Thursday, May 9, 2013

UNBELIEVABLE....AND HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!


At the risk of sounding like a woman who does NOTHING but complain, you honestly would not believe the last couple of days I have had.  I am soo frustrated.  I will try and tell you just the highlights.  First, here is it Thursday afternoon, and I am JUST NOW finally finding out the result of mom's CT scan from last Friday.  And!!  only because I took the time to drive the disk by her primary care doc having completely given up on trying to get the information out of the neurology office.  He is the one who ordered this particular scan so of course I understood the information would go to him.  I have left numerous messages (and some of the last ones were kind of clipped by me) was transferred around, hung up on, (accidently, but still!) and generally blown off.  However, I then remembered today that the scan place had given me a copy of the scan on a CD (which at the time I wondered why ~ but figured if it was broken then I would probably need it for the orthopedic and this would save me a trip) so I decided I would just take it by the primary care docs and ask her to read it.  Bottom line? Mom has several fractures in her pelvis!  Now they are not displaced, so she doesn't think they will require any surgery or anything like that, but meanwhile now we will have to go see an orthopedic. My question is....IF I had not ruthlessly pursued this, would we have EVER found out the result?  My primary care doc called the scan place when she read the disk and they told her that they had called the neurologists office less than a half hour after we had left there and TOLD the doc on call.  Now this doc was not actually the doctor my mother saw, but so what!!  Still shocking that their office KNEW last Friday night that it was fractured in several places and never bothered to call and let us know, even with me calling several times every day trying to find out.....sigh.  THEN!! (on a completely separate issue)  Today I tried to get the new long acting seizure prescription filled (the neurologist had given me samples to try) as it has just been working WONDERFULLY.  We have been sooo thrilled with it.  However, we have found out that not only is there NO generic (which we figured as it is new) but the insurance company refuses to cover it as well.  And the price?  $437.00 a month!!  Soo of course I had to call back the neurologist office and get them to appeal it to the insurance co.  She called me back a half hour later and told me the insurance company refused.  Meanwhile, I called the primary care doc office back and they are going to try appealing the insurance company as she feels they didn't really try very hard.  I have also found a couple of things on-line that might reduce the price by at least a hundred dollars, and maybe a hundred and fifty.  It is all soo frustrating.  The only thing we can do is go back to what we were on (which did seem to allow an occasional seizure) or get him to try something else, which neither mom or I can even begin to bear, or just pay it and move along.  It will be hard, but I guess that is what we are going to do.  Sooo sad to be at the mercy of an insurance company who feels they can decide what's best.  I am reserving some hope that her primary care doctor will have more luck with the insurance company, and trust me I will be doing a lot of praying about it as well.

Sooo, how draining is all of that?  Meanwhile, what I really WANTED to post was very happy Mother's Day wishes to all of you mom's out there.  How grateful I am that I was blessed 4 times over with that role, and now have the added honor of being "grandma" to 9 wonderful grandchildren, with 2 more coming soon.  While I can't say that at times it is a very difficult role, it has brought me more joy, laughter, love and blessings than I could ever begin to elaborate on.  And my relationship with my own dear mom continues to this day to be one I cherish and treasure.  Truly my cup runneth over.  So enjoy your day mom's, grandma's, special aunts, big sisters, and all who have played this very important role.  And if you still have your own mom's, cherish your time with her, and make her day as special as you can!  Blessings to you all, Debbie

There have been 3 such cute pictures recently on Facebook of little Donatella that I just had to share them with you...what a little sweetie she is.  Her little face just tells the story of her adorable little personality....enjoy!


IS SHE JUST DARLING OR WHAT?  SHE'S GOT MANY WRAPPED AROUND HER LITTLE FINGER, THIS GRANDMA INCLUDED...

COULD BE A COPPERTONE BEACH BABY

GUESS WHO GOT HER OWN LIBRARY CARD?

9 comments:

  1. Very frustrating all the way around. I am glad that you have a good primary care doctor who is supportive. Continue to do your homework and get the best buy possible. For us that means good old Wally World. Thinking of you...keep looking up!

    That smile of your little grand brightens everything.

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  2. Bless you, Debbie. It's just madddening what we have to go through with insurance companies, and I wish I could say it will get better, but I fear the opposite is true. Hang in there and I pray for a full recovery for your mom.

    Happy Mother's Day to you! Love that adorable little girl. She is darling.

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  3. What a sweetie pie! She is so cute. I am just flabbergasted about the doctors and the run around they gave you. I know though when my mom was so sick and the things they did to her would just make you so sick.
    I can't understand why they didn't let you know about the fractures nor why the insurance company won't cover the medication. Is this the picture of what is to come?
    Well have a wonderful Mother's day with your lovely kids and grand kids.

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  4. It can be so frustrating dealing with the issues of older people and the medical profession. At one point I was considering becoming a patient advocate but I would hate to charge for that service. I'd probably do it for free. I have a few friends and of course my own family that I advise. The drug companies often have a form you can complete if your mom qualifies for some aid in getting this drug.

    In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day Debbie.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

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  5. Well, I'm telling you, if we don't take "the bull by the horn" when it comes to ours or our families health, it may not happen. I do hope you can get something worked out with the insurance. Bless your heart!

    I do hope you will have a wonderful Mother's Day!

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  6. That's just one of many reasons why I don't even like doctors anymore. So sorry.
    As for your granddaughter...what a beauty she is! And you can just tell she is a sweetheart.
    Happy Mother's Day, Debbie!

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  7. Oh, what a week you had! Hope the weekend is a peaceful happy one.

    Adorable photos of Donatella!

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  8. Goodness, what a nightmare! I hope you get it sorted and enjoy a peaceful Mother's Day weekend.

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  9. Your post about the doctor and the cost of the drug (which I'm so glad is working, btw but ARGH at the cost!!!) made me so tense just reading them. I know that's the kind of stuff we have to look forward to as we age. It's frustrating and to be honest really scary to me.

    Anyway...

    I was tense and irked with you, but when you showed the adorable pictures of your Donatella, I got lighthearted again. She is precious.

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!