Last week I had some of the most intense and tragic events in my life, EVER. And, that’s saying something. I think I was reeling in shock most of the week. Coupled with depression, some of it nearly fatal, and news that really knocked me over, it was not a great week, hence the title of my last blog, My week from hell.
Since then, I’ve felt like I’ve slowly been coming out of my fog. Literally as well as figuratively. Living with the long-term effects of Covid, I literally have had this fog for two years now. The last 2-3 days though it lifted enough that I’ve been working my butt off, getting work out that I’ve procrastinated on because I couldn’t concentrate. Except for a headache that has been there for about three months, I’m coping and able to ignore it. I have to wonder if the headache is from the brain mass. (Ya think?).
So, over the next few days (those of you not interested you may wish to ignore the next three dozen blogs about Spanish books) I’m releasing various books that I’ve been formatting, making the covers for, and editing (yeah, my Spanish isn’t great, but some things are universal, thank goodness for the basic Latin languages). I even signed a contract to do about half of them in Italian so I get to do all this AGAIN in about six months (I actually love doing that once it’s all figured out, making the covers, formatting the e-books).
Not only have I been working like mad (you do have to work while you have the time, the energy, and the fog has lifted) but…I’ve been in an extraordinary GOOD mood. I’m a fairly optimistic soul (even when the glass is half-empty, cracked, and leaking ~ Oh look, more room for alcohol (I rarely drink)) and I try to always find the silver lining. That silver has been tarnished of late and the blows kept coming, but I have to say the last few days were GREAT! As a good friend say, the REAL me IS inside there, Alive and Well. Well, it’s nice to see me again and it inspires me to work while I can because I honestly don’t know HOW LONG this will last. That’s what worries me, falling back into that abyss.
I’ve been trying to get in to get the three scans that the neuro-doctor ordered. The knee jerk reaction of all insurance companies is to refuse, because, you know…COST! The fact that people’s lives hang in the balance of their paper-pushing decisions really sucks. I get that there are doctors out there who order tests that not only are unnecessary, but expensive. However, some of these are necessary and waiting on them is part of the stress.
I got a phone call on Monday but because I am a night-owl, she called too early for me to get the call. She left a voicemail and talked so FAST I could NOT understand her. I had to listen to it 3x before I understood what she was saying, really! Then, about 7 minutes later another call came in, a computer calling me to say the same thing, that the coverage was denied but they added that I could appeal their decision by calling a number. When I woke up, I called within a half an hour, once I’d had time to process what I had heard. They told me they would allow the scans with contrast but not without contrast (oh joy, another IV in my arm). That was on Tuesday (because you know, worrying over the weekend was fun and all that, and it was a holiday weekend to boot). I called my doctor’s office immediately (try to get through THAT switchboard, wow) to let them know that the scans were approved and hopefully to schedule them. They hadn’t heard that.
I also called later on Tuesday (to several departments), again on Wednesday, and today on Thursday. Finally, today someone called me back and I kind of gave her hell for how rude it is not to return phone calls. Now, I realize I am NOT their ONLY patient, I even said that, but returning a call is important because MY HEALTH is important to ME. I have plans and they are put on hold as I contemplate my health issues. As of now, I’m STILL waiting for them to schedule the scans because they still don’t have word (that I got 3 days ago) that they are approved, WTH!
Ah well, watch for the many, many, many blogs coming through. I’ll try to keep them down to a minimum, but there are a lot of short-stories translated into Spanish that I’m putting out. One in Italian, and more on the way! Thanks for following my blog and check out my website.
K'Anne Meinel 