We’re Baaaaaaaaaack!

Actually we have been back for nearly a week but we’ve all been so sick since getting home I didn’t have the energy to drag myself to the computer. We all seem much healthier and pretty much back to normal, or at least our normal.


By normal I mean the reality of Max has hit hard. For the last eight years the start of a new year always means I am all consumed with the countless tasks of managing this business known as “parenting a chronically ill child”, i.e., the medical insurance bureaucracy. A new year always means new authorizations for every aspect of Max’s care. I have been spending my time getting United Healthcare’s pontifical blessing for all of Max’s meds, supplies, therapies, the 67 different specialists he needs to see…etc., etc., etc. And once I do or don’t get that blessing I then get to call Max’s secondary insurance for their blessing which basically means I have to start my whole spiel from scratch. This year I considered writing myself a script, sort of what they use in call centers, and taping it so as to play it back to the dozens of customer service reps, RN caseworkers, and pharmacy techs I have to speak to during this whole infuriating process. However, I quickly realized that this would take half the fun out of the cat and mouse game of explaining over and over again that all I’m asking is that they renew the previous year's authorizations, many of which are for services that have been in place for years. This year the most important lesson I have learned is that we officially have the CRAPPIEST insurance ever! I knew this was coming but the reality of it has been like driving into a brick wall at 100 miles an hour. Until now we have always had great insurance (wow, I can’t believe I just said that!) but this year it seems we have joined the rank and file at the lowest rung of the insurance ladder. Our new plan requires even greater managing skills as I have to be able to account for every dollar we spend and then pray to God that we have enough left in our account in case anyone other than Max gets sick. Although I know we are better off than the 47 million uninsured Americans it certainly didn’t feel that way last week when I really had to debate whether or not to bring Ellie to the doctor because I wasn’t sure it would be covered! Ugh, why can't it ever be easy?


Now that we’ve settled in and I have most of Max’s local medical care squared away it’s time for me to get moving on the planning phase of our next trip. Nothing quite as exciting as Europe but Baltimore is calling and so we must answer. I hear Maryland is beautiful in March…


Thanks for checking in and have a great week all!