We've been going through this doctor switch for a few weeks now. Quick recap: her PCP literally gave up on her, so we tried switching to someone new for an interim, but he wouldn't even see her, so we had to go back to the worthless doctor to ask for prescriptions, and now the insurance company told Mom that her liver meds aren't covered in the new year.
I can't decide if I'm shocked or not that the doctor we tried to switch to wouldn't see Mom. On the one hand, she's complicated and we did read a review on this particular doctor which said he did this before. On the other hand, I'm almost certain it's illegal and I know it's morally repugnant. He came in to the room, said he was sorry that he can't help her and to go back to our old doctor. I told him we *can't* go back to her old doctor as he refuses to treat her. He said he doesn't have time for all her medical problems and to go back to her old doctor anyway. In the meantime, Mom needs meds that have run out, and no doctor is writing prescriptions. Frankly, all this makes me glad I go to a free clinic. (Which, BTW, the doc that refused service to Mom has a low-income clinic, and yes, his office is mid-ghetto.) We have a switch set up for January 1st to another new doctor, but he has good reviews and I'm hoping he will at least keep her stable until we find another doctor willing to take her on. The one I prefer is willing to, but Mom doesn't want to drive 27 miles to see her. I think it's worth it, and may be our only shot at someone who will help her and actually care how she feels.
After this blog, I'll be calling the insurance company...again...The instructions they gave me to look up the drug formulary for 2013 were not quite right. I couldn't find anything like what they were describing on their website, so I'm going to call and see if they can't walk me through it. They're very nice on the phone and try to be helpful, but they get confused easily. Which ought to say something about insurance policies - if they confuse their own employees, how are patients supposed to understand their rights and limitations?
On the bright side, we have about a month's worth of caregiving left in the fund for now. A gift from family, the last few shows (not much profit, but it's something, and I used the iPhone that was gifted to me with the card reader for the first time!) and the few t-shirts I've sold thus far give us enough to hold out until about the second week of January before we're out. I'm hoping to sell more things before then. I have a few orders to complete before Christmas, so that will help get us another few days.
On the less-than-bright side, I'm so headed for burnout. Mom's incessant babbling - about nothing...I could go with it if her conversations had a point, but they don't...they're just words strung together, sometimes without a topic or even nouns - and her constant forgetfulness, the constant need for *something*, the lack of a half-dozen of me.....there's just too much to do and it's getting to me in a big way. I need respite, and I don't know where to get it. I contacted someone who might be able to help find me something. Hopefully I'll hear back. At this point, I'm jumping every time she opens her door (she refuses to let me WD40 the hinges that squeak so loudly) because I know she's going to come out and irritate me or ask for something I can't give her or insult me six times over. Generally, she's putting me in a fowl mood and I'm wanting to run to Mexico. I guess that's my barometer; if I feel the need to run to Mexico, it means I need respite.
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