Monday, February 19th, 2007 - Start of a New Week

Dear Book (grin):

Another weekend slips by and here we are at Monday already! Hey, after a friend (waving to Diane) pointed out that the picture I had up on this blog made me look like a hospital patient and I'm no longer in the hospital, I took it upon myself to change the picture to a more recent one. Hahaha... one I took this morning before I headed out to the doctor's. I figure, I can now change the picture as often as I change moods... why? Because I can!! Hahahaha! So if folk comment on the pictures I put up, your comments will only make sense when the picture you are commenting on is up... then in a blink of an eye, I might change it! That's one of the powers I have as a blogger (chuckle).

So... whaz' up? Nothing too exciting this weekend, but then, it was nice to have a quiet weekend too! On Saturday, I went to the dentist to get the old teeth cleaned and deep root scaling. Once we start the treatments, I can't have any dental work done, so clever me thought, "Aha! I better get that taken care of now because it will be a good 8 months or so before I can go back to the dentist". I was last at the dentist in August, so waiting another 8 months would be a wee bit too long :) Soooo, that's another "do" off the "to do" list. I did go do a bit of shopping Saturday afternoon after the dentist, but alas, only for about 2 hours then it was time to head home since I was starting to fade a bit.

Sunday... well, basically it was a day of rest (grin). It was suppose to be wet, rainy, windy and basically yucky out... but it turned out to be a gorgeous day. I tell you, the weather folk really should look out the window before they make their predictions for the day! I totally forgot it was Chinese New Year (Gung Hey Fat Choi to all of you!!) and would have really enjoyed going down to Chinatown for the huge New Year's Parade. But alas... I totally forgot it was yesterday (and what a beautiful day it would have been for it) until I ran into my neighbour, Trish, who said they had been at the parade. Oh well... maybe next year (grin).

Soooo, last night was spent watching the first episode of "Amazing Race" (I think I may be hoping for Rob and Amber since all the other contestants don't seem to like them) and, of course, "Desperate Housewives". Those gals are insane... but wasn't that something about Orson's mom trying to bump off Bree?? Not to mention.. Gabby and Zack? HELLO?? I think Zack is going to turn out to be quite psycho!!!

Well, today turned out to be a pretty good day after all. It started out somewhat frustrating. The insurance company (Great-West Life) had sent me yet another form that had to be filled out by the doctor and they are saying that the doctor must send all surgical reports, test results, treatment plans, diagnosis/prognosis and whatever other 'osis' reports. They made a point of saying it's my responsibility to get this information to them and the doctor(s) have every right to charge for filling out forms and filing reports, so I would have to absorb the costs myself since the insurance company won't pay for those charges. Sheesh! Whatever happened to compassion for the employee who has an illness that is requiring Long Term Disability?? I swear the insurance company constantly sends out these requests, with the hopes the employee or the doctor screws up and misses something... then the insurance company can deny the claim. But... Dr. Fay came to the rescue! Even though he hates filling out government and insurance forms (I now don't blame him!), he came through like a champ. Not only did he fill out the "assessment" form, he made copies of all the various reports while I was there (I didn't have to come back for them) and he didn't charge me. He never does, but he has the right to if he wants. So I now have all the needed forms in the envelope, addressed, stamped and ready to be put in the mailbox! Another "do" off the "to do" list!

Then there was the mixup/confusion about whether I need a home care nurse to come and pack the part of my incision that is real slow in healing. Dr. Brown (surgeon) had said his office would arrange for home care nursing; his nurse said I didn't need it and could just go to a walk-in clinic when I needed the packing/dressing changed; Dr. Fay was not impressed with that idea; so all last week there was this back and forth, miscommunication and I was without the service. Personally, it was just one more headache, wondering what I should be doing... on the other hand, if this was going to speed up the wound healing, then we needed to get it started. As long as the wound isn't healing, they won't do the radiation. Without the radiation, that ups the risk of a tumour forming on the abdominal wall. Blah, blah, blah.....

Well, today we are all straightened out. Dr. Fay is pleased with how the wound is coming along, even if it is going to be slow. He says that he doesn't think we need to go the home care nursing route... and we'll let nature do it's thing.

So, yayayayayaya... I now don't have to worry about home care nursing, walk-in clinics, or insurance companies!! :)

This afternoon I went to work for a visit (and to use the zerox machine to make copies of all these reports!) It was really great to see everyone again!! Well, most everyone... but wouldn't you know it that I arrive and some are missing -- Dave? Janice? Charmaine? Rob? Hahaha.. I almost thought that hey, I could be back at work... I had a busy morning but still had energy when I was at work. But alas, I was there about 1 1/2 hours and it hit me that I was not only tired, but REALLY tired. And silly me, thinking I was going to include a little exercise with this visit, I parked the car 6 blocks (1/2 mile) away from the office. So not only did I walk the 1/2 mile downhill to work... when I was tired, I had to walk that same 1/2 mile back up hill to the car!! Duh!!! Ok, so I'm not the brightest planner (grin)... and both walks were in the pouring rain, although, I did have my umbrella :)

Oh... and if any of the work gang from across the pond in Victoria is reading this blog, I received the card that you all signed! That was really, really sweet... and made my day! Thank you!! And James... you are my hero this week (ok, second to Hugh Grant (grin)) for fixing up my archived vacation.

That's it for today... hope you all are keeping dry!!!

Cheryl