Frustration

November 19, 2011
Well, I haven't written anything in a few days as I've been doing a training class to be a Guardian ad Litem.  It has been very difficult not being able to work.  I miss nursing so very much.  I tried volunteering in a local NICU, but they weren't very accomodating about the amouth of area that I would need to cover or the number of hours per session.  If I could cover 8 units and be on my feet for 4 hours; I could work part time.  This program for the most part, allows you to make your own schedule and involves visitng "your child" once every thirty days either unannounced or in a planned visit.  I will be assigned a medically complicated child since it will best utalize my skills.

This week was very difficult as I had a 40 minute drive each way to the training, 7 hours of training, five days in a row.  I started off the week with a cold but I did manage to get through the training.  I literally fell asleep shortly after getting home, letting Nemo out and paying some attention to her.  Unfortunately that meant that I woke up in the middle of the night but there was no way that I could keep my eyes open!!

October 14th, I saw my RSD doctor.  He prescribed medication for my ever increasing pain.  I took the prescription to the pharmacy and found out that they needed to order it.  A week later they got it in and ran it through the insurance (why they couldn't have run it through the insurance while we were waiting for the order is beyond me).  The insurance company wanted preauthorization.  The pharmacist said that she would fax the sheet to my physician.  I called the doctor's office to tell them t be on the look out for the preauthorization form from my pharmacy (giving them both the pharmacy name and the pharmacist's name).  Another week went by and I hadn't heard anything from the insurance company.  I called them.  There was no record of a preauthorization.  I called the doctor's office.  They said that they never received a fax.  I asked why they didn't call me when I had called them to tell them that they would receive the fax.  They had no answer.  I went to the pharmacy (not knowing if the doctor's office had lost the fax or what).  The pharmacist (not the same one who faxed as she is now on maternity leave) pulled the file and saw that it was faxed but the fax confirmation said "fax busy" and no one ever refaxed it.  I took the form and faxed it to the doctor's office.  I called to be sure that they received it.  Ten days later, still no word from the insurance company so I called them.  Once again they told me that there was no request for preauthorization.  Ok, I know that the fax was received by the doctor's office since I faxed it and called to confirm.  I called the doctor's office only to find out that "it's on my pile to fax".  I was fuming.  By this time it had been over a month since the prescription was written and I had a follow up appointment in 5 days to discuss how I was responding to the medication.  I changed that appointment as the doctor is 2 hrs away and there is no reason to go and see him if I haven't had the medication at all yet.  The doctor's office assured me that they would fax it Friday.  Well Monday, I plan on calling the insurance company to see if they have received it.  If not, I will cancel the appointment with the doctor and find someone else.

In the mean time, I contacted Dr. S to set up inpatient Ketamine.  I heard back from him within 24 hrs, his Clinical Nurse Specialist contacted me within 24 hours of his email and 24 hours after that I had a date set to go up.  There is absolutely no comparesome in the treatment.  I emailed the doctor on Monday and by Wednesday I had a date set.  What a difference!!  Unfortunately, he doesn't do precribing for day to day medications.

I will be spending this weekend recouperating from my week of training as my feet are both swollen, red and miserable.  My entire body is burning and I have no energy.  Fortunately my hubby is in town until the Sunday after Thansgiving when he has to leave after lunch.

I hope that everyone has a great weekend!!