I’ve been meaning to keep better track of my health stuff. Now, a friend is trying to convince me to write a book about this disability insurance bullshit that I’ve been dealing with. I’d already been thinking about it, but I’m just not sure. Still, in case I do it, I should keep better track of things. So today I started noting the basics. Of course, this doesn’t include the huge amount of time I spent thinking about health-related stuff. And there was a lot more on today’s list that I didn’t get to. No, this is just a short list of a few basic things I did today.
For context, I should have received a decision about my disability insurance appeal two months ago. I figured that would give me plenty of time before the end of April, when I’d have to give notice to my landlord if I was going to move out of my apartment instead of renewing my lease. It was a nice idea, but the insurance company decided not to adhere to the deadline. So now it’s late April, and I was ignoring the letter from my landlord because I just didn’t know yet how to respond. If I move out, it will mean living with my parents.
Health stuff April 23, 2013
11:41 am – Received a call from the landlord’s realtor
11:43 – Spoke to T at landlord’s management office; She offered to either let me decide on the lease renewal by 5/15 or to extend the lease 1 month, which would mean paying another month’s rent but I’d have until the end of May to decide if I’m moving out
12:05 – Left voicemail for lawyer
12:42pm – Called health insurance company to find out about physical therapy benefits; after more than 8 minutes on hold I hung up and ate lunch
1:50pm – Called health insurance company to find out about physical therapy benefits; found out I need prior authorization for all visits after the intake visit and I can get this from the physical therapist or my doctor
2:23 – Called physical therapy office to make intake appointment but was told doctor order must be faxed over; even though it’s not needed for insurance, they require it themselves
2:26 – Called Dr. K’s office to get physical therapy order; they said they should have it done by tomorrow
Throughout the afternoon – sent over a dozen emails to friends and parents discussing whether I should extend my lease even though I don’t know the disability insurance decision yet
4pm – Called Dr. H (endocrinologist) to get thyroid test results. On phone for almost 8 minutes.
4:10 – Emailed Dr. S (naturopath) with test results from Dr. H
6:57pm – Spent 1 hr 27 min talking to parents about housing; should I extend my lease or move out sooner or do something else? No decision made, but covered everything and will think about it. Lucky to have such supportive parents!
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So that was my day. Except for the unusually long phone call at the end, it didn’t feel particularly unusual. I also needed to cancel a followup appointment, call for more test results, and make an appointment. In addition, I needed to resume making phone calls to try and find a new endo who takes my current health insurance. Maybe I’ll get to some of those things tomorrow. That will be in addition to following up on physical therapy and the thyroid test results and of course figuring out my housing issues.
Now, remember that this does not include my physical therapy exercises, time spent taking and tracking pills, rest, sleep, extra cooking time, research, or any of the other things I do for my health.
I am not writing this to complain. I am writing this to educate. People ask what I do with my days since I’m not working. Well, I may not be getting paid, but I sure as hell am working! Taking care of my health is more than a full time job, and I challenge anyone to try and disagree with me.
Ok, time to go research a new-to-me thyroid drug.
Chronic Rants 
Sounds as though taking care of your health is a full time job, no matter who would be doing it. I read a blog about someone whose mom quit work to take care of all the insurance etc that her daughter was too sick to deal with. It should be easier.
I agree, it should definitely be easier. Some of it will be difficult no matter what, but so many things could be simpler. For example, if I had online access to all of my medical records and lab results, that would be huge. I have online access for one doctor but not for the others. So these days, yes, it takes a ridiculous amount of time.