Is insurance getting even shittier?

Is it me, or has insurance been getting even shittier lately? Yesterday I went to pick up Mr C’s prescription and they wouldn’t cover it because a generic was available over the counter. Yeah, a generic at half the dose for $22. So almost $50 a month. They wanted $80 for the prescription generic. Thankfully GoodRX had my back and got it down to $12.

I was also picking up some of my monthly drug haul and noticed one of them was unusually high. I asked about it and he said insurance wouldn’t cover it from that pharmacy. Apparently they cover it, but only if I order it through CVS Caremark. WTF? You can dictate my pharmacy now? I have a lot of good reasons I won’t be switching to CVS even for just that one. Thankfully, thyroid hormones aren’t too pricey anyway.

Whats with insurance being such bullshit? Am I the only one noticing them reigning it in on what they cover? Since when can they cover one pharmacy but not another? Not even “in network” or “out of network” but just this one mail order service only? Can you even trust the mail with your required-for-life prescriptions? You know how long it took me to get the last pair of pants I ordered? And then there’s the running late days or the days they just don’t deliver it and claim your driveway was blocked. Plus it’s like 100 degrees (F) outside, so more in the trucks — that can’t be good for prescription medicine.

WTF?

Sleeveless

So today was a bit of a milestone. It was the first time I have ever worn a sleeveless shirt to work.

I’m still not thrilled with my arms. However, I’m no longer downright ashamed of them. I was a bit anxious about it when I decided what to wear last night, but I didn’t second guess my choice to go sleeveless all day. I felt like I looked quite spiffy even.

And though I’ve gained a bit, so my stomach is certainly not close to flat, it doesn’t bulge out anymore. So I feel confident to walk straight and tall with my shoulders back. I’m showing off the boobs I paid for — rather than pushing out my stomach further.

I’m very anxious and nit picky about the surgeries I’ve had. None of them came out with the expected results. I’m most happy with the tummy tuck. However, my anxiety just riddles me with the fact that I’ve gained weight and “ruined it.” Yet, I’m so much more confident walking around without my stomach poking out. It’s the surgery I’m happiest with. Next would be the boobs. They’re lopsided, but I went from nothing to a lot of something. So I can’t complain too hard. Mr C loves them too! The arms I’d say I’m the least happy with the outcome. I still have huge, fat arms. However, these arms are a million times better than what I had before! It’s just a shame I never kept any of the unflattering pictures.

I’m very happy I went through this process and these surgeries. Are my parts as wonderful as I’d hoped? No. Did I trade up on all of them? Hell fucking yes. Worth it.

Some Things 6/12

1) Two days ago, I decided to start working out again. My legs are jellofied again. I am not approved to work out chest yet, but I can work out my lower body. So I did 3 minutes (about 50) squats and 4 minutes of knee tucks on the floor. My legs have not forgiven me yet. They be hurting. Sitting down, getting up. They be hurting. My ass hurts too.

2) Boobie Party is next weekend! It snuck on up on me. Do I have to get rid of all the weeds around the pool now? Ugh. I’m not sure if I’m gonna do it after work one evening or just say fuck it.

3) I finally bought some clothes that fit my new boobs! I got a shirt from Lane Bryant that’s their “Fit and Flare” — holy shit. It looks so good, I ordered two more (different styles, same cut). I also got a dress I can wear braless. Never could have worn that before! Now if Torrid would just ship those capris I ordered last week…

4) A thought for the road:

Seroma… but POOL

So I just realized I never updated. I did, in fact, go to the surgeon last week to have my seroma aspirated. So I do have a seroma (AKA a collection of fluid under the surface of your skin). I waited over an hour in a hot room wearing paper and sweating through it to see the surgeon. He poked around with his fingers and said yeah there was fluid, but there wasn’t a good place for him to aspirate or put the syringe. He said my swelling is coming down and it should absorb eventually with time.

It’s uncomfortable in that I can feel it there. When I stand super straight it feels tight and like I have a big ol’ ball of something there. But it’s not noticeable to other people. And it’s a million times better than having the drain — because I can get in the POOL!

Yep. I waited until it was good and closed before getting in. I’m also getting in my own private pool which I know is extremely clean water and actually over-chlorinated. Were it a public pool, I’d wait longer. But this weekend we had two pool days!

K2 came over Saturday for a super fun Sorted Food live viewing with pool breaks in between. We love Sorted Food on Youtube. So I got us tickets to watch the live streams of their making 3 videos Saturday. It was, quite honestly, funnier than we even expected. And in between episode recordings, we got to hop in the pool. Sunday K had planned to come over but it’s supposed to storm all week, so we thought it would be a wash.

Even Sunday morning I was a bit discouraged that the pool had dropped 3 degrees. But K came over anyway. It turned out to be absolutely perfect. There was the occasional cloud, but super sunny and perfect water for floating around in an eggplant float or swim ring. So it was shorter than we’d like because of schedules, but it was the perfect pool day. Yay!

Oh, and I don’t notice that the implants float anymore than I floated before. In case you were wondering. I was wondering if they would. My breasts aren’t particularly loose or large, so I guess no improved buoyancy. I did point out my spiffy cleavage to my husband but he wasn’t particularly impressed. Only because I had to pad my bathing suits previously. I had to pad them all. So I usually used TWO cup size pads in my bathing suits which made me look much larger in the chest than I was. I threw all my cup pads away last weekend when I tossed my old bras! Woot!

Fucking Morons

So I follow some plastic surgery groups. I started just before my surgeries to get the scoop and stay because I’m not healed up 100% and I can offer help to others. But my god, some of these people — they’re just fucking morons. Like unbelievably so. Don’t believe me? Here’s a 100% real post:

So… yesterday: they cut you in half, cut off a big chunk, then sewed the halves back together. 24 hours later and you’re hurting. Is this normal? Oh and they took your abdominal muscles tugged them around all the way up to your breast bone and sewed them together like a cheap voodoo doll. But aw, you hurt?

BOO FUCKING HOO, YOU MOTHER FUCKING IDIOT.

Jesus.

This is why I hate people. They’re just morons and/or selfish jerks. If you have a problem with the fact that I’m declaring the majority of the human race to be dumb fucks, you’re probably one of them. Congratulations.

If you’ve ever heard me say that you or I or we can do this because people dumber than we or I have done it — this is what I’m talking about. If this bitch can get and survive plastic surgery, by god you can too.

I really do believe I have a high pain tolerance, but maybe it’s less that that. Maybe, I’m just not stupid.

Pool Season!

The pool is open! And it’s the PERFECT temperature: 82 degrees. But I can’t get in yet! I need to wait at least a week after the drain removal. Damn it.

I can’t even sit and enjoy it because the weeds around the pool stress me out. I can’t weed-eat because I’ve got drainage building up that i might have to have aspirated. So I can’t be “too active.”

BLAH! I still haven’t decided what to do about work.

Hair Loss

So I’ve been balding for a good — well, over a decade. I think it started with thyroid and just kinda never stopped. Plenty of doctors have mentioned it to me. It’s obvious I’m balding. But, I mean, what can I do about it? It sucks. I choose not to ponder on it. It’s embarrassing. When I was in the car accident and had a huge knot on my forehead, even the ER doctor asked if I had seen anyone about my balding. Seriously? We have other problems here.

When it first started, I did think we could fix the problem. However, my doctor said it look like female pattern baldness. Well, fuck. In men, at least you expect some men go bald — but in women it’s especially embarrassing. So I just ignore it. I stopped dying my hair and getting cute hair cuts. I just wear it back in a clip. It is what it is. However, after so many doctors mentioned it, I was finally like fine! Refer me to the the dermatologist. I’ve never been to one and could use a skin checkout anyway. That came today.

First, because insurance and doctor greed, we couldn’t discuss my balding AND my skin. They have to be separate appointments because lord knows the doctors got to get his money. Can they just be back-to-back appointments? Nope, insurance don’t play that game. Pick one. So I went with the hair since that’s what initially inspired this visit.

His diagnosis, classic female pattern baldness. With PCOS for funnsies. I’ve known I had PCOS so no biggie. I was surprised to hear that he’d suggest I treat it with my regular doctor and metformin. My regular doctor did do a ultrasound a few years ago when I asked, but I didn’t have cysts on my ovaries so he decided I didn’t have it. Well, I knew I did, just didn’t care case I don’t want kids anyway. This doctor was like yeah, you have it. Not everyone has cysts, it’s a cluster of symptoms. So that’s interesting. I will pursue this later.

He decided to prescribe some medications. Propecia and Rogain. But, Mrs C, you can’t take Propecia — that’s only for men! Well, apparently it’s only for men because it causes wicked birth defects. But Mrs C can’t have no babies. When doc found out I already had my tubes removed he was like oh man, a whole new world of options just opened up. He even warned me that the pharmacist would probably give me a lot of shit and not to let it scare me. He warned me about the depression possibilities and confirmed that I see my psychiatrist regularly and am well controlled. No babies, so no birth defects. Can cause lowered sex drive — but I’m already on 3 antidepressants that do that. So Mr C and I have worked out the no sex drive thing pretty well. (Yes, we have plenty of sex, don’t worry).

Then he tossed on Rogain for more hair growth. Unfortunately, this might cause unwanted hair growth in other places — so were gonna try a low dose and see how it goes. I already have to shave my face because of the PCOS, so if it makes that worse, we can stop it. However, the propecia should actually help the facial hair thing so maybe they’ll cancel each other out.

So cool. Apparently, I should not have waited a decade. Treating early is the best results. But he does think I can get some hair growth. Wouldn’t that be cool? I’d love to not have bald spots. I don’t think I’ll get there but it’s nice to think it’s a possibility. I won’t see any results for 3 months and nothing close to full results for at least 6 months. And to keep any results you have to stay on the medication permanently. But I’ll give it a shot. Imagine if I got my hair back. I’d get highlights and a cute moppy haircut.

Some Things 5/8

1) How do people walk around using cracked phones? Friday I cracked the gorilla glass protector on my phone and it’s driving me insane. I ordered a new glass cover that will be here tomorrow but good lord it’s driving me crazy. How do yall put up with this shit? I’ve seen people using cracked phones for weeks. Fuck that, I’d be upgrading LOL

2) How do people with nipple piercings hide them? Since my breast lift, I’ve had a problem with pointy nipples. I sought help on the internet. How do you hide your pointy nipples? A lot of people use these silicone pasties, but I don’t want anything with adhesive since it gives me reactions sometimes. Someone suggested cotton balls – but like, really? I saw some makeup cotton pads in Ks guest bathroom and think I might try those. Turns out the only people who replied with nipple piercings just show them off loud and proud. Interesting.

3) I’ve been watching Sorted Food for the past few weeks/months. It’s a youtube food channel (linky). They’re doing a live viewing on the May 21st and K2’s gonna come over and we’re gonna make a day of watching them live record videos. Maybe with some pool intermissions.

4) For the love of God. I’m seeing the surgeon on Tuesday about removing my damn surgical drain. So great, right? Only today it has been draining DOUBLE. fuck you, drain! Are you kidding me? My pools gonna be open this week and I can’t even pretend to get in. And It’s not like I can just get in when the drains gone. The big hole has to heal up before I can get in. I’m going to a Memorial Day pool party with my family at my sister’s. She lets her dog swim in her pool. That shit has got to be healed solid before then! UGH. I’m honestly considering fudging the numbers.

5) Well, Mother’s Day. It hasn’t been so bad. I’ve tried to just ignore it. I sent my mother-in-law some live succulents earlier in the week so I took care of that. But I didn’t wish her a happy mother’s day today. Kinda on purpose. It just feels wrong. I wanna cancel this holiday forever.

I did plant some things in honor of mom. I put fresh sun ferns on the front porch. I planted the planter on the back stoop. It would look gorgeous if it wasn’t against the backdrop of 4 foot weeds sprouting through the pool rocks. I wonder if my boobs can handle a little weed eating? I’ll ask the doctor Tuesday.

Awww. So close.

So my surgical drain has been 40cc’s give or take 5cc’s for a week. I’m 7 weeks post op tomorrow. So I called to see how long it was going to have to stay in before they call it on time like they did last time. The nurse remembered my case (winning) and that yeah, we just removed them because of time left in. So she said she’d talk to the surgeon and maybe we could get it out today or tomorrow. SWEET.

But alas, no. They called back super late and said the surgeon could see me next week. Yeah — another WEEK. And we’ll see about taking it out then. Lame. But hey they last ones came out at 9 weeks and next week will be 8 weeks …so… progress?

Some Things 5/2

1) It’s so hard to tell the difference between “I’m balding and I like naps” and hypothyroidism. Like yeah, OK, I guess you could describe me as “tired, lethargic, and losing hair.” I’m literally balding, and lazy though. So like, I don’t know. Give me more thyroid hormones. Sure, I’ll come back and let you test me again in a month. Why not?

2) Tomorrow, I have a skype interview for a configuration management (CM) position. It’s with the same company. They just really need a CM person and my software boss knows I have experience in both so she said I should apply and I could maybe do half and half. Well, as long as the pay is the same, I’m in! I’ve stayed the software route because it has higher earning potential long term. However, I’m happy with my currently salary. So if they can match it in CM, bring it on. I can do all the paperwork you bitches want. And I’m so unhappy with how uncertain I am with the job right now. I’m so out of my element. It’d be nice to have some easy wins.

3) In the past two weeks, I’ve seen my psychiatrist, my plastic surgeon, my primary care doctor, and my neurologist. Does it count that I had to go by Jack’s vet to get his meds today too? So much time shuffling!

4) My sister is mad at me. She wanted access to moms Facebook and it locked her out. She was accessing it through moms old phone that she never should have had access to as it belonged to me and I had specified it be given to my other sister who needed a new phone as that’s what mom would have wanted. Other sister never got the phone. Sister1 kept it and has been using it to access her Facebook and pictures and I’m sure her private messages too. So…

Facebook locked her out. So she tried to recover the password with moms email that she’s also been accessing. But gmail locked her out. So she contacted me. I’m the recovery email for all of moms accounts. Why? Because I would set shit up for her when she asked, not give her shit or half jail-broken hand-me-down-equipment, and not berate her when she forgot her passwords. (Hence the reason the phone was MY property. I bought the phone and I paid the phone bill.) Anyway, Sister1 contacts me because I’m the recovery email and she “needs” access to moms Facebook.

I wouldn’t give it to her. I say that like I’m confident about it. First, I asked Mr C- holy shit what do I do? I don’t want her to have access, she has no right. And it’s weird. And invasive. And mom died over a year ago. Then I asked K. Then I asked moms bestest best friend. All informed me that I didn’t have to give her that info. In fact, moms bestie informed me that she hoped Sister1 hadn’t read moms private messages where she often poured out her heart and frustrations about living with my sisters to her best friends in confidence.

Well… I’ll bet you a million dollars sister1 has read all of that. All the text messages. All the emails. All the Facebook messages. She’s seen my mom describe her in her worst light. And I can’t imagine the unbearable pain that must have brought her. It explains a lot though. She’s been absolutely obsessed with mom since she passed. Moms hobbies have become sister1’s obsessions. She can’t and won’t let mom go. So hearing me tell her I wouldn’t reset the accounts kinda pissed her off.

To ensure that I held to moms honor and let her accounts be silenced, I went as far as to disconnect my email from her recoveries. Her accounts are now lost to the ether. It was like saying goodbye again. Letting the flowers drift into the ocean. Google asked if I wanted to disconnect ME@gmail.com from MOM@gmail.com as this was permanent and could not be undone. Well… I cried and I clicked it. Bye momma.

Not that Sister1 would accept that I can no longer rest the accounts. She became furious and said that I should never have made my self the recovery account if I wasn’t willing to recover them. She said she needed important financial information because she’d be left to deal with all of moms accounts.

Well, what the fuck kind of financial information do you need off of Facebook? And mom died over a year ago. I told her I’d be happy to handle any of mothers personal affairs that they had not just been left to her. She could forward me any correspondence and I’d get a copy of her death certificate from brother and take care of it. No responses after that.

All of the family has been their usual radio silence. No answering the phone or text messages. Oh well.

I do feel terrible for Sister1. Realizing she probably read mom talking shit about her and how much she hated living with her. God, that’s heart breaking. But sister1 brought it on herself by invading moms privacy. And I feel terrible that sister1 has now kinda become sister2s custodian. I do feel bad about that. But again, she let sister2 move in. Sister 2 tried to get me and Mr C to take in her cats. We said fuck no. Sister1 is more codependent and took her in. And it was only supposed to be 2 months… over 2 years ago. I’m sorry sister1. I really am. but I still won’t help you violate moms privacy over and over again.

It’s a terrible situation.