One would think that after all these years of dealing with the Insurance, Medical Groups, Doctors, NPs, Referral and Service Personnel and the Medicalese involved, I would no longer have to deal with the insanity and run-around of people telling me completely different things, but I suppose I am no immune to ignorance. Just because I’ve dealt with stupid people before, that does not mean it’s not going to happen again. Ugh.
Late last year the company that provides us with Nicky’s g-tube supplies (Lifecare Solutions) left me a message to let me know that the company was moving out of the state and that so-and-so company would be taking over. So far so good. No problem. In the past, the referral was automatic, so to speak. The new company would take over the monthly re-supply order of the pump, the bags and the various supplies that sustain Nicky and the only thing I had to worry about is figuring out who to call every month or if they would call me and that was the end of that. Over the years this has happened several times with no issues whatsoever. But not this time. This was the only kind of company who never let me down. Until now.
Since I wasn’t sure who was going to take over the new order, I waited a week or so, and when nobody called me I called around to try to figure out “who” took over the monthly supply order, only to find out, nobody did. I was given a phone number to call from the old company but it was a wrong number, so I found a local number for that company, called them, talked to a nice guy who said would call me back. I waited a good week for him to call me back to no avail, then, amist a frantic series of phone calls here, there and everywhere, by magic, an order arrived around Christmas. What? I was confused. I never heard of this new company (Verio) from anyone.
In the meantime the “old” company kept leaving me messages that they needed their pump back… so I called the “new” company and asked for a new pump and they proceeded to tell me that they bought the “old” company and all their equipment and I could just keep my old pump. But then the “old” company kept leaving me messages about getting their pump back and when I talked to them they reiterated that, no, that was their pump and they either wanted their pump back or a check for $1200. Ugh.
This whole mess was just around Christmas so I just let it “go”, so to speak. I was tired of the whole thing. We had a lot of things happening lately so I blocked the “old” company phone number so they would stop harassing me. I didn’t know what to do. Nicky needs his pump. It’s the only thing that is keeping him alive.
Two weeks ago I got a letter from the “old” company stating they want $650 for the pump. Good God. So I called the “new” company and talked to a guy who, after putting me on hold forever, figured out that, yes, the “old” company is right and they need to give me a pump. But, get this, they needed a Doctor’s referral for that. And *I* have to get it to them.
So, I called Nicky’s Doctor, only to find out she’s “gone”. She no longer works there. I left messages to his old Doctor, the referral Dept and more, and nobody would call me back. Finally I decided to talk to “anybody” and they stated to me that, since Nicky’s old Doctor is gone, to get a referral for anything at all, I have to take Nicky in to see a new Doctor. Great. A “new” Doctor that knows nothing about EB. Lovely.
Taking Nicky anywhere is just hard. Hard for me and blister-filled for Nicky, but it doesn’t look like we had much choice. I took Nicky in yesterday afternoon to see this new Doctor, who was nice enough, but told me that I don’t need a referral for the new pump. Ugh. According to the referral Dept (the same referral department who never called me back after leaving several messages) I have to contact a specific person at the “new” company and request the pump and if there are any problem to contact a particular person at the referral department. Ugh.
I am sitting here this morning looking at this bill for the pump and the whole situation is just so stupid. I have to call today this particular person at the new company and I am not looking forward to it. Why do things need to be this complicated? Isn’t my life complicated enough?
Speaking of complicated… there is going to be a lot of Hospitals in the near future. Nicky is going in for an infusion/labs and appointment at CHLA on Friday and then next Thursday we’re driving back to Stanford. We have trial appointments and we’re hoping for a throat dilatation on Friday. It’s still in limbo if you can believe that! Nicky is having a horrible time the past few days swallowing anything. He’s surrounded by tissues, towels and trash cans he spits into constantly. It’s just horrible. I am at a loss on how to help him. He needs this dilatation badly.
Please say a prayer that Nicky might feel better soon… and we get this darn pump!!!
Love & Light,
