Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend stirs a lot of emotions for me. September third is the day my one grandfather died. (He had been misdiagnosed with pneumonia and when it hadn't cleared up in two weeks they discovered he had stage 4 lung cancer and he was gone a few days later.) It was also the birthday of my first love, my teenage love, whose heart I broke. He died ten years ago but I still remember him and our three years together. He taught me what it was like to feel truly loved. Labor Day weekend many years ago was a day spent waiting for my son to be hospitalized for a bone marrow and on September 4 we learned he had leukemia but it would take several more days to find out what kind. I can still remember the physical feelings I experienced when they said those words and I fell into a chair in utter shock. I am so grateful that he survived it, that we got through the three and a half years of chemo he needed and that over the years he has learned to let a lot of anger go. It's hard to lose your junior year of high school and return your senior year when you feel you no longer fit in. It's hard when the time comes to try to return to what was your normal life before.

Today Rob and I slept in until almost 8 a.m. Normally the dog will not permit this. I took a shower while Rob made his first cup of tea and then I made a list of things that needed to be done. He got dressed and bolted out the door to begin the shopping. He went to Staples and got ink for our printer, went to the supermarket and got several bags of groceries, then on to the Home Depot where he got a new shower nozzle. This one can be hand held and will be a big plus when Duffy needs to be shampooed. Our old one was a water saver that felt like you were being teased as opposed to having a real shower. Hope this is better for that purpose. Rob came home and installed the shower head, dumped and washed the litter box, weeded the flower garden, had lunch and read. Now he is taking a much needed nap. I hope he can find time over the next three days to kick back and relax. Our lives have been so hectic over the past few months........
Yesterday I got a call where I had to regive all my information from my previous jobs. I realized I was about to bounce a check (having finally balanced my checking statement) and called my Mom to run me to the bank for a quick deposit. After doing that I took her out to breakfast and I took her to Costco to get gas (she isn't a member). We went into a candle store for a few minutes so I could pick up a gift I needed and then home again. I can't shut car doors due to the weight so I feel like a child being placed into the car. When we arrived home there had been several messages left from my medical providers. It seems they all knew my health insurance was cancelled as of August 31st. I explained that I had secondary insurance which was now primary. They told me that they were told it was not and I needed to get this straightened out. The company who furnishes my oxygen wanted to be able to verify right away that I would be covered. I was so exhausted and frustrated. Less than six weeks after the surgery I have to go through all this? I had called the insurance company on Monday and explained all this to them and faxed over what they requested that very day. I called them again and "Monique" advised me that I would need to hold while she investigated. I was put on hold and after about half an hour I hung up. NEVER once did she come back on the line. That is considered call abandonment where I have worked and grounds for firing. I called back and got the person I had spoken to before on Monday. She had not received the fax I sent, told me to resend it and she would call to confirm she had it as soon as she got it. An hour went by and I sent it again.....after another hour passed I called again and got Susan. Susan apologized and explained it takes them 48 hours to receive faxes (thanks for all the bs Sadie) and that she would call my old insurance company and have them verify on the phone and she would update the record herself. I was surprised: someone who had intelligence AND initiative unlike the other two reps. I held on about ten minutes and Susan came back on the line telling me she had all the information necessary and would update the system. She then asked if I wanted her to call the providers and verify my coverage to them. Impressive! I told her I would take care of that and thanks her for her help. So about six hours later this was finally resolved.
As soon as my new information was entered a different provider called me to let me know that it was all updated. I'm just thankful that my brain was working well enough to handle all this. It hurts after I hold the phone for too long. Good thing physical therapy is covered....I might need some.
Have a great Labor Day weekend!