I mentioned yesterday that I might give my sometimes cranky neck a name. I'm thinking Nadia, or Nadine, or maybe Niamh. She makes her presence felt now and then, usually when she's been overworked and taken for granted, so she has a personality.
I have previous, as they say in police dramas, meaning been there before. This was the Saga of Esmeralda. That's the left breast which was the cause of a battle about denying health coverage, which she eventually won.
My house and car insurer tried getting into health insurance, back before I was old enough for Medicare and had to buy my own. I was always checking into coverage for cheaper rates, and they'd promised to bundle all three coverages. Sounded good.
Until an insurance underwriter denied coverage because my gyne, a brilliant and respected doctor, had done an extra test to verify Esmeralda's health. The results proved that I had, in my doctor's angry words to the insurer, better than average breast health. But she insisted that just ordering the the test proved I was high risk.
Esmeralda was not going to let this happen without a fight. So she had me mention that I was planning on legal action, including getting the NJ insurance commissioner involved.
Finally they apologized, offered coverage and the agent caught in the middle said I hope we didn't make you lose faith in your doctor! To which I responded that it would take more than an insurance clerk to do that, but I'd be sure to let everyone know the story.
By this time I'd found good coverage so I said no to their offer. Shortly after that I heard they'd got out of the healthcare insurance attempt. But I think naming Esmeralda definitely stiffened my resolve to defend her.
So naming my neck will help me treat her more kindly. Fo you have a preference for a name? All suggestions will be considered, and the owner's decision will be final!
Meanwhile here's the progress of the current jigsaw puzzle, a very well designed one, with different ways to interlock the pieces
If I finish it in time, I'll return it today and borrow a puzzle for the holiday.
The Fourth celebration will be an evening visit from handsome Son bearing pizza and Coke. I asked him yesterday, as we were planning, to let me know when to put the oven on, so as to keep the pizza warm as we went.
Meaning of course, to text me tomorrow, as he was waiting to pick up. In true guy Y- chromosome fashion, he instantly texted "about 6 pm, but I'll keep in touch". This is going to be like the peppermint leaves.
Maybe I can get him to bring a handful of peppermint when he comes over tomorrow..
Meanwhile, happy day everyone, missed communication notwithstanding. Intent is all. Let's take care of each other.
Oh my! The “Let’s take care of each other” hits me hard this morning. I couldn’t agree more. However, in talking to seniors along the boardwalk recently and from our own experience, it looks like some younger people don’t see it that way. What is going on? For a number of us to be finding the same thing at this time is disturbing.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if this is new, or has always been that younger people are intent on making their own way in a difficult economic time?
ReplyDeleteEsmeralda was not to be trifled with! The name that came to mind for you neck...Payne. Probably not a good idea. This generation of young people has been given a mess. It would be difficult to not be cynical.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's hard to criticize the outlook of young people who are very aware they have hardly any safety net.
Delete"This is going to be like the peppermint leaves" -- hahahahaha!
ReplyDeleteYou're tuned in to the Famille Boud!
DeleteI'm fortunate that I have been in good health and whatever issue I had I could just pay the doctor bill but I could never afford insurance until Medicare, which is where the being fortunate part came in. I do take advantage of it now. also fortunately, any problem where I have needed expensive care waited until I had Medicare.
ReplyDeleteI was very much aware that a couple of nights in the hospital would have wiped out my small savings. I bought insurance even when it cost literally half my income. So happy to be free of worry now.
DeleteInsurance is the devil's playground!
ReplyDeleteOnly experience it attracts people hungry for power, including some of my own relatives!
DeleteI have never contemplated doing this. What would I name my prostate? Scarface? Tightwad?
ReplyDeleteGentle reminder that the question was about Boud.
DeleteHmmm...
ReplyDeleteA name for a neck. I've always fancied the name "Nelly."
One time when I was taking care of a friend who had been the victim of a mugging with a resulting gunshot wound (I used to be a good person) we named her wound something like "Thelma". But when it was time to do the three-times-a-day wound care I would say, "Time to deal with Thelma." Sounded so much better than "wound care."
I am happy to report that the wound did eventually close beautifully and she got a bluebird tattooed over the small scar.
Sounds as if it also helped with healing.
DeleteI think Nadine is quite a good name for a cranky neck. Happy Independence Day! Hope you and Handsome Son enjoy your pizza.
ReplyDeleteI'm leaning yo Nadine, too. Niamh would be an issue if Esmeralda couldn't pronounces it..
DeleteA test to verify good health "proves" there's a risk? What kind of cockamamie thinking is that? I thought they wanted everybody to get things like mammograms regularly, as part of their routine physicals. Sheesh. Insurance companies have no business practicing medicine.
ReplyDeleteIt's just any excuse to deny coverage. My health profile was excellent in every way, great client, unlikely ever to make a claim. Their loss!
DeleteWhen companies do stupid things like that, it always stuns me a bit that they don't realize how dumb they are, and that people see them being dumb. It is businesses like that, run by people like that causes big government, more laws, regulations to sometimes, not always, fight against the stupidity.
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded that due to heavy phone use, I had a neck crick nerve thing. I don't remember what I did to relieve it. Reading your post, I am amazed I haven't had the problem in a very long time. If I just looked the wrong way, then it would hurt.
I now sleep with 3 pillows with head raised to take pressure off my neck so that it doesn't twist and go flat on me.
I think the neck thing is probably commonl, what with phone use, computer angles, all the modern requirements to bend your head forward a lot.
DeleteFrom the viewpoint of tge insurer, that was clever, trying to sell a healthy patient a policy with the main reason for having it -- potential breast cancer - removed from coverage. If I'd been dumb enough to accept, win for them!
Health care seems to be getting more and more filled with difficulties and inconsistencies and, at least here, doctors and nurses are quitting in droves. Just the thought of a trip to the hospital for any reason scares us. Emergency rooms are either closing due to lack of staffing or they're on a revolving time for availability (as if we can choose when we're going to need their services). We can't afford private medical insurance and have to rely on whatever we are allowed by the government so that's another worry. Luckily, fingers crossed, we have a good doctor right now and we're hoping she stays the course until we no longer have need for her.
ReplyDeleteI've informed my doctor that she can't retire till I say so!
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