In this crazy SDS/Mito world we live in, we have so many opportunities to see God at work. Some things are small, others are big. Last night before we left for Easter Vigil, I overheard a conversation between Matthew and Joseph. Chris had played basketball for an hour or so with Joseph, so his wrist was really hurting. Matthew was asking him questions about the pain and trying to freak him out about the surgery (as any good big brother will do). Joseph calmly explained exactly what the doctor told us and used the same hand graphics the doctor did in explaining why he needed surgery. Matthew kept going on and on about how painful it was going to be... and Joseph started to worry about the pain. That's when he looked at me and asked, "Will it hurt forever?" This may seem small to you, but I think it was God giving me the right thing to say. I said, "When you broke your other arm, did it hurt forever? Do you still have pain?" Joseph replied, "No, it doesn't hurt any more." I said, "Think of the surgery like your broken arm. It's going to hurt, but once it heals you will no longer have pain." Why I didn't think of that on Tuesday when he was freaking out about what the doctor told us is beyond me. I have to assume God's timing in perfect-- He gave me the right words at the right time, when Joseph was ready to hear them.
Joseph seems to be accepting the fact that surgery is in his future. God is good and I am blessed to be a witness to His working in the boys' lives- Joseph has taught me so much- he's 15 and he has always been so good about offering his suffering up to Jesus. Before one particularly nasty/painful surgery, after we prayed, I reminded him of some people he could offer it up for and he said, "Oh, I was already offering it up for the souls in purgatory, but I can add them, too."
It's been quite a journey dealing with SDS and Mito the last 16 years. We've seen God working through it all. God is faithful. God is good. As we celebrate the Lord's resurrection today, we are thankful for all of His wonderful works-- the big and the small. He is risen, Alleluia!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
POTUS Insults Americans
Here we are, average Americans. POTUS sends his daughters vacationing all over while we struggle to figure out how to pay for 4 surgical procedures this year (S oral surgery -our cost $1,450, 2 bone marrow biopsies and a ulnar surgery for J). We just had to send almost $900 to government on top of the taxes we already paid and the government took most of my husband's bonus.
We are angry! The government rapes us and then we have to be insulted as they waste our money. Money that we could be using to pay for our children's medical bills. If you are not insulted, either you aren't paying taxes or you aren't paying attention.We are drowing in medical debt-- our premiums have increased $1,528.54 a year since Obamacare passed, our OOP Max has increased $3,000 and our deductibles have also increased. Costs have increased, too! We need to let them know where they can start the spending cuts.
The Obamas don't seem to be in touch with the American people. I called the White House today and left comments. You can call, too:
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
I also sent an email comment. If you'd like to email a comment to the WH, you can do it here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments
You can also write a letter:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
We are angry! The government rapes us and then we have to be insulted as they waste our money. Money that we could be using to pay for our children's medical bills. If you are not insulted, either you aren't paying taxes or you aren't paying attention.We are drowing in medical debt-- our premiums have increased $1,528.54 a year since Obamacare passed, our OOP Max has increased $3,000 and our deductibles have also increased. Costs have increased, too! We need to let them know where they can start the spending cuts.
The Obamas don't seem to be in touch with the American people. I called the White House today and left comments. You can call, too:
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
I also sent an email comment. If you'd like to email a comment to the WH, you can do it here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments
You can also write a letter:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Here We Go Again
Every. Single. Time. I am blown away. We saw the doctor yesterday and Js MRI was abnormal.
J has several congenital defects in his wrist that have caused damage-- and that's why the pain for over a year now. Flattening of the carpus and loss of normal carpal arc and some sort of chronic tendinosis and/or magic angle phenomenon. His ulna is longer than his radius and it has damaged other bones (ulnar abutment syndrome) - he says the flattening and the ulnar thing are congenital and degenerative. The damage cannot be reversed, but we can stop further damage with surgery- but we can't do surgery until the growth plates have closed - which should be soon. He talked about casting his arm until surgery to stop further damage (because damage cannot be reversed). There is also something wrong with the nerve-- but by this point my brain shut down - neurovascular compromise b/c of damage or some such thing. Any orthopedics in the house can explain further. On the plus side- J's pain is right above the congenital defect and damage, so the doc says it totally makes sense. The surgery involves shortening the ulna and placing plates and screws..... again..... I think he said plates and screws, but my brain was on overload at that point. He showed us everything on the MRI - like we know what we are looking at. HA!
I tremble because of what Obamacare has already done to our family....... if his growth plates don't close this year, will we have insurance next year? Offering it all up during this Holy Week. God is faithful.
J has several congenital defects in his wrist that have caused damage-- and that's why the pain for over a year now. Flattening of the carpus and loss of normal carpal arc and some sort of chronic tendinosis and/or magic angle phenomenon. His ulna is longer than his radius and it has damaged other bones (ulnar abutment syndrome) - he says the flattening and the ulnar thing are congenital and degenerative. The damage cannot be reversed, but we can stop further damage with surgery- but we can't do surgery until the growth plates have closed - which should be soon. He talked about casting his arm until surgery to stop further damage (because damage cannot be reversed). There is also something wrong with the nerve-- but by this point my brain shut down - neurovascular compromise b/c of damage or some such thing. Any orthopedics in the house can explain further. On the plus side- J's pain is right above the congenital defect and damage, so the doc says it totally makes sense. The surgery involves shortening the ulna and placing plates and screws..... again..... I think he said plates and screws, but my brain was on overload at that point. He showed us everything on the MRI - like we know what we are looking at. HA!
I tremble because of what Obamacare has already done to our family....... if his growth plates don't close this year, will we have insurance next year? Offering it all up during this Holy Week. God is faithful.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Day 84 Medical Expense Report
$5,599.38 Medical expenses paid with
check/flex/credit so far in 2013. **Only $2,129.48 goes toward our OOP
Max of $7,500. Amount still owed for 2012 medical: $1,116.10. Amount
still owed for 2013 medical (not including items not yet billed):
$1,286.20. Breakdown as follows:
Medical expenses Jan 1-Mar 25, 2013 (not including items not yet billed):
Prescription meds: $1,976.10
Prescriptions not covered by insurance: $139.94
Mito Cocktail prescribed OTC: $234.77
Paid on 2012 medical: $1,253.21
Urinary Catheters: $351.53
Dental: $1,152.00
Doctor Visits: $1,258.92
MRI: $133.17
Xray: $339.27
PT/OT: $25.57
Labs: $21.02
Obama sucks. Just sayin'
Medical expenses Jan 1-Mar 25, 2013 (not including items not yet billed):
Prescription meds: $1,976.10
Prescriptions not covered by insurance: $139.94
Mito Cocktail prescribed OTC: $234.77
Paid on 2012 medical: $1,253.21
Urinary Catheters: $351.53
Dental: $1,152.00
Doctor Visits: $1,258.92
MRI: $133.17
Xray: $339.27
PT/OT: $25.57
Labs: $21.02
Obama sucks. Just sayin'
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Kay Hagan Round Two
We met with Kay Hagan's Legislative Assistants today. They are as rude and condescending as Kay Hagan herself. They were late and wanted to leave early. Overall, they spent about twenty minutes with us, and would not have allowed us that amount of time had I not told the head assistant that he was listening to my friends' stories!
They didn't want to hear what we had to say. They didn't feel that government dictating what is and is not covered was government controlled healthcare. They didn't feel government mandating that Americans purchase "government approved " insurance was any sort of government control, either.
Karen smirked and rolled her eyes twice when I gave the HHS mandate as an example of how Obamacare allows the government to control our healthcare. The second time she rolled her eyes and smirked, I told her,"You are welcome to leave." The look on her face was utterly priceless. When Josh told me I didn't have the right to tell her to leave her own conference room, I came back with,"We own this building and we pay your salary. She shouldn't be smirking and rolling her eyes at me." He replied,"Uh-huh," in a very condescending manner.
When I finished, friend number two shared her story and that's when we were told they had another meeting at two! This, after arriving late to meet us. He wasn't going to allow my third friend to speak, but I told him, "You will listen to her story."We drove over 6 hours for this meeting and they have the audacity to cut our time short.
Kay Hagan's people really think that Obamacare increasing a life-saving medication's copay to $495 is Obamacare working and "making insurance cover medications". He really didn't make any sense. The four of us have decided that he is my crack pick of the day. He's smoking crack. He went in circles and it seems to us he was saying we should be glad it was covered at all. When I said we were happier when it was covered for a $131 copay before Obamacare and that $495 wasn't really coverage at all, he was speechless.Does anyone really think that a copay increasing 400% is Obamacare working to make coverage more affordable? If so, for whom?
I don't think Karen had ever been put in her place before. I think she was surprised that I wasn't going to allow her to belittle me and treat me in such a condescending manner. My friend reminded them that for each one of us there were hundreds, thousands and even millions of Americans who feel the same way we do and stand with us.She works for us and shouldn't be rude, condescending and roll her eyes at me!
The meeting ended abruptly after my friend's teenage daughter spoke. She wasn't given opportunity to complete her entire opinion. Josh stood up saying they had to leave and Karen followed suit. Really? We drive six hours and they rush us out the door?
We also overheard her office staff being rude to phone callers. Like we didn't already know that! Her staff has been rude an hung up on me before, too. Oddly enough, when I disagree with our Republican senator, his office staff has always been friendly!
They didn't want to hear what we had to say. They didn't feel that government dictating what is and is not covered was government controlled healthcare. They didn't feel government mandating that Americans purchase "government approved " insurance was any sort of government control, either.
Karen smirked and rolled her eyes twice when I gave the HHS mandate as an example of how Obamacare allows the government to control our healthcare. The second time she rolled her eyes and smirked, I told her,"You are welcome to leave." The look on her face was utterly priceless. When Josh told me I didn't have the right to tell her to leave her own conference room, I came back with,"We own this building and we pay your salary. She shouldn't be smirking and rolling her eyes at me." He replied,"Uh-huh," in a very condescending manner.
When I finished, friend number two shared her story and that's when we were told they had another meeting at two! This, after arriving late to meet us. He wasn't going to allow my third friend to speak, but I told him, "You will listen to her story."We drove over 6 hours for this meeting and they have the audacity to cut our time short.
Kay Hagan's people really think that Obamacare increasing a life-saving medication's copay to $495 is Obamacare working and "making insurance cover medications". He really didn't make any sense. The four of us have decided that he is my crack pick of the day. He's smoking crack. He went in circles and it seems to us he was saying we should be glad it was covered at all. When I said we were happier when it was covered for a $131 copay before Obamacare and that $495 wasn't really coverage at all, he was speechless.Does anyone really think that a copay increasing 400% is Obamacare working to make coverage more affordable? If so, for whom?
I don't think Karen had ever been put in her place before. I think she was surprised that I wasn't going to allow her to belittle me and treat me in such a condescending manner. My friend reminded them that for each one of us there were hundreds, thousands and even millions of Americans who feel the same way we do and stand with us.She works for us and shouldn't be rude, condescending and roll her eyes at me!
The meeting ended abruptly after my friend's teenage daughter spoke. She wasn't given opportunity to complete her entire opinion. Josh stood up saying they had to leave and Karen followed suit. Really? We drive six hours and they rush us out the door?
We also overheard her office staff being rude to phone callers. Like we didn't already know that! Her staff has been rude an hung up on me before, too. Oddly enough, when I disagree with our Republican senator, his office staff has always been friendly!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Medical Jan 1- Mar 15, 2013
Total medical billed/paid in 2013: $6,506.98.
Amount paid in Flex/check/credit: $5,342.72. Amount we still owe for
2012: $1,166.10. Amount we still owe for items billed (so far) in 2013:
$1,164.26.
Breakdown of 2013 medical from Jan1-March 15, 2013:
Prescription meds: $1,814.52
Prescriptions not covered by insurance: $139.94
Mito cocktail prescribed OTC not covered: $234.77
Paid on 2012 medical bills: $1,203.21
Urinary Catheters: $312.53
Doctor visits: $1,158.00
Dental: $1,146.00
MRI: $133.17
Xrays: $339.27
PT/OT: $25.57
Not yet billed:
Dr. O, J
Dr. H S
Dr. R J
Upcoming appointments/knowns:
Oral Surgery S: $1,450
urology J Apr
renal u/s J Apr
Hem/onc S&J June
GI S&J May
extra dental J: $233
Bone Marrow biopsies Aug
Dr. H S&J Aug
Immunology J Jul
Prescription meds at least another $4,500 min
Obama still sucks and Obamacare is crap.*only $1,968.54 of this goes toward our Out of pocket max for 2013 (of $7,500!)
Breakdown of 2013 medical from Jan1-March 15, 2013:
Prescription meds: $1,814.52
Prescriptions not covered by insurance: $139.94
Mito cocktail prescribed OTC not covered: $234.77
Paid on 2012 medical bills: $1,203.21
Urinary Catheters: $312.53
Doctor visits: $1,158.00
Dental: $1,146.00
MRI: $133.17
Xrays: $339.27
PT/OT: $25.57
Not yet billed:
Dr. O, J
Dr. H S
Dr. R J
Upcoming appointments/knowns:
Oral Surgery S: $1,450
urology J Apr
renal u/s J Apr
Hem/onc S&J June
GI S&J May
extra dental J: $233
Bone Marrow biopsies Aug
Dr. H S&J Aug
Immunology J Jul
Prescription meds at least another $4,500 min
Obama still sucks and Obamacare is crap.*only $1,968.54 of this goes toward our Out of pocket max for 2013 (of $7,500!)
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
$131 copay in 2009/2010 is $495 in 2013
I told you I'd post the invoice for the $495.03 copay when it arrived (we use mail order to save money) I am also sharing the photo with the copays from 2009-2012. This is a medication that protects my son's kidneys from damage!
2009: $131.75
2010: $131.75 (Obamacare passed)
2011: $281.47
2012: $343.35
2013: $495.03
Obamacare hurts families with sick lives one. Obamacare hurts sick kids. Obama still sucks.
2009: $131.75
2010: $131.75 (Obamacare passed)
2011: $281.47
2012: $343.35
2013: $495.03
Obamacare hurts families with sick lives one. Obamacare hurts sick kids. Obama still sucks.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Day 67 Medical Expense Update
Pay day comes and goes....we bring home less and have to pay out more in medical expenses. As of today, the number is $5,572.73.
$4,451.69 of out of pocket medical expenses billed for 2013 and $1, 121.04 paid on 2012's leftover medical bills. This doesn't include several appointments we have not received EOBs or bills for.
Obama still sucks. Paying that $495.03 copay this week really hurt. When the invoice comes with the meds in the mail, I'll be sure to post a picture. Obamacare hurts families like mine with sick kids. Families like mine who have insurance and good jobs. We qualify for ZERO assistance- zip, zilch. Not one government or drug program assists us. We don't want to ever rely on programs, but as Obamacare pushes medical expenses higher and higher, middle class families like ours will be crushed.
$4,451.69 of out of pocket medical expenses billed for 2013 and $1, 121.04 paid on 2012's leftover medical bills. This doesn't include several appointments we have not received EOBs or bills for.
Obama still sucks. Paying that $495.03 copay this week really hurt. When the invoice comes with the meds in the mail, I'll be sure to post a picture. Obamacare hurts families like mine with sick kids. Families like mine who have insurance and good jobs. We qualify for ZERO assistance- zip, zilch. Not one government or drug program assists us. We don't want to ever rely on programs, but as Obamacare pushes medical expenses higher and higher, middle class families like ours will be crushed.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Day 63 Medical Expense Update
Our total out of pocket this year is $4,773.42. $638.51 is what we paid on 2012 bills. We have not paid all of the 4K in medical bills-- we can't afford that. We are still waiting on 3 EOBs for appointments, so that number will be going up. We also have an appointment tomorrow and a pending MRI.
Our insurance company has already paid out $79,183.62 for medications alone. We've paid $1,747.59 in co-pays for those medications.
Day 63 of 2013 ....... our flex ran out on day 20 something thanks to Obama and his minions dropping the limit. Jerks.
Obama still sucks.
Our insurance company has already paid out $79,183.62 for medications alone. We've paid $1,747.59 in co-pays for those medications.
Day 63 of 2013 ....... our flex ran out on day 20 something thanks to Obama and his minions dropping the limit. Jerks.
Obama still sucks.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Planned Parenthood will Pay YOU and give you *FREE* Birth Control
Here in North Carolina, you can get *FREE* birth control and score a little extra cash. True story.
You may be eligible to participate in a birth control research study.
If you answered YES to all of these, you may qualify to participate in a research study.
Some participants in the study will receive free birth control for at least one year. ALL participants will be compensated financially for their time.
What's the study about? Planned Parenthood is working in partnership with FHI360 to examine how family planning methods may differ in terms of satisfaction and protection from unintended pregnancy.
Ask about the study when you come in. Additional or Immediate questions: bowproject@ppcentralnc.org
Birth Control Research Study
Planning on stopping in soon for birth control?
|
Are you: • a sexually active female? • coming to PPCNC to get birth control? • using a cell phone? • using email? • not pregnant? AND Do you have about 30 minutes of extra time? |
 |
Some participants in the study will receive free birth control for at least one year. ALL participants will be compensated financially for their time.
What's the study about? Planned Parenthood is working in partnership with FHI360 to examine how family planning methods may differ in terms of satisfaction and protection from unintended pregnancy.
Ask about the study when you come in. Additional or Immediate questions: bowproject@ppcentralnc.org