Signs and Wonders

 

Still more uncertainty.

My oncologist's office called today. That's my chemotherapy oncologist. She wants to schedule a PETscan this week. My surgical oncologist had said that it was too soon since my last scan and that "if he were an insurance company, he'd deny it." I don't know how to take that. I don't know if he's saying he'd deny it because it's frivolous or he'd deny it solely out of keeping costs down. I know I'm going to need one sooner or later. Numerous ones.

So they want me to get another scan in before their contract with my insurance is done, which happens to be the 19th. I still have no idea if that means I'm done with Ironwood or not. I also don't know if they want me to have the scan because they feel it's important to have it under their care till the end, concern for my well-being and all, or if they want to get one more expensive insurance charge in before I'm no longer their patient. The equipment is in their facility, after all.

So now I don't know what to do. I really don't want more radiation if I can help it, especially if it's just to line someone else's wallet, but I don't want to pass up a scan because of penny-pinching either.

Hungry Hungry Hippocrates

I am forced to concur.
This is not my design, btw, I just Googled it.
It is for sale though.

I had three doctor's appointments scheduled today. One, with my otolaryngology oncological surgeon, another with my general practitioner, and finally the weekly physical therapist visit.

Except the physical therapist wasn't today. I forgot we're skipping a week now.

My family doctor was talkative. A lot. Said he wasn't confident he could get a speech therapist for me. It wasn't that he didn't think I would benefit from one, it was that he didn't think it would get approved. I talked to him a little about the problems I'm having with Ironwood and United. He knew a good bit about it. Then he went on to explain how a certain healthcare organization out here was bent on becoming the Kaiser Permanente of the Southwest and they were pitting health service groups - like Ironwood - against each other and pretty much using the insurance company as muscle. One of my Ironwood oncologists had suggested that I try to get Access to switch me to Mercy Care. I wasn't about to call them. I'm not even going to give them a reason to look my way, for fear they'll do something random.

My surgeon is the opposite, bizzaro version of my family doctor. He says almost nothing, and when he does, it's not clear what he means because his face is a blank. I can't tell if he's passive or pissed or asleep. He asks how you are and then just listens. No follow-up questions, really, he just moves on to the next thing. Looked in my mouth and the back of my throat and said everything looks good. Felt the nodes and such and said everything looked good. We talked about the upcoming PETscan and he said 2 months is too soon after the last one. He added, if he were an insurance company, he'd deny it. I'm not sure how to take that part. I can think of a few reasons, but only one that's bad for me. I don't want any more rads than I need, but I also don't want to skip a scan because it's beaucoup cash. In the end, I understand that I'm on welfare, so I'm not likely to be getting the best of care. Doesn't mean I gotta be happy with that, though I have to say, even though I have a lot of minor, daily complaints, I can't complain about the overall care I've gotten.

Side note: A few years ago it was pointed out that the true symbol
of Hippocrates and physicians was not the Caduceus but the Asclepius, which is
basically just a stick with a bent tip, not a bad-ass sceptre of winged power.
The world said no.

I don't have to see him again until April. I also found out that my surgeon doesn't take Mercy Care.

The Rumour of the Earth is Dim and Confused

"is that....cheering?"

Well, now I don't know what the hell to think.

I've just gotten back from my appointment with Dr. Szewczyck and I'm more confused than ever before. When I explained why I was seeing her 2 months earlier than I should be, she informed me that yes, they were still in negotiations and no, she doesn't know how it will play out, but she hopes it will be fine, but she isn't sure.

Basically what United Healthcare is doing, according to my doctor, is altering their contract to now require patients under 70 to pay 40% of the cost of their healthcare. I don't know anyone who can afford 40% of the $50,000 that a PET scan costs. Or 40% of a course of chemo or radiation. Patients over 70, you know, retirees on fixed income, will have to pay 20% of their healthcare costs. She said that what they want is to not only have Ironwood prescribe cheaper drugs, but also give less care. Of course that's not a realistic option.

So yeah, more reason to believe our healthcare system is screwed beyond repair. If insurance companies can't raise premiums they'll just cut services and prove yet again that healthcare is only for the wealthy.

The other issue for Ironwood, of course, is how can they just stop treating someone in the middle of chemotherapy or radiation treatments? So they're focus in negotiations is to keep at least these people under their care and get accommodations from UC over that. Being done with my treatments, I will not fall into this category.

Then I mentioned that I was under United Healthcare through Access and she got all optimistic and said that might change everything since it's welfare and not technically real insurance. She ran off to ask someone about it but came back without an answer. Apparently the person she talked to is swamped with calls about the very same issue.

Anyway, the gist of the meeting was that I'm "85% cured" and just need to keep following up. My bloodwork all looked good. We re-set my appt for the 3rd of Jan and hopefully we'll still be able to keep that date.

Not actual tire.
Or nail.

I was late for my appt. I walked out to a flat tire. I've had a slow leak for a few days but this is the first time it's gone flat. I used Kevin's compressor and filled it and rushed to Ironwood. On the way home I stopped at Walmart to get it patched.

Under what circumstances would it go from a simple patch to having to purchase a whole new tire? Yup, no patch. The nail or whatever is in the sidewall and therefore they can't patch it. I don't have $20 to my name, much less $80 so I told them to put the damn tire back on my car and drove home. Awesome.

Unintended Consequences

 Not the usual result of rising healthcare costs. I'm now forced to stop seeing two of the three doctors who've taken care of my treatment. The people who took care of my radiation and chemo treatments are no longer accepting United Healthcare, which is what my Access insurance is, and who have raised their rates enough that Ironwood dropped them. I had two appointments scheduled for just after the final cutoff date.

So now I have to find another Radiation Oncologist to replace Dr. Woo and another Chemotherapy Oncologist to replace Dr Szewczyk. Which pretty much sucks, though if I try to look at some sort of bright side, I guess it'll be like I'm getting a second opinion... no. It sucks.

Death Panels - Who Needs Em?

by the way

I solved the "nothing rhymes with 'orange'" thing.

Door hinge.

So there's that.

I don't have any news. Just here waiting. I did find these pictures buried in my email. I added some for a mini timeline.

This one is from the first day after surgery. May 13, I guess, but it could be the 12th.

The only sleep I got

Leavin the Pit of Despair

Radiation Graduation

 

Need more chin whiskers