you can wait in as the salesmen and tailors wait on you hand and foot. You sit there in front of a giant plasma telle drinking anything you can ask for. Soda, water, tea, coffee, latte, a nice scotch, whiskey, jack and coke. And its all free. Well...actually I suppose it's a little to spend on customers on drinks and snacks, when you're there your probably going to at least spend no less than $1,000 bucks.
I had to get a new white dress shirt, as I pretty much completely destroyed my last one. And I only had it for 3 months. Stupid me I left a piece of chewing gum in my front shirt pocket. I didn't want to take the whole package of gum with me so I just put a single piece in my pocket. But I forgot about it and then washed the shirt, and put it in the dryer. Well basically the washer chewed the gum for me in the pocket and the dryer cemented it into the fabric. In other words it ain't coming out. Now my once favorite white dress shirt is now worn by MTG around the house as rumpus wear. I mean really it just looks like a stain on the pocket but damn it when you spend $140 bucks on a shirt cut only for you it hurts when you realized that it's your fault you messed it up.
So here I stand arms up being re-measured. I figure since I'm here I might as well go the whole nine yards and get a couple of white shirts and a couple more in different colours. As well as a new suit. After we finish the measuring the tailor takes me to decide on the fabric. The white is easy, but the style of fabric takes some mulling over. However the other two shirts takes at least an hour for me to decide on, as I try to decide the colour, if it should be solid, striped, texture. I finally decide on one deep burgundy red, and one blue with thin yellow stripes. Then I have to decide the style of cuffs, the collar style, buttons. It's a long process. And that's just the shirts.
I have time to waste right now as my surgery isn't scheduled till Monday morning. Seeing as I have plenty of time off, I decided to get this done. Besides I know they'll be done before I even have to go back to work. Well the shirts will anyways.
MTG seems to really like this place. I wonder why? Me thinks the drinks and M&M's. I had to get out of the house as I was getting buggy from being in doors all day and since the weather is finally nice enough to go out and about in. I still kinda upset though that I have to wait till Monday for surgery. But I'd rather wait and have the same doctor who worked on me last time, work on me again. He is very good. But I must say the pain gets a little worse everyday. I have more tests I have to take tomorrow. How much blood do they need to analyze? My arm is going to be a giant purple lump from all the needles that have been going in it.
Oh well better safe then sorry. MTG helps me pick out a few ties, and I pay and we leave. I just spent a good amount of cash and it feels weird paying that amount and walking out with a small bag of ties and collar stays and handkerchiefs. Well by this time next week my shirts should be done. I just need to remember not to put gum in my pocket again. Stupid, stupid stupid.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Count-down to Infinite Crisis
So it's official. I'm having surgery. When? I'm not sure yet but probably this coming week. It all depends on when my surgeon can schedule me in at the hospital. Hopefully it'll be an in and out thing, unless they find some other major issue to have to split me completely open. But looking at my ultra-sound results he didn't seem to think that would be an issue.
So here I sit typing away looking at the clock. MTG isn't here tonight. I actually spent the last couple of nights at my parents house at the bequest of my parents. Although I had to come home today. I can only take watching so much TVLand with my father and then switching to CourtTV for Cops re-runs. And of course the 9 o'clock bedtime too. But still it's nice to have your parents doting on you. Well, not really but at least their there.
MTG has been doting on me though. But not today. Tomorrow her dad goes in to the hospital to have a stint put into his heart. This is the prelude to the open heart surgery he has yet to have scheduled. But it won't be that far away now. But I don't mind when its your parents you have to stay home to help.
However sitting here watching television. (I am actually watching the telle. I never watch the telle. OMG what utter crap is on. Honestly how can one watch these shows?) While spacing out on my pills, it occurs to me. I gave someone today the go ahead to cut me open and take parts of me out. Someone is literally going to put things inside of me. Do truly trust this person? Maybe? This doctor did to a great job of taking out my tumors a few years back. But a icky sinking feeling is coming over me, and I actually feel scared. Of what I'm not sure, but I do. This is a complete 360 from how I felt earlier today, when talking to the surgeon. Take it out? No problem, go ahead. Telling my dad ever so casually that I was going to have surgery. Telling MTG. But now, now I'm not so sure.
Not that I'm not going to go through with it. I am, knowing that I will feel so much better afterwards but still. Still there just that little inkling of uncertainty that creeps ever so slowing and softly on me.
I should get some rest now. I'll need it since I'll probably be in the waiting room with MTG all day tomorrow.
So here I sit typing away looking at the clock. MTG isn't here tonight. I actually spent the last couple of nights at my parents house at the bequest of my parents. Although I had to come home today. I can only take watching so much TVLand with my father and then switching to CourtTV for Cops re-runs. And of course the 9 o'clock bedtime too. But still it's nice to have your parents doting on you. Well, not really but at least their there.
MTG has been doting on me though. But not today. Tomorrow her dad goes in to the hospital to have a stint put into his heart. This is the prelude to the open heart surgery he has yet to have scheduled. But it won't be that far away now. But I don't mind when its your parents you have to stay home to help.
However sitting here watching television. (I am actually watching the telle. I never watch the telle. OMG what utter crap is on. Honestly how can one watch these shows?) While spacing out on my pills, it occurs to me. I gave someone today the go ahead to cut me open and take parts of me out. Someone is literally going to put things inside of me. Do truly trust this person? Maybe? This doctor did to a great job of taking out my tumors a few years back. But a icky sinking feeling is coming over me, and I actually feel scared. Of what I'm not sure, but I do. This is a complete 360 from how I felt earlier today, when talking to the surgeon. Take it out? No problem, go ahead. Telling my dad ever so casually that I was going to have surgery. Telling MTG. But now, now I'm not so sure.
Not that I'm not going to go through with it. I am, knowing that I will feel so much better afterwards but still. Still there just that little inkling of uncertainty that creeps ever so slowing and softly on me.
I should get some rest now. I'll need it since I'll probably be in the waiting room with MTG all day tomorrow.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Would you stop it, I'm not gonna die
Dad: Dammit!! I you're gonna have to have surgery. I know it, I know it.
Me: We don't know that yet. I'll know tomorrow after they take some tests. It doesn't hurt that bad anymore anyways.
Dad: No. You were in pain and I know now that you have to have surgery.
Me: Just be patient we'll see.
Dad: And you know what happens in surgery? People die that's what happens!!
Me: Well thanks for the encouraging thoughts dad. That's just what I wanted to hear.
Mum in the meantime is shaking her head at my fathers over-reacting. Hopping about with anxiety when I'm the one in pain. Oh did I mention that I might have to have surgery? If not then I probably am. But I'm hoping not, maybe they can fix me with pills or something. We shall see. I might have to have my gall-bladder taken out. Yikes. Blasted thing been bugging me for quite some time now. But we shall see.
Asides from my dad's freaking out MTG calls to check on my every 15 minutes or so. Are you alright? Do you need anything? I'm off in an hour, I'll be there soon. Do you have something to drink? Do you want a Sprite? A book? etc, etc. I tell her I'm fine but she worries herself silly over me.
Not really much to go over this weekend. I was pretty much out of it and slept almost the whole time. Although MTG scared the hell out of me on Saturday night. Apparently her folks had invited company over, and as it was late gave them her room and her sisters room to stay in. So imagine when MTG and sis got home there was someone sleeping in their beds. Needless to say they couldn't sleep on their couch as they were too lumpy. So in the middle of the night MTG and her sis come over to stay at my place. Seeing as I was sound asleep, imagine my surprise when rolling to the other side of my bed, I find someone there with me as well. Nearly falling out of my bed I finally realized it was MTG. Scared the crap out of me. Her sis was in the sofa bed downstairs. I was too out of it to notice. (The pain pills knocked me out)
The next morning I was thinking that MTG's dad was going to be pissed that they left in the middle of the night to come stay at my place. But this is not so as MTG tells me. Apparently now I am family at their house. Her parents (i.e.: Dad) going to sleep while I'm there, being able to go over whenever without them cleaning the entire house for company, and a few other things. Her mum and dad told her I am family know. Which I'm not quite sure what to make of it. So her dad blowing me off was his way of accepting me? Okay...yeah that makes sense. But I'll take it none the less.
Pretty much my weekend was me going out for a little bit to run errands and then coming home early and sleeping the pain away. Culminating in todays utter painful breakdown, which I finally left work early and went to the doctors, at my mums bequest. We went to a doctor she works with and he was nice. He gave me a quick once over and seeing as my mum had already diagnosed me schedule me for a series of tests and ultra-sounds tomorrow to check my gall-bladder. And I hate blood work. Ick!! I hate needles!!! Blaaahh!!! Tomorrow's going to suck goats I know it. However MTG has taken the day off to take me here and there, so that should be something. At least I'll have someone nice to smile oddly at while I try not to pass out from the needle pulling blood from my arm.
Curse you gall-bladder!!! Here I am eating right, exercising, being all around good to you and this is how you repay me. I know it's you gall-bladder, you broke my heart. If I'm good to you, you screw me, when I'm bad to you, you screw me. When I'm indifferent to you, you screw me. I cast thee out of thy body, you rotten excuse for a body part. You making me hate you only makes me more powerful, gives me focus. Ok I'm getting carried away there.
Hope you all had a better weekend then my crappy one. Here's to hoping I don't have to have surgery.
Salute!!
Me: We don't know that yet. I'll know tomorrow after they take some tests. It doesn't hurt that bad anymore anyways.
Dad: No. You were in pain and I know now that you have to have surgery.
Me: Just be patient we'll see.
Dad: And you know what happens in surgery? People die that's what happens!!
Me: Well thanks for the encouraging thoughts dad. That's just what I wanted to hear.
Mum in the meantime is shaking her head at my fathers over-reacting. Hopping about with anxiety when I'm the one in pain. Oh did I mention that I might have to have surgery? If not then I probably am. But I'm hoping not, maybe they can fix me with pills or something. We shall see. I might have to have my gall-bladder taken out. Yikes. Blasted thing been bugging me for quite some time now. But we shall see.
Asides from my dad's freaking out MTG calls to check on my every 15 minutes or so. Are you alright? Do you need anything? I'm off in an hour, I'll be there soon. Do you have something to drink? Do you want a Sprite? A book? etc, etc. I tell her I'm fine but she worries herself silly over me.
Not really much to go over this weekend. I was pretty much out of it and slept almost the whole time. Although MTG scared the hell out of me on Saturday night. Apparently her folks had invited company over, and as it was late gave them her room and her sisters room to stay in. So imagine when MTG and sis got home there was someone sleeping in their beds. Needless to say they couldn't sleep on their couch as they were too lumpy. So in the middle of the night MTG and her sis come over to stay at my place. Seeing as I was sound asleep, imagine my surprise when rolling to the other side of my bed, I find someone there with me as well. Nearly falling out of my bed I finally realized it was MTG. Scared the crap out of me. Her sis was in the sofa bed downstairs. I was too out of it to notice. (The pain pills knocked me out)
The next morning I was thinking that MTG's dad was going to be pissed that they left in the middle of the night to come stay at my place. But this is not so as MTG tells me. Apparently now I am family at their house. Her parents (i.e.: Dad) going to sleep while I'm there, being able to go over whenever without them cleaning the entire house for company, and a few other things. Her mum and dad told her I am family know. Which I'm not quite sure what to make of it. So her dad blowing me off was his way of accepting me? Okay...yeah that makes sense. But I'll take it none the less.
Pretty much my weekend was me going out for a little bit to run errands and then coming home early and sleeping the pain away. Culminating in todays utter painful breakdown, which I finally left work early and went to the doctors, at my mums bequest. We went to a doctor she works with and he was nice. He gave me a quick once over and seeing as my mum had already diagnosed me schedule me for a series of tests and ultra-sounds tomorrow to check my gall-bladder. And I hate blood work. Ick!! I hate needles!!! Blaaahh!!! Tomorrow's going to suck goats I know it. However MTG has taken the day off to take me here and there, so that should be something. At least I'll have someone nice to smile oddly at while I try not to pass out from the needle pulling blood from my arm.
Curse you gall-bladder!!! Here I am eating right, exercising, being all around good to you and this is how you repay me. I know it's you gall-bladder, you broke my heart. If I'm good to you, you screw me, when I'm bad to you, you screw me. When I'm indifferent to you, you screw me. I cast thee out of thy body, you rotten excuse for a body part. You making me hate you only makes me more powerful, gives me focus. Ok I'm getting carried away there.
Hope you all had a better weekend then my crappy one. Here's to hoping I don't have to have surgery.
Salute!!
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