Please hold ....

With the Monday CBC results we topped our highest high, hemoglobin is 11.  Only hoping it will continue to be stable, this I want to hold. Our last Rituximab treatment is this Thursday and yes I’m looking forward. What will the numbers look like two weeks from now, three weeks from now? That will be the true measure that it’s working, that the treatment is effective.

I’ve spent most of the day Monday holding, yep I’ve got the standard lines down pat:

•         All of our representatives are still busy assisting other callers, please remain on the line and your call will be answered in the order it was received.
•         If you would like to wait, please remain on the line. 
•          If you would like to leave a message please press 1.

Well I really don’t want to wait and my call is only returning your call, would it be rude if I place you on hold once you pick up the line, hmmm…  Now that was really a silly thought since they never picked up in the first place. 

My biggest problem is that this was the second “business” day I’ve tried to resolve issues.  I did take care of one today - for a co-pay for Austin’s psych which should have been billed as a “no-copay”. If they would do things correctly there would have been no need for this call if they would have done their homework on Friday there would have been no need for me to make a second call

I’m still arguing our ER copay of $150 for Austin’s visit last Monday (was on hold with the 4^th call during the day, after 22+ 15 minutes I gave up and pressed 1). I’m at issue with this charge because the ER visit was a direct result of a vaccine they gave him that morning, when the reaction appears late at night the only option we have is an ER visit.  I know, whine, whine, and whine.

Thank goodness for speaker phones at least I could multi-task a little, something the existing generation will never truly appreciate; they don’t have to experience cradling a phone, attached to the wall between your shoulder and ear – our kids have it far too easy J.  I’m not sure if the waits are my biggest gripe, or it’s the number of times I’ve been bounced around, Wyandotte billing to HF Main Hosp to Billing to Wyandotte billing to Wyandotte Patient advocate to Wyandotte Billing (that was the last 25 minute wait which  I gave up on). Customer service is directly tied to that person behind the phone and so far they aren’t delivering. I’ve done so much bouncing yesterday from one person to another I feel like Tigger.

Austin and I are back downtown at the Henry Ford main campus.  They are doing his red blood cell tag scan, took his blood at 7:30 will tag it and re-inject it around 9:15 am and then do the scans.  This scan will identify if there is possibly any part of his spleen still functioning in his body.  Not sure how quickly they will turn around results, it is what it is, we’ve become experts at waiting.

Song for today, Song for tomorrow, Austin’s theme song:

Pharrell Williams - Happy (Official Music Video), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM, I think this works so very well, it sets such a positive tone for the day.

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.” ~ Maya Angelou

I like Austin's shirt he picked for the day, gotta love Reptar

Update: Naturally I missed my call again from Wyandotte's billing while we were out this morning.  After school pick-up I decided to go through the process again which went much more smoothly than yesterday.  Bottom line, they are doing what I asked them to possibly do the other day which someone told me it couldn't be done (I really need to do a better job of taking names and numbers) -  bill medicaid.  If Hap will pickup all but $150 of the charges why can't Medicaid pickup the rest? Who knows how this will turn out, I still have an issue with the charge in the first place because the ER visit was a direct result of the vaccine booster, in my spare time maybe I should do some letter writing. 

Pictures of the Scan, Austin did absolutely wonderful, still waiting on results.