Yesterday was Shawn's 22nd birthday. I spent part of the day looking at old videos:
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
update - more waiting
In the past few months, Shawn's seen a few new doctors and has had lots more tests. The current thinking from the gastroenterologist is that his nausea and weight loss are caused by his hypercalcemia. Neurologist likewise believes that neuromuscular problems are due to hypercalcemia.
What remains a mystery is what is causing the hypercalcemia. A new round of blood tests, urine tests, CT scan, xrays failed to help pinpoint the cause.
About a month after the bone scan, Shawn started feeling a new spot on one of the bones of his right hand. Sure enough, it is located right where the scan lit up. What does all this mean? The short answer: more doctors!
We're waiting to hear back now from two new doctors to schedule appointments. One in Bloomington and another at U of C. So for now, more waiting... waiting... waiting...
What remains a mystery is what is causing the hypercalcemia. A new round of blood tests, urine tests, CT scan, xrays failed to help pinpoint the cause.
About a month after the bone scan, Shawn started feeling a new spot on one of the bones of his right hand. Sure enough, it is located right where the scan lit up. What does all this mean? The short answer: more doctors!
We're waiting to hear back now from two new doctors to schedule appointments. One in Bloomington and another at U of C. So for now, more waiting... waiting... waiting...
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Giving thanks
Today I am so very thankful for all the wonderful people in our lives. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
new path in this complicated journey
I think the title of this blog is pretty accurate - this has indeed been a journey. A complicated, twisted one - the path curves around this way and that, sometimes crossing itself and going backwards, so that you are never quite sure what is around the next curve.
Tomorrow he's having an xray of the right hand, and meanwhile his doctor wants to talk to a few other doctors before suggesting what to do next.
Besides the xray tomorrow, Shawn also has an appointment with his neurologist next Thursday. Dr. C. doesn't like the exaggerated reflexes he sees in Shawn (hyperreflexia). This has been around for awhile as well, initially the neurologist thought it was Myasthenia. The neuromuscular specialist we saw didn't think that was likely given the EMG results.
So here we are still twisting this way and that on this complex journey.
A few months ago, Shawn noticed some places that feel like bone growths - hard pebbly like structures that you can see and feel - at various spots on his body. One on the back of his skull, one on his ankle, a few on his chest bone. Xrays showed nothing unusual. This week he had a bone scan, which will light up areas of abnormal bone metabolism. The scan lit up in two places - the chest, which makes sense since he feels something there, and his right hand. We aren't sure what to make of this, he's never had any pain in the hand, never seen or felt anything there. Also not sure what this means for the other two spots that didn't show up on the bone scan.
Tomorrow he's having an xray of the right hand, and meanwhile his doctor wants to talk to a few other doctors before suggesting what to do next.
Besides the xray tomorrow, Shawn also has an appointment with his neurologist next Thursday. Dr. C. doesn't like the exaggerated reflexes he sees in Shawn (hyperreflexia). This has been around for awhile as well, initially the neurologist thought it was Myasthenia. The neuromuscular specialist we saw didn't think that was likely given the EMG results.
So here we are still twisting this way and that on this complex journey.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Open enrollment also = $$Expensive
Let me make this very clear: I am quite grateful to have insurance at all, especially for Shawn. His pharmacy bill alone would be over $600/month right now without insurance.
On the other hand, my new "exciting" options during open enrollment also managed to pack an "exciting" new price tag. I spent quite a long time trying to figure out what options would make most sense for us, and ended up with a plan very close to what we have right now - all for $400 more a month.
:-(
It feels to me like the insurance company is taking advantage of new healthcare reform to hike up prices.
On the other hand, my new "exciting" options during open enrollment also managed to pack an "exciting" new price tag. I spent quite a long time trying to figure out what options would make most sense for us, and ended up with a plan very close to what we have right now - all for $400 more a month.
:-(
It feels to me like the insurance company is taking advantage of new healthcare reform to hike up prices.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Open Enrollment = Confusion
Open enrollment. My HR website says "All new exciting benefits for 2010/2011" What this really means is "you are about to enter into a strange murky world of non-intelligible double speak which you have to untangle in order to make the right choice."
The good news is, thanks to the health care bill, I no longer have to worry about Shawn's full-time status at school. (The kicker is, for the moment he's actually scheduled to be a full-time student for the first time since Freshman year.) But regardless of his current enrollment, we won't have to start worrying if he ends up dropping a class, so YES, I am still quite thankful for the bill.
The new choices seem straightforward, there is a nice little table with the 8 different policies and key features to compare. It turns out this table is at best useless. At worst, perhaps a little misleading.
There is an HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan) choice, which allows you to also establish an HSA (Health Savings Account). Last year my accountant suggested I look into this type of account, as I spent a considerable amount on medical expenses, but not quite enough to itemize. The nice thing about an HSA account is you can roll over any money left in it from year to year, and it earns interest tax free. Money from the account can be used only for medical expenses. And you can only open one with a corresponding HDHP.
So on to the HDHP. The deductibles on this are $2500 individual/$5000 family. You might think that means that as soon as a single person (individual) on the plan pays more than $2500 that they have met the deductible. I would think that as well. And it seems we would be wrong.
After spending quite a long time talking with a really nice woman from Aetna - one I have every reason to believe knows what she is talking about - I have learned that the HDHP policy has a different definition of family vs. individual deductible than the PPO policies.
The HDHP policy requires the family deductible to be met if the policy is a "family" policy - that is if it covers more than a single person. The PPO deductible is a per/person amount even for a policy that covers more than a single person. So under the PPO, Shawn's deductible will be met when he has more than the individual amount of expenses, while under the HDHP it won't be met until the family limit has been met. This sounds awfully strange to me and possibly I've still got it wrong, but we spent quite a long time talking about this and the representative was pretty specific about it.
Another thing: How you satisify the deductible is different for different plans. For the PPO, pharmacy costs do not count towards the deductible. But for the HDHP, cost of medicine does count towards the deductible.
The nice little table that my HR website has comparing the plans is pretty much meaningless, since the same language means different things for different policies! How you meet a deductible is different, which deductible you have to meet is different, what happens once you meet the deductible is different.
Under the HDHP, you pay full costs for everything until you meet the deductible. Shawn's monthly pharmacy bill alone will be enough to do this within approximately 8 month, even with no other medical expenses. So I know we'll meet the deductible, but then I also know we'll blow through all the money in the HSA.
I started today's call thinking I wanted the HDHP. Now I'm less sure. While the HDHP policy is quit a bit cheaper, the HDHP + HSA together are about the same price as one of the PPOs. And I know I'll use all the money in the HSA, so there will be no chance to roll it over (one of the things that is attractive about an HSA). Which makes it not that different from the higher premium of the PPO, which is also paid in pre-tax dollars.
After spending a few hours on this today, I now think I need to delve into the other differences between the HDHP and PPO coverage of individual expenses. I think I'll be back on the phone again tomorrow with Aetna's customer service.
And in the meantime if anyone out there has any insights or experience with an HDHP plan (especially Aetna's HDHP) please leave a comment below!
The good news is, thanks to the health care bill, I no longer have to worry about Shawn's full-time status at school. (The kicker is, for the moment he's actually scheduled to be a full-time student for the first time since Freshman year.) But regardless of his current enrollment, we won't have to start worrying if he ends up dropping a class, so YES, I am still quite thankful for the bill.
The new choices seem straightforward, there is a nice little table with the 8 different policies and key features to compare. It turns out this table is at best useless. At worst, perhaps a little misleading.
There is an HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan) choice, which allows you to also establish an HSA (Health Savings Account). Last year my accountant suggested I look into this type of account, as I spent a considerable amount on medical expenses, but not quite enough to itemize. The nice thing about an HSA account is you can roll over any money left in it from year to year, and it earns interest tax free. Money from the account can be used only for medical expenses. And you can only open one with a corresponding HDHP.
So on to the HDHP. The deductibles on this are $2500 individual/$5000 family. You might think that means that as soon as a single person (individual) on the plan pays more than $2500 that they have met the deductible. I would think that as well. And it seems we would be wrong.
After spending quite a long time talking with a really nice woman from Aetna - one I have every reason to believe knows what she is talking about - I have learned that the HDHP policy has a different definition of family vs. individual deductible than the PPO policies.
The HDHP policy requires the family deductible to be met if the policy is a "family" policy - that is if it covers more than a single person. The PPO deductible is a per/person amount even for a policy that covers more than a single person. So under the PPO, Shawn's deductible will be met when he has more than the individual amount of expenses, while under the HDHP it won't be met until the family limit has been met. This sounds awfully strange to me and possibly I've still got it wrong, but we spent quite a long time talking about this and the representative was pretty specific about it.
Another thing: How you satisify the deductible is different for different plans. For the PPO, pharmacy costs do not count towards the deductible. But for the HDHP, cost of medicine does count towards the deductible.
The nice little table that my HR website has comparing the plans is pretty much meaningless, since the same language means different things for different policies! How you meet a deductible is different, which deductible you have to meet is different, what happens once you meet the deductible is different.
Under the HDHP, you pay full costs for everything until you meet the deductible. Shawn's monthly pharmacy bill alone will be enough to do this within approximately 8 month, even with no other medical expenses. So I know we'll meet the deductible, but then I also know we'll blow through all the money in the HSA.
I started today's call thinking I wanted the HDHP. Now I'm less sure. While the HDHP policy is quit a bit cheaper, the HDHP + HSA together are about the same price as one of the PPOs. And I know I'll use all the money in the HSA, so there will be no chance to roll it over (one of the things that is attractive about an HSA). Which makes it not that different from the higher premium of the PPO, which is also paid in pre-tax dollars.
After spending a few hours on this today, I now think I need to delve into the other differences between the HDHP and PPO coverage of individual expenses. I think I'll be back on the phone again tomorrow with Aetna's customer service.
And in the meantime if anyone out there has any insights or experience with an HDHP plan (especially Aetna's HDHP) please leave a comment below!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
catching up
It's been a whirlwind of a month... since breaking my foot Shawn and I have been to: Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York City, Atlantic City, Beach Haven (Long Beach Island), Paramus, Beach Haven, Philadelphia, Chicago! Most of the trip was vacation, with a side trip to a doctor in NY, and the unveiling of my grandmother's gravestone thrown in.
Travel was a little challenging but we made it. I got a knee scooter and was able to walk/scoot more than five miles when we were in NYC. It also allowed me to go back and forth to our favorite seafood place while at the beach. It's not quite as easy as it looks but much easier than crutches.
Shawn's been trying to build up leg muscles and was able to walk quite a bit while at the beach - he has a new crutch that is much more comfortable to use than his cane.
As for the doctor visit, I never really know what to say after seeing a new doctor. He took lots of blood, said this could be like some of the cases he's seen but wasn't really sure, there were a number of things that didn't really fit - which seems to be a recurring theme.
He did switch medicine around quite a bit. Said that some of the medicines were obviously not doing much during an episode and that Shawn's body was fighting them during the rest of the time. Also beta blocker has stopped working once again, as his heart rate was 130 while at the office. So he switched two medicines, dropped one, and started weaning him off another. It all sounded great until the day Shawn started switching medicines. He spent the next day completely wiped out, chest pain and very high blood pressure that lasted hours rather than the normal 20-30 minutes. This caused the doctor to increase dosage of one of the new medicines and also add in another. First day of this new one was not fun, about an hour after taking it Shawn was nauseous, not long after that he was throwing up. Next night he took an anti-nausea medicine before taking it, which completely wiped him out. Since then he's been taking it right before going to bed which seems to be doing a little better.
The doctor says it will be two weeks before we really know if the new meds are working. Thus far, doesn't seem to be doing much that's different than before, but we're only a week into the two week period, so I guess we'll see.
Shawn's been trying to build up leg muscles and was able to walk quite a bit while at the beach - he has a new crutch that is much more comfortable to use than his cane.
As for the doctor visit, I never really know what to say after seeing a new doctor. He took lots of blood, said this could be like some of the cases he's seen but wasn't really sure, there were a number of things that didn't really fit - which seems to be a recurring theme.
He did switch medicine around quite a bit. Said that some of the medicines were obviously not doing much during an episode and that Shawn's body was fighting them during the rest of the time. Also beta blocker has stopped working once again, as his heart rate was 130 while at the office. So he switched two medicines, dropped one, and started weaning him off another. It all sounded great until the day Shawn started switching medicines. He spent the next day completely wiped out, chest pain and very high blood pressure that lasted hours rather than the normal 20-30 minutes. This caused the doctor to increase dosage of one of the new medicines and also add in another. First day of this new one was not fun, about an hour after taking it Shawn was nauseous, not long after that he was throwing up. Next night he took an anti-nausea medicine before taking it, which completely wiped him out. Since then he's been taking it right before going to bed which seems to be doing a little better.
The doctor says it will be two weeks before we really know if the new meds are working. Thus far, doesn't seem to be doing much that's different than before, but we're only a week into the two week period, so I guess we'll see.
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