Author Archives: Regina Garvie

EOBs, allergies, and other fun things

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We got a bill from Children’s National with two charges on it, one for Belinda’s video six-month follow up after the POEM procedure and the other from the dilation procedure in DC on Nov. 5. Both should have been covered by insurance, that’s why we continued to pay the big COBRA bill for November to keep her insurance going. Ben sent an email to his former HR rep who looked into it and then said that it looked like the EOB was not on the first one (explanation of benefits, if I’m remembering right) and the second one was still processing. Okay. She asked us to let the hospital know about the need for the EOB on the first claim.

So I emailed the thoratic surgery department. Those emails are generally answered by an absolutely lovely lady who always helps us with whatever we’re dealing with for Belinda. This lady gave me a contact with the billing department at the hospital but also said that she was going to ask the providers to waive the first fee completely. So if that happens, that’s nice for the insurance carrier! If they can’t waive it I’m supposed to get in touch with the person at billing.

The other one we will wait longer on to see what insurance does with it. I don’t like having the bills hanging out like that, but that’s what we have to work with.

My other new struggle is getting her an appointment with the allergist. The internist she saw in December wanted her to get that done and there’s another appointment with the internist in March, so it really needs to get going. But because she is in Tulsa and doesn’t usually refer to OKC, she wanted us to decide who to go to. On the EDS facebook group for Oklahoma, several talked about Dr. U.G., and that’s who we asked for. And then a month goes by. So I contact the internist office again and they say they called it in but he isn’t accepting new patients. Ugh. So I go on the fb page again and find another person and they call in that referral. But when I call that allergist, turns out they don’t take Belinda’s insurance. Okay. So I get back on the fb group, and someone on there is recommending Dr. U.G. and saying they went there just a few days before for their first appointment. What? So I called their office and yes, they are accepting new patients. So I get the contact information for Dr. U.G. and then I ask the internist to do the referral to him.

What I think happened is that Dr. U.G. used to be at a different clinic, and maybe that’s the one they found that said they weren’t accepting new patients. So I waited to get the call. No call.

Earlier this week I called Dr. U.G.’s office and left a message for a call back asking if they had received the referral, but no one has called me back.

I guess I’ll try again today. I just don’t feel like it. But I know I must.

Wedding bells

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Bennett and Mia were married today. It’s my parents’ sixty-first anniversary as well. The photographer took a nice picture of Mom with the couple today, with the cake topper from her wedding on the serving table.

My family has changed so much in the last few years. I am thankful that God is helping me handle all the change and how I’m feeling peaceful most of the time.

Just a few years ago all my children were single and at home with us. Ben had a job he’d held for years. Belinda didn’t have achalasia or EDS or MCAS…at least not that we knew of. Jerry was alive and he and Mom lived comfortably in Blanchard.

I’m thankful for the changes and the opportunity to learn and grow, and hopefully reflect Christ more every day. I am truly blessed.

Spring semester begins

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Today is the first day of the second semester of Belinda’s senior year. Hard to believe! She received her honor roll cords for her graduation today. Now she will have those and also her cord from Girls’ State.

Her spring semester of concurrent enrollment at NWOSU started today, and he went to her private math tutoring as well. Tomorrow she’ll start the last semester of homeschool co-op.

I guess I’d better start the Senior Sunday posts now on the social media. I’ve been putting it off (and I guess I feel a little guilty that I didn’t do it with the other two, but I don’t think that was as much of a thing then).

The editor at the Tuttle Times wrote a really nice article about Belinda and the achalasia for this week’s paper. I appreciate his work on that so much! Since her disease is invisible, it is good to let people know sort of what she is going through. She appears to be so super healthy.

Thankful

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I am so thankful today!

I thought I didn’t have insurance any more, but yesterday I discovered I am still covered through the 12th. So I was able to keep some appointments next week and I got another two moved so they will be next week too. I also saw my regular doctor yesterday. She was so great and ordered all the labs I would have needed. She also offered to send more prescriptions to the pharmacy, but I am actually doing okay there. I got several 90 day prescriptions filled near the end of November. Yesterday I picked up three prescriptions, and today I was able to get enough cgm supplies to last me two months. That feels good!

Belinda is doing well. She is enrolled for her last year of concurrent enrollment, and she is taking geography, non-western civilizations, and Spanish. Those classes start on Jan. 13. I got the books ordered today and found the geography book on Amazon for about $50 – the ones at the school bookstore were $225!! The other ones were a better deal at the school bookstore. Her homeschool chemistry classes also start up on the 13th, and her last semester of homeschool co-op starts on the 14th. We are in the last stretch! I still need to get her senior photos set up (we had to cancel the earlier ones because she didn’t feel well). I also need to start thinking about announcements, crazy!

Ben R and Lenora are doing great. She was so glad to be done with college and they’re planning to move back to our town this summer when their lease is finished. Bennett and Mia have been working hard getting their future home ready. The wedding is Jan. 25. The showers are on the 11th and 12th and I got my gifts ordered and gifts for Mom to give them ordered.

Right now everyone is in this house and they have been here for the whole holiday season and I am very happy about that.

And I am also VERY VERY THANKFUL for the holes in my walls! See, like two years ago we had our house rewired and they had to make some holes in the drywall and Ben said he would fix them himself to save us money. But he didn’t get around to it, which I understand, because it’s a big undertaking. But I asked him to fix one hole, the one in the stairs, for me for Christmas. With that done, I could at least repaint the stairwell and the hall, since it was the only hole. So he did that. And then the next night, he did another. And the next night, another. And they’ve just kept going. Right now he is in the dining room, getting the wall shored up better to stand against the cold north wind before the storm comes in tonight. This is wonderful because he has been very down on himself about not getting a job yet. It’s really been hard on him. But now he is singing praise songs and fixing the wall!

This is wonderful and a great testimony because I know I’ve talked about how I am trying to follow the wisdom of Merlin Carouthers and thank God for everything, even if it’s something I perceive as “bad.” So at first when Ben didn’t fix the holes, I was bothered. But after a while, I started thanking God for the holes. It didn’t sound genuine at first but I kept at it, praising Him for it even. The truth is, we don’t know what God has planned. But He does. God knew way back then that these holes would prove to be something that could lift Ben out of his funk and give him a sense of purpose and completion. He is accomplishing something very great for his family, and I believe it is helping him realize that he is fully capable, and that he can do whatever he sets his mind to.

I do believe he will get the perfect job at the perfect time. God knows. And so I keep thanking God for this job loss, and I know that everything will work out for good.

I am so blessed!

EDS ~ POTS ~ MCAS

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Today we went to the Ehlers-Danlos specialist in Tulsa. She was WONDERFUL and really listened to us. She agreed with the diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), and also added Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). She said Belinda also has Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) but it doesn’t seem to be giving Belinda much trouble at this time. She prescribed an antihistamine, which should help with some reactions Belinda has been having due to the MCAS.

We will go back in four months. In the meantime, she wants Belinda to see an allergist.

It’s a lot, and a ton to learn about. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be affecting Belinda too much. I just want to be on top of it for possible future issues.

Here’s a website with some info: The Trifecta: EDS, MCAS, & POTS

Oh, the doctor also said that while the EDS didn’t cause the achalasia, it was very possible that the achalasia was able to develope because she was at a higher risk due to the EDS.

We also went to the Oklahoma Aquarium today, and the Sapulpa Christmas Chute, since we were in the Tulsa area anyway.

Health insurance

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So Belinda still has Soonercare, but because Ben finally got the unemployment benefits, we have too much income for he and I to be on Soonercare. It’s a strange feeling, not having health insurance. I already checked with Insure Oklahoma and healthcare.gov, and those premiums are not attainable.

I guess I will look into emergency coverage, so we are covered if something terrible happens. I have enough prescriptions for about a month. And then…I guess I won’t take those any more. I don’t know. I don’t know.

If Ben is still unemployed in the middle of March, the unemployment benefits will run out and we can get on Soonercare again.

I’m glad Belinda still has coverage.

I am taking her to the Ehlers-Danlos specialist tomorrow. I cancelled my appointment but hers is still on. I am planning to take her to the aquarium that morning in Jenks, and so one nice thing about losing coverage for me is that with my cancelled appointment, we will get to spend an extra half hour or so at the aquarium.

I am so tired.

Good-bye and good news

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Today Belinda went to the dentist for her cleaning. This was her last time at the pediatric dentist. We would have stayed there for longer, but the dentist who ran it for so long is moving on to something else, and also they don’t take Soonercare. But it did work out.

I discovered this weekend that there is a continuity of care period, where new Soonercare people can see their old providers for 90 days, even if they aren’t in network, and it will be covered. That was very good news. I spent two hours on the phone this morning, confirming that and finding out what to do. The dentist’s office didn’t want to file it, so I got a receipt and the new dentist insurance (Liberty Dental) is sending me a form. I can send back the form and receipt and they will reimburse me.

It’s hard to believe that we won’t be going to Dr. Brackett’s office anymore. He was such a great dentist to all three children for so many years. He was truly a blessing in our lives.

Then tonight we went to her senior class meeting, and she was elected president of the class! She was really, really happy but didn’t make a big deal of it until we were in the car. In addition to her other duties, she’ll give a speech at graduation.

We go to the EDS doctor a week from tomorrow.

Unemployment

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Ben’s unemployment went through last night! That is going to be a real help during this time. It still doesn’t raise our family’s income over 185% of the poverty level, so we will still be able to continue with the Soonercare coverage. I will need to contact them next week and get this update into their system.

Another great thing I found online today – As a child under 19, now that she is on Soonercare, she will be able to stay on it for a while, even after Ben gets a job. It’s called 12 Months Continuous Eligibility, and I don’t know if that means 12 months from Jan 1, or 12 months from when she started, or 12 months after we have the life change of our income increasing over the limit. Whichever it is, that’s a great relief with her health issues.

I also discovered last night that there is something called Continuity of Care that says new people on Soonercare have like 90 days to transition away from their current out of network doctors. I’m going to call Monday and find out more, but if it means what it sounds like it means, Belinda will be able to see her pediatric dentist and pediatrician for a few more months (neither take Soonercare). She is so close to aging out of those doctors anyway, but it would be really nice if she could stay with them for now. And hopefully Ben’s back in business by then and she wouldn’t have to transition out at all until she ages out for reals.

Agent and auto and assistance

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I just got off a zoom call with my agent and that was good. It was nice to just talk to her and feel like a writer for a little while. She’s having a hard go of it right now with her life, just like me, and we caught each other up a little on that and then discussed my books. She’s going to reread the young adult novel I sent to her, and she’s going to send several of my books out again in January.

When we were done I called our insurance agent because of that accident Belinda was in back in October. I asked for their advice, since I could not afford to help in any way with the other person’s car – and that’s still assuming she was at fault.

So they told me to go ahead and file a claim. The deductible is $500, which is less than what he was wanting, but I also don’t have $500, of course. They said that they will write a check for the amount of the damage minus the $500, and if I can get someone to fix it for the amount they give us, I can do that. So maybe I will get lucky on that. It will be nice to fix the car, since it was in pristine condition before this, since it was my mom’s. Our insurance will go up, they said. But I’ve already paid the insurance for December, so this is future Regina’s problem. And surely he will have a job by then! Or something!

The assistance part of my title is that I went to a food pantry today. I’m a good stockpiler so we have canned food, but we didn’t have much perishable food. They were so nice and it was so hard. When the lady at the church showed me the bread table and told me to take all I wanted, I started to cry. They also gave me a small amount of milk and orange juice, plus two pounds of ground beef and a package of hot dogs, along with some boxed and canned things. I tried not to take very much. I felt guilty, like I was taking from people in more need than me. But it really will help us.

It was a husband and wife team that ran the food pantry, and they knew Belinda because the husband leads our American Legion, and they’re the ones who sent Belinda to Girl’s State. They told me to tell her hi.