Still Waiting

Well, I put in all the information for my new pump to Animas last week. After playing phone tag back and forth with the pump rep we finally got a few thing hammered out. It seems that although my current insurance company didn't pay for my original insulin pump AND my coverage says that it's covered as long as I pay the deductible and 20% of the total cost - they are still being hesitant to completely approve it.

I had to fax them 30 days of blood sugar logs (do you know how annoying that is? I HATE, and I mean HATE - absolutely Detest logging, I could barely keep it up while I was pregnant). Animas called me back later to "confirm" that my current pump is malfunctioning - before the insurance company would approve it. - it is, it's definitely falling apart. I should post pictures of my poor sad pump, maybe I will try to tomorrow.

So, as of last Wednesday all we were waiting on was the prescription from my doctor and final insurance company approval before they could finalize the whole thing. Gr. That's about all I have to say about that. It's really irritating to me. I can be a very patient person, but I would really like my new pump now. My current pump is falling apart, I question how much longer it will last me in its present state. Also, I HATE - absolutely HATE the infusion sets I'm being forced to use through my prescription plan.

I think they are a huge cause of why I've been able to get sick so easily these days. These infusion sets fail so much faster than my old ones. They are about 20 inches too long, so they get caught on EVERYTHING. I have found holes in my tubing more times than I can count with this brand. All in all I am beyond fed up. - Why is this part of getting a new pump? Well, once I meet my deductible I can get the infusion sets that I like (or that I KNOW will actually work) via the Durable Medical Equipment clause and end up paying just a couple bucks more than the prescription plan.

Kenny and I've both decided it's worth the couple extra dollars to not constantly have failed infusion set sites.

So, I'm sick of waiting now. I've been "good" and not plagued Animas with phone calls just to see where we're at in the process, but I think I might tomorrow. Heehee.

In the mean time, I'm alive and well. My little episode last week didn't linger on past Thursday. I've been catching up on my house work and errands that got seriously set back from my 2 days down and out cold.

Rylee has had a major growth spurt and is seriously taller than most of the children her age that we regularly see. I wish she'd quit growing. I miss my little infant child.

Aaaaand to finish this all off - Kenny goes back to school in a month! It's going to be an epic year, that's for sure!

Recap:

Okay, I'm more of a sane person again, so I thought an update and recap would be appropriate right about now. Haha!
Starting 5 months ago I thought it would be a good idea to get some more supplies ordered on my new insurance plan through Kenny's work. I had a huge back up of my Insulin, Infusion Sets, Cartridges and Test Strips.
It had been many months since I ordered more, I figured it was about time to get going on that. I had no idea how this new insurance would work out for my prescriptions other than that it was supposed to be about $50 for 3 months of mail ordered supplies. We had only been on that insurance for 6ish months and I, at the time, was in no hurry to learn the ropes.

We confirmed that my Inset Infusion Sets were covered with my insurance plan. I spoke to my doctors office, had them call in the appropriate prescriptions to CVS. Simple enough, right? Well, I thought it was.

When I checked my order online a week later to see where it was in the process I realized that they were sending me the wrong one of 2 possible types. Figuring it was my doctors fault for calling in the wrong ones I called CVS, canceled it, asked my doctor to put through the right one.

A couple weeks later I got a letter stating that the most recent order of Infusion sets was canceled because they were not covered under my plan. ::sigh:: Oh well. I'll just call them and see what's up.

I was told that they are covered. I order them. Again a few weeks later I'm told they are not covered and the order is canceled. Repeat several more times over the course of a few months because it takes them a couple weeks to "process" each prescription then tell me it's not coming.

Then we come to January. I finally get a 4 way conference call going on and between everyone we finally figure out what exactly is covered by my insurance company, what I can order and what the exact code I need to give whoever I talk to next time I have issues.

Called my doctors office, yet again, had them send over that exact order to CVS. Who then took a full week to process the prescription, and I told them I needed it expedited because they had screwed around with me for so long. CVS also screwed up and instead of Over-nighting these Infusion Sets to me (after we informed them I need urgently) they shipped the package, not 2day, or 3day but UPS Ground. From Florida to Washington. Suffice to say, I was upset.

THEN: (Oh yes, there is more) I get a call: they sent me the wrong ones.

How could this happen? I was out of Infusion Sets. I was already back to shots for a couple days which was causing me problems. I wanted my Infusion Sets. I needed my Infusion Sets. I need to be on my Insulin Pump. Life is so much better when I'm on an insulin pump with a little munchkin to chase after. Yes, there is tubing that she could accidentally rip out, but that's not so bad compared to actually feeling good and up to taking care of her.

I sat down and cried after that call. Kenny got on the phone after he was already an hour out of town. He pulled over on the side of the road and spent an hour on the phone doing battle for me. He got them to expedite the processing and overnight the RIGHT prescriptions. I had to wait an extra day because my doctor wasn't in the office that particular day. At least I was still going to get the right prescriptions by Thursday.

....or so I thought.

Thursday came, I waited around all day for that box of prescriptions to get here, it finally came...

...they were the wrong ones. Seriously. The ones that were supposed to be the "right ones" because they sent me the "wrong ones" turned out to still be the "wrong ones."

I, once again, wound up waiting around ALL.DAY. on Friday to get that original package that took nearly 2 weeks to get here. It came and those were the right ones!

The funny thing is that when I went to put one in today I realized that the tubing is nearly as long as I am tall! I was supposed to get the 23" tubing not the 43" tubing. I'm 5 feet tall, I don't need that extra crap to get in my way or for Rylee to play with (although she is very good about leaving it alone). Oh well, I can deal with that because at least I'll get my insulin delivered to me properly.5 months of insanity. Mostly finished. I'm sure I will run into problems next time I go to order because I'll need to make sure I get the right tubing, so I'll allow myself an extra month to let them screw up. I can sleep better now. No more major breakdowns. Much better, much happier. Now back to a more normal kind of life, hopefully without all this drama!

Won't it stop already!?

I'm SO frustrated I could cry.

I've posted back and forth about my battles with our stupid ::insert expletive here:: insurance company. I was so fed up with them in November that I said "screw it!!!" and didn't order because they were once again telling me that they will NOT cover the Infusion Sets that I needed (after they told me they did...).

Of course that was the wrong response because I knew I was running very low on my back up supplies (down to my last box) and I'd be lucky to make them last through January - but I did.

Tonight I checked online to see what the status of the order I FINALLY got put through on Friday after a 4 way conference call with 3 different divisions of the Caremark prescription company and myself. I NEED those to ship out because, like I said, I only had one left. I found that the order had **3** different items in it! What the heck!? I only wanted my INFUSION SETS! NOTHING ELSE. I don't want to get charged $150 for crap I didn't order!!

How many people does it take to get the freaking order RIGHT!? It's been 5 months now!!!! 5 Months of dealing with stupid incompetent idiots who can't figure out something SO SIMPLE!

I'm so frustrated I could cry.

I called them and got it taken care of, or... ...I hope I did. Of course they can figure out how to screw it up again. They always do and I wouldn't put it past them. That put me over the top, though.

I've got a raging gum infection. I've needed SERIOUS dental work done since last May but we couldn't pay for it at all. Now our dental plan/coverage changed this year so all the work (root canals, crowns...) is 100% covered. I just have to wait 3 more weeks. This DANG infection is causing havoc with my Blood Sugars. I've seen above 400 mg/dl more times today than I will admit. My most recent reading was that blasted "HI." I want to curse every time I see that, except, I do my best not to.

It's not a nice friendly meter saying "HI! I'm glad you came to check in with me!" Its cruel and sadistic. "HI! Your blood sugar is somewhere over the rainbow at 600+ something, and you probably should take some insulin for that and get it back down to something I can read."

I'm so frustrated I could cry.

I used my last Infusion Set tonight. In faith that my new ones would come to me sooner than I expect.

I've had my Insulin Pump running at +50% all day and it hasn't made a dent in my blood sugars. I just want to eat normal meals! I've got it running at +80% now to see if that'll make the necessary dent I need. Combined with the changed Infusion Set. I'm sure the last one was bad. I've been using them much longer than I should just so I could stretch them out this long.

I'm so frustrated I should cry. I want to cry. I won't cry. It won't help with my blood sugars.

I'm going to go pee for the gazillionth time today and go to bed.

I was RIGHT!!!

So, I have had an AWFUL time with the insurance company lately.

In SEPTEMBER I tried to order my prescriptions for the first time since switching insurances. When I was checking my prescription account at Caremark I realized that they were trying to ship all the prescriptions to me at once (which is a HUGE bill!). They didn't call me to ask what ones I wanted filled or to even let me know they were being shipped.

I just asked for my prescriptions to be transferred to the pharmacy, that was it.

Anyway, I was looking at the prescriptions they were trying to ship me and realized they were trying to ship me the wrong Infusion Sets.

Fast forward 3 weeks later I have been trying to call and figure out how to get the RIGHT ones for the last 3 weeks. I had been told that the Prescription Plan did NOT cover the infusion sets but the Insurance Plan did under Durable Medical Equipment - and back and forth I went with Representative to Representative. Being told one thing then a contradicting one.

I finally called Animas up and they were SO very helpful. Told me that they were in fact covered under DME (Durable Medical Equipment). Silly me didn't ask them to check on the prescription plan. I called BACK to Caremark (the Prescription Plan) and asked them WHY they had been in the process of shipping me Infusion Sets when they were not covered.

Evidently that was the right question AND I finally got a hold of the right person. I did make sure this time to explain everything very slowly, articulately and phrased in a very specific way so no mistake in what I was saying could be made. He told me that the proper Infusion Sets were actually covered! He apologized over and over for his Colleagues and their lack of knowledge about their profession. It was nice finally getting a competent person to talk to!

So, I was right. I knew they would be covered being as I was going to get Infusion Sets in the first place, although they were the wrong ones, there should have been no reason to deny Infusions sets made by the exact same company - just a different type!

I wish people would actually care about their jobs enough to learn about the things they are supposed to help people with! Especially in the medical world!

I'm beyond thrilled now, I would have had to meet a Deductible for the DME supplies - which would have hurt pretty bad.

Next step: Getting the right Prescription Written from my Doctor that wrote it wrong in the first place!!!

My poor pump :(

The warranty on my Beloved Insulin pump is up this November. It's hard to believe that it's been 4 years since I got hooked up to the very thing that I swore I wouldn't ever wear.

I've had my ups and downs with it for sure. Times where I went back to MDI (Multiple Daily Injections) then back to the pump, then back to MDI.... Fact of the matter is, though, I have much better control with my Insulin Pump.

In the beginning of April 2008 I decided to go back on my pump after almost a year off it. Little did I know that at the end of that month I would find out I was expecting our little Rylee. Talk about great timing. I was able to get my awful A1c down in the 8's, then 7's then 6's for the rest of my pregnancy. Ending with the most fantastic number I have ever seen at a lovely 5.4.

My pump and I are buddies. Sleeping together, eating together, swimming together, having a baby together. The only time we are apart are the few minutes I get in the shower every day, even then it's only a couple feet. I have gone through many a pump. I'm not sure how many times I have had to have it replaced. I am not ginger with my little buddy. He understands, though, he's apart of my rough and tumble life. Which has, incidentally, gotten more rough and tumble with our munchkin around always keeping me on my toes.

I am a little distraught about the warranty going out. S

ee, when I first got it 4 years ago, it was completely paid for on the insurance plan. Since then I got married and life has changed drastically - so has our insurance - which now says we have to pay 20% of the cost after meeting our deductible. It's a little stressful to be certain. I could meet the deductible fairly easily with my prescriptions, but then there is the 20%.

I know, there are usually payment plans. Kenny and I are desperately trying to get out of debt, though and REALLY don't want to add something else. We just got rid of something, and would really not like to put one back on.

Also, I recently decided that I would really really like to get the Dexcom CGMS. Another 20% copay for that, though. Unless Animas comes out with the integrated CGMS by the time I get enough money fund raised to get my new pump. That would be fantastically unbelievable. For now, though, it looks like we'll be trying to cover the copay with our tax return and try and pay more of a debt off and help pay things for Kenny's schooling.

:::SIGH::: Decisions, Decisions! Can I just have my warranty for a little while longer? Please? I'm a little unnerved about going for a few months without one. I'm excited for a new pump, though. I'm geeky and love new gadgets! Here's to a new life-saving gadget hopefully sooner rather than later!

In other news:

My daughter is totally cute and I really like her now favorite toy:

Tired

Excuse me while I go on a quick little medical rant....

I am thankful, I really am, that I "only" have Diabetes. I am thankful that it isn't something worse. I am thankful that it isn't more expensive. I'm REALLY thankful I have insurance.

But, Dang! It IS expensive!

I hate choosing between clothes for Rylee or Myself and Insulin or Pump Sites. I hate that Kenny gets to spend his play money on games and the like - and I have to sometimes choose to spend my play money on my drugs simply because it just has to work out that way.

I appreciate that he works and provides for us and that I can get these things to keep me alive. I don't want Kenny to feel like he is punished for my stupid disease by not being able to have a few things that keep him happy. The last thing I want is for him to resent me being diabetic. I know he won't, I just don't want to even have it be an issue.

I hate that when I DO order my supplies the incompetent pharmacist can't realize that I NEED these drugs to stay alive and so does not ship them out that day AND does not call when they have a shipping/billing issue!

I hate that my pump is going to be out of warranty in a couple weeks and we don't have the money to pay 20% of the copay for a new one!

I hate that wanting to stay in better control to live a better life (and in turn save us and hospitals and insurance companies lots of money!) insurance companies don't want to pay a little out of their pockets now to ensure they won't have to pay out their butts later!

Sometimes I don't want to think about any of this so don't take care of myself too much. If I'm not paying attention to me I'm costing us less money right now. ...but it's not good for anyone.
I'm not getting any younger, my body will not continue to be as resilient as it has been in the past.

I was in the best health while I was pregnant - because my baby's life and health was on the line. If only I could keep up the endless fight against my own body. Dang it, though, I'm tired of it!

I've got major dental issues these days - which in turn cause blood sugar issues which then cause those dental issues to not get any better which can then cause my immune system to not work properly leaving me more vulnerable to colds and whatever else may be floating around this time of year.

I'm just tired of fighting against myself. Fighting against the idiots that get into health care because it's a good money maker but don't really know what their doing. Fighting against insurance companies. I'm tired.