Fracking HMO
So, I went to my Primary Care last Thursday on the 16th for a follow-up after my follow-up with the GI. One of the side effects of taking an overflow appointment for my GI referral since I didn't want to have to wait until August 6th for the soonest appointment with SouthWest Medical Associate's GI offices. (Don't ever, ever, EVER have any sort of GI problems in Vegas if you're on Health Plan of Nevada's HMO since there are a gazillion old people who all need routine colonoscopies who are on Senior Dimensions--HPN's plan for seniors--and the wait for a referral is just too stinking long.) Being clever--or, thinking I was, at least--I took my HIDA Scan results with me so my Primary Care could have a copy since it's faster for paperwork to move through my impatient hands than it is to wait for the GI's results to get back to my Primary Care. She gave me my referral for the surgery center and told me to start trying on Tuesday since it takes 3-5 business days for them to get it.
Tuesday: Nothing.
Wednesday: Nothing.
Thursday: Got caught up and distracted at work, forgot to call until I got home and they were closed, kicked myself repeatedly for that.
Friday: Still nothing; surgery center suggests I call my Primary Care's office to see what's up. I, however, am frightfully resourceful and know that I can access my referrals, recent lab results, and a slew of other goodies on the SWMA portal. Look up my referral: Sent, approved? Quoi? Call SWMA and ask (in more polite terms), WTF, mate? Get informed that Thursday, the surgery center sent a request for more information to my Primary Care, and to try again on Monday.
More information?! MORE INFORMATION?! Right. My HIDA Scan results showed an ejection fraction of nine percent! With normal being at LEAST 35%! I've done my research: Doctors get nervous and sugget cholecystectomy (laparoscopic gallbladder surgery/removal) for patients whose ef is 25%, and mine's less than half that! Do they seriously need the inconclusive ultrasound that showed I have a slightly enlarged liver and my gallbladder looked all shiny and pretty according to the ultrasound? And the blood work to show that my liver levels were normal? Helloooo!! This is crap that I had to go through so that I could get the referral to GI in the first place because the Primary Care couldn't order more thorough tests! Why the hell do they need it, so they can make sure that my GI wasn't crossing his eyes and playing Where's Waldo? when he looked at my test results?
The only GOOD that's come from this stupid little snag is that I got to see that non-alcoholic liver disease is off my medical record--which is absolutely fantastic since I'd really rather not have that pre-existing condition preventing my ability to insure myself should I ever finish a novel and become an author and quit my job with the state. (Hurry up with healthcare reform already!) Looks like my Primary Care is of the opinion that I am: My liver's probably only enlarged due to the backup in my gallbladder, which my liver currently empties its bile into, so without a conclusive biopsy that says "This woman has a fatty liver!", there's no need to clutter my medical record with a disqualifying pre-existing condition that hasn't been conclusively diagnosed.
Ugh.
On a brighter note, I found a house I want; now to just scope it out a little better, and see if my grandpa can help me jump on it if it turns out to be the right one for me. I think he'll help me get a house so that it's not bought before my settlement comes in...hope so, at least. Got a good vibe on this one so far, though: I like the neighborhood, it's got four bedrooms (which we'd prefer, since it gives us more room to grow into once we start getting ready to grow our family), two dens and a living room and a formal dining room and a nicely-sized back yard. And it's listed at $68.9k! I'm trying to not fall too in love with the house yet, though, since I haven't seen it...but, it's hard to not get a little excited, I'll be honest!
Anyway...here's to hoping that, come Monday, I'll be able to schedule my appointment with the surgery center, then be able to schedule the surgery, then be able to get this forsaken, broken-down, unfaithful organ out of me so I can stop hurting and stop having random sweats and stabs of pain and stop changing colors. At least I do change colors...when I go to my supervisor to leave early because I feel like crap, she never accuses me of faking it. But I'd rather be able to go hiking, to dance, to eat without fear (anything I eat, low-fat, high-fat, spicy, bland hurts, though spicy and rich seem to do an extra number on me), to walk though a store or mall and not worry about whether or not I'll wind up doubled over in pain because, despite not having eaten anything recently, my belly had decided to go psycho just for practice.
If they keep dragging their heels on this, I'll need to update my intermittent FMLA request--it's only good through September 10, right now. Because this crap should, in theory, be finished in the three months from my first GI appointment.
I did have it pointed out that this way, at least, I won't be post-op for the Lammas celebrations at the Sekhmet Temple, and since She heard me and let me lean on Her when I begged for strength during Beltane so that I wouldn't have an attack and ruin everyone else's fun, I figure this next Saturday event gives me a chance and bring Her some flowers in thanks. I just hope She doesn't mind my needing to lean on Her again.
Tuesday: Nothing.
Wednesday: Nothing.
Thursday: Got caught up and distracted at work, forgot to call until I got home and they were closed, kicked myself repeatedly for that.
Friday: Still nothing; surgery center suggests I call my Primary Care's office to see what's up. I, however, am frightfully resourceful and know that I can access my referrals, recent lab results, and a slew of other goodies on the SWMA portal. Look up my referral: Sent, approved? Quoi? Call SWMA and ask (in more polite terms), WTF, mate? Get informed that Thursday, the surgery center sent a request for more information to my Primary Care, and to try again on Monday.
More information?! MORE INFORMATION?! Right. My HIDA Scan results showed an ejection fraction of nine percent! With normal being at LEAST 35%! I've done my research: Doctors get nervous and sugget cholecystectomy (laparoscopic gallbladder surgery/removal) for patients whose ef is 25%, and mine's less than half that! Do they seriously need the inconclusive ultrasound that showed I have a slightly enlarged liver and my gallbladder looked all shiny and pretty according to the ultrasound? And the blood work to show that my liver levels were normal? Helloooo!! This is crap that I had to go through so that I could get the referral to GI in the first place because the Primary Care couldn't order more thorough tests! Why the hell do they need it, so they can make sure that my GI wasn't crossing his eyes and playing Where's Waldo? when he looked at my test results?
The only GOOD that's come from this stupid little snag is that I got to see that non-alcoholic liver disease is off my medical record--which is absolutely fantastic since I'd really rather not have that pre-existing condition preventing my ability to insure myself should I ever finish a novel and become an author and quit my job with the state. (Hurry up with healthcare reform already!) Looks like my Primary Care is of the opinion that I am: My liver's probably only enlarged due to the backup in my gallbladder, which my liver currently empties its bile into, so without a conclusive biopsy that says "This woman has a fatty liver!", there's no need to clutter my medical record with a disqualifying pre-existing condition that hasn't been conclusively diagnosed.
Ugh.
On a brighter note, I found a house I want; now to just scope it out a little better, and see if my grandpa can help me jump on it if it turns out to be the right one for me. I think he'll help me get a house so that it's not bought before my settlement comes in...hope so, at least. Got a good vibe on this one so far, though: I like the neighborhood, it's got four bedrooms (which we'd prefer, since it gives us more room to grow into once we start getting ready to grow our family), two dens and a living room and a formal dining room and a nicely-sized back yard. And it's listed at $68.9k! I'm trying to not fall too in love with the house yet, though, since I haven't seen it...but, it's hard to not get a little excited, I'll be honest!
Anyway...here's to hoping that, come Monday, I'll be able to schedule my appointment with the surgery center, then be able to schedule the surgery, then be able to get this forsaken, broken-down, unfaithful organ out of me so I can stop hurting and stop having random sweats and stabs of pain and stop changing colors. At least I do change colors...when I go to my supervisor to leave early because I feel like crap, she never accuses me of faking it. But I'd rather be able to go hiking, to dance, to eat without fear (anything I eat, low-fat, high-fat, spicy, bland hurts, though spicy and rich seem to do an extra number on me), to walk though a store or mall and not worry about whether or not I'll wind up doubled over in pain because, despite not having eaten anything recently, my belly had decided to go psycho just for practice.
If they keep dragging their heels on this, I'll need to update my intermittent FMLA request--it's only good through September 10, right now. Because this crap should, in theory, be finished in the three months from my first GI appointment.
I did have it pointed out that this way, at least, I won't be post-op for the Lammas celebrations at the Sekhmet Temple, and since She heard me and let me lean on Her when I begged for strength during Beltane so that I wouldn't have an attack and ruin everyone else's fun, I figure this next Saturday event gives me a chance and bring Her some flowers in thanks. I just hope She doesn't mind my needing to lean on Her again.