Nibbs XXXIV (Page 81)

No kidding...I have been fortunate lately with my various doctors.  I have had some bad experiences in the past.  I have plenty of acquaintances who have had terrible experiences. 

My grandma died because of serious medical neglect (not that she wouldn't have died at some point).  All the Drs would give her for her gut pain and issues was over the counter relief.  It turns out that OTC drugs don't do much for cancer.  By the time they actually diagnosed the cancer she only had one very painful week left.  That was after multiple trips to ER with my grandpa adamantly insisting that there was actually something majorly wrong.  And he was the type who is beyond blunt.  He would ruin a persons day at the drop of a pin.

Brilliant. 

I will hope on your behalf as well.

That is just terrible beyond words. And doctors often don't take seniors seriously. Wow.

Abbie commented on my various meal names-which made me think 

Maybe I should adopt the Hobbit meal schedule:  

first breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper

I am totally a Hobbit eater. This should probably change.

I have heard horror stories about Kaiser, multiple times. I have heard two good accounts of experiences with Kaiser.

Maybe it's just as well I didn't get insured through them. It's not that their rates are that high, but Lord I'd be paying through the nose now, and they're like landlords--they want first and last month's rent, so you wind up having to pay a huge bill up front.

Medical insurance and health care isn't much fun to deal with-but is is necessary.  

You will always hear the terrible experiences, rarely the good ones.

I just(as in I hung up the phone and then started this post) made the first payment on a medical bill that was suppose to be covered.  Back in mid july, 2007, the company I work for screwed up insurance during the union negotiations.  They never did admit their mistake, but after 3 months of phone calls to company-being lied to(although I think a lot of the lies were just from ignorance-most of the people there are moronic) They agreed to pay the medical bills.  I sent them copies of the bills and the pharmaceutical payments I had made and they paid them.  throughout this entire process I failed to receive/make any decent documentation.  

Anyway, about 7 months ago Aetna noticed that they had payed some bills that they shouldn't have and reclaimed the money from the hospital.  I am now on first name terms with the gals in the billing department and have their phone # programed into my cell.  I could rely on their calls to arrive 3 times each week.  

I put off payments for a while and attempted to get my employers to take some responsibility...not gonna happen.  My options are a lawsuit against my employer or to pay the bills.  Because I have minimal documentation(none that the company paid the bills or admitted any sort of fault in the matter) a lawsuit would be a nightmare and the odds would be against me.  

So I am paying off the bills.  I already drained my savings accout last year(and borrowed money from a friend) and never was fully reimbursed.  I currently have about $200 in savings and money to pay rent, gas, and car insurance.  Food??? I will be doing some scrounging at my parents...gluten free, dairy free foods are stinkin' expensive.

And for the next eleven months I will be sending $45 that I don't really have to the hopital billing department.   

It could be worse...If my surgery bills had been processed a few weeks later I would be dealing with a $10,000+ Nightmare.

I do that kind of thing all the time, which is why I'm in tremendous debt. Slowly, slowly trying to pay it all off ...

I'm torn. I've scrimped and saved and made lots of trades and bargains for goods and services which have allowed me to have enough money to get a bike that fits. (I currently have a giant rusty cruiser, an '80s steel frame bike built for someone half a foot taller, and a gorgeous titanium tri bike which is too small. Have tried very hard to sell them but it is such a soft market right now).

Have also tried hard to find a bike that fits on Craigslist, but the pickin's are slim.

I put some of that money into IMKY. The rest I have enough to buy an entry-level road bike that fits. But I feel like I should put that money toward my debt even though it's a sinkhole.

On the other hand, I commute by bike (I don't drive at all). It's probably wise for me to own a bike that will get me from point A to point B in a reasonable manner, not to mention I'll need one for IMKY!

Debt is bad, but you need to take care of yourself.

If having that bike will go a long way towards making you happier, healthier, more content, whatever,  it could very well be worth the investment.  Sometimes a splurge here and there can make all the difference in your mental/emotional state.  Keep in mind...that is just my opinion.  I also don't know what kind of debt you are dealing with...the extent of my debt is less than $800 in medical bills-no credit card related debt.

Even so-I believe that taking care of yourself-physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually(and anything else that I have forgotten) is more important than money issues-big or small.

That is such beautiful advice.

Funny story here...miss Thing ran with me tonight cause she wans to do the 10K in March with Max and I (and I already paid her registration fee)

Half mile in..."How far?"  "Half a mile, C"  "Oh my Lord!"

  3/4 MILE  ..... "My knee hurts"  "Keep running, we're going down to Overridge then coming back up Greenbriar and back in Horseshoebend"  (proceeds to drop C)

1/4 mile from home coming in... "I fell in the ditch"  "How did you do that?"  "Missed the turn, twisted my ankle"

It's going to be a long 3 months training this child

Stay tuned for more tails from training the teen aged drama queen

Hi Nibbs!

ah........things I have experience in

I have edit button issues