My life is a constant struggle to try to get health care, pay bills and have enough money for food. We got our disability today and it was even less than I thought. I just got the first month’s utility bill….$69.94!!!!!! That’s with no heating or cooling…but the oxygen concentrator uses a lot of electricity. The most frustrating part of the bill was $38 for gas. That’s hot water. The hot water heater is in a closet OUTSIDE on the balcony 
It’s not weatherized. I got the apartment manager the paperwork to apply for weatherization. The owner has to do it for the whole building and then tenants must apply individually. Not sure how much to hope for that….
The neuro’s office still has not done the work for me to get IVIg or Cellcept. Today I made LOTS of phone calls back and forth to LOTS of places. To get my port flushed, the PCP had to fax the cancer center. That got OK’d! FINALLY!!! I get it done Friday. While on the phone I discovered that they will not do my IVIg there unless I first get an appointment with the center’s oncologist who only shows up twice a month. I have an appointment with him mid-month. The neuro’s nurse PROMISED to fax the script, notes, etc. to the oncologist.
I got the revised handicap plate paperwork back from the PCP. The explanation was um, uh, interesting. The doc claimed that she thought she was doing me a favor saying my disability was temporary so I’d get a placard and not a plate. They thought we had more than one vehicle since they always see me driving an RV. The application has boxes to check plate or placard. Temporary tags are NOT the same at all. They must have had to dig deep for that excuse 
I am getting oxygen from a company that is not getting paid. By law they cannot take away my supply until another company takes over. The other company requires a new script. To get the new script, I have to have a sleep study done. That requires yet another pre-auth that is being “worked on”. Meanwhile, the rental oxygen concentrator has popped something inside. The company giving me free service is not happy about driving a couple of hours here to fix it. Not sure when they plan to show up….if ever.
And…I’m back to being wicked bad sick. Even Rhett is allergic this time. We had high winds that are blowing about sand and pollen. I look and feel like hell. I can only breathe through my mouth and my throat HURTS, my ears HURT and one ear is still totally stuck so I can’t hear from that side.
I was talking to a neighbor today and smiled. My bottom lip cracked open Humidity was in the single digits last I looked. OUCH!
Of course I am dizzy and weak, as usual.
It’s the second day of the month and I have already spent the month’s worth of disabilty money. It looks like we are going to be continual beggars. I will need to go to as many food shelves as possible each month. I am wondering how other disabled couples in Arizona survive? I was in bed a few minutes ago, but woke up tossing and turning and worrying about what to do. Go back to crunching numbers and praying, I guess.
I keep hoping that getting an IVIg will get my body going back in the right direction. I’m soooooo tired of being sick and tired!
So now you find a temple/church group that works for you and the allergies kick in at home. AArrgggh! (This as I’m hugging my tissue box. Sons cats got me the other day. The price I pay for visiting grandkids for a few hours.)
Hope your apartment manager is ambitious enough to do the paper work for the hot water tank. Maybe there is an energy tax credit that goes along with it? Sometimes that $$ can help motivate.
I’m thinking you need a bumper sticker that says “Pass the Buck.” I’m wondering how much of this medical stuff is actually the official paper trail and how much is “I want to dump this on someone else.” Frustrating to listen to and I’m not doing the leg work. You will plow through this. You always do. It’s just no darn fun and saps the energy you do have.
Darn allergies! May we both feel better
The forecast is for 45 mph gusts later. That ought to be fun 
I’m going to growl for you. Frustrating.
) You have a beautiful grandson with loving parents. You have your religion. You have your supportive blog followers who wish they could solve all your problems, but can only offer kind words and prayers. You have a good heart and perseverance. It will eventually work out, but I know it’s just not fast enough and certainly not fair to drag you or anyone through all this. Have Rhett give you a hug for us <3. Sounds like that is the only reliable medicine you don't have to fight for.
Hoping maybe there is a tax credit to go with the weatherizing to help encourage completion.
Seriously wonder why the medical stuff is so screwed up. Passing the buck? Overworked and think you will “Go away” if they ignore you? Another sleep study – seriously? Can’t use the last results? Gee- I wonder why our medical is running in the red with unnecessary testing…..
On the up side ~ you are alive and kicking. You have a husband you love. (Well they drive you nuts sometimes too, but we love them all the same
I loved the nurse who flushed my port
We spent more time talking about the messed up health care system than it took her to flush away 
She says the pre-auths and poor follow-through are on purpose because about half of people give up and go away. That saves money. Truly survival of the peskiest! Sigh….
My posts are not showing up?
I went and looked in spam and found 3 folks languishing there. I wonder what’s up with WordPress?
Right there with you. Even with both hubby and I on disability we can’t get assistance because we make too much money. Catholic charities won’t help any more, they are cutting everyone down to 5 food bank visits per family. PERIOD. Here in Denver, a lot of food banks have closed due to lack of donations.
Hang in there hun, I’m praying for you
This recession thing is weird. MOST people still have their jobs and many people are still well-off. Wars and subsidies to corporations are going strong. The government only cries poor when it comes to taking care of the PEOPLE of the US.
Sad huh? So many countries with free healthcare anc we are the “greatest” country in the world? GREEDIEST maybe…
Just this minute was reading the AARP Bulletin. Great opinion piece saying that if the US bought 7 fewer F-35 fighter jets, out of the 2,443 ordered, every first grade student in America could have a free handheld computer. It was pointing out the stupidity of how money is spent and where corners are cut. If those kids don’t get good educations and make big bucks, old folks won’t be getting as much paid in to Social Security
My daughter-in-law lives in Mississippi, a hot area of the country in the summer, and so does a friend lives in Texas. They tell me that their power bills are $300+ a month for A/C in the summer. Do you know how expensive it will be to cool in the summer? Just a thought.
It was expensive to heat in the winter in NY and VT. If there is a “perfect place”, I haven’t found it yet. There are pros and cons everywhere. The trick is to find a place with more pros than cons. We have a tiny 2 room plus bathroom apartment. It should not cost too much to either heat or cool compared to a house. One of our plans is to camp higher and higher on the nearby 10,700 ft mountain as it gets too hot here in the valley. There are also municipal pools and nearby lakes.