Am I Narcoleptic Matty?

Hypocrite's Oath is more like it!

It is 0202 and I am fast awake (I have always felt that if you could be fast asleep you should also be able to be fast awake). Unfortunately, I do not know much more abut my malady than I knew the last time I blogged. Cha Cha drove me to my neurologist appointment and there was no room for Baby Cheez-Its at the Inn. We went in and went to the desk. One of the five ladies behind the counter asked if she could see my I.D. and my insurance card so she could make copies. I happily gave her both. She looked at my Cigna Card (my insurance) and said something like, "I am sorry, we cannot take this insurance." I was dumbfounded. She went on to tell me that they do not accept the State of Illinois insurance cards. I should have pretended to pass-out or something and to see how their Hippocratic Oath worked. They had then appointment from my primary care physician but, when I (Cha Cha) drove 30 minutes to my appointment, they said they would not accept my insurance but I could pay for the procedure out-of-pocket if I wished. We asked how much it would be and were told roughly $500. Why in the Helser would I do that when I pay for the insurance out of my bi-weekly pay checks?! I, rarely afraid of a bit of a confrontation when I feel there is wrong-doing, asked why they did not accept the State of Illinois' insurance? I did not expect an answer but, nothing ventured nothing gained and another lady behind the counter said that it was because the State of Illinois takes too long to pay their bills.They pay but they just take a really long time. So, we left and while Rochester drove me around I made some calls and found a place that would accept my insurance but I have to wait until April Fool's Day (April 1st) to see what is wrong with me. It seems more fitting that I see a neurologist on April Fools Day anyway. I cannot believe that any doctor who is committed to helping people and WHO IS GUARANTEED PAYMENT (even if slowly) would turn any patient away. I still am flabbergasted by this. When I called Cigna to find a list of neurologists in the area that would accept my insurance this was one of the places where they told me I could go. When I told the voice on the phone what had just happened she paused and said, "I could call them but we cannot make them accept your insurance."  If you work for a news agency or are investigating medical injustice and are looking for a person willing to go on the record for a story on something like this I will be happy to speak with you with the details of why Hippocrates is rolling over in his grave. I think my problem is that I believe too much in a fictitious society where people care about one another. I think some of those places may exist and one of them is called Canada.

As long as I am belly-aching about insurance I have to tell you about another thing that is going-on right now that irritates me a bit. I believe it was last May (so, nearly a year ago) we had a terrible storm here in my neck of the MIDDLEwest. From inside our home it sounded like someone was throwing hundreds of good-sized stones at the house. Looking out the window I could see pieces of hail (rocks of ice) the size of a golf balls bouncing in the yard as they hit the ground. The storm passed, of course, and I went outside and saw no visible damage to the house. So, nearly a year later, I see many many people in our neighborhood getting new roofs (shingles, fascia, soffit and such) put on their homes. They must have gotten hit worse than us. All of a sudden all of the door-to-door sharks started to fill the water - smelling blood (insurance money). We have had at least five people come to our door unsolicited. We did receive one referral from one of our neighbors and we just recently had a quote from that referral. We were told that there was very minimal damage but, if we wanted to contact our insurance company they could meet with them. They went on to discuss maintaining the value of our home or something like that. I know many people must have gotten it worse than us but I am not going to be part of my insurance rates going up to get a new $10,000 roof when I do not need one. Maybe I am an idiot? We had the same thing happen with all of the hospital bills from Cha Cha's couple of months in the hospitals. That one, however, we may start to have second-thoughts on since the procedure that never should have been performed and cause all of the other problems is still causing havoc in the form of bills and things. If you cause the problem I feel you are responsible for fixing the problem!

They have their nerve saying this needs to be fixed - rub a little dirt on it sissy!

I sure do seem grumpy this morning don't I? I assure you that I am not grumpy. I am just a bit irritated at some of these systems and industries that pretend like they are doing good things for you and I when, in fact, everything they do is for the good of them at the eventual detriment to you and I.

It is 0328 now and I think I will try to go back to sleep now for a bit before I finish this blog. Blogging helps calm my soul I think (if I actually have one). Oh yeah, I want to thank the so many of you who have reached-out to me privately (and some more publicly) offering your help, love and/or advise... for whatever is ailing me. People from: schools from long ago (high school, college...), Fox Valley Raiders, work, neighbors... I really appreciate you!! I have not contacted anybody in this regard because I know you all have your own problems and situations, as we all do. The hypocrite that I am would offer you the same and wonder why you didn't take me up on my help which is why I address it here. I know you are sincere in your offers and love but I have always been one who does not like to burden others with my baggage (I try to check it at the curb) - we all have our own things to lug around with us (that's why they call it luggage). Feel good that I don't come to you as that is usually when I am at my wit's end. I do, so very much, appreciate you being there and wanting to offer me some sort of ease. Just know that I am good for now and I will let you know if and when I am not. It is at times like this, and I have said it before here, that I feel a lot like George Bailey.

They say seizures I say too much brain power! 

Okay, now on to my nap or whatever this shall be called at 4 in the morning!

Fast forward to 1029 (now). I have been working on setting appointments and trying to figure out everything that I have scheduled and everything that needs to be scheduled and trying to schedule.

Okay, now it is 1131 and I have everything scheduled. I have the neurologist appointment on April 1 and the sleep disorder study on April 3. I am about 90% certain that almost all of my issues are related to my poor sleeping. I am not sure if I mentioned it but the doctor's office said they are 96% sure that I have been having some kind of seizures. That is what the neurologist is supposed to determine. I have not mentioned "seizures" because that is a scary word and, until I find out that is what I have been having, I didn't want to cause undue worry. I think I am falling into a light sleep and starting to dream (that is Cha Cha's theory and I think she is correct). That might explain the seeing television shows from when I was a kid (seeing the shows like I am in them). It might also explain the ONE TIME that I passed-out - I literally fell asleep on my feet. I am just wound too tightly and my brain never slows down.

Oh yeah, the lab at the doctor's office called too and my "labs" all came back clear. "Labs" refers to my blood and urine analysis. I think that would rule out many things like: diabetes, urinary tract infections, kidney problems, pregnancy, bladder infections, parasites... So, I am happy that those came back good. I am confident that when they check my brain they will find nothing there too (I know that is an old joke but it has been one of my favorites since I was a kid and, I am old).

No wonder it only takes me 15 minutes to get to Chicago

There is one other thing that I have not mentioned here but I will save that until after the neurologist gives me his report. It is not that big of a deal but, without the full understanding of what is going on, it might seem like a bigger deal than it is. Sometimes precautionary measures alarm people more than they should.

Okay, I have to put together a pantry shelf/cabinet for Cha Cha. It is not busy work, as you might imagine, it was planned before I became Narcoleptic Matty.  

Thank you for stopping by and for caring. Don't worry, it truly is not that big of a deal. Whatever comes I will kick it's butt. It will be awesome when I get a prescription for a new hammock and a sleeping machine and some sleeping pills and orders to take naps because it is only that I am a vampire and rarely sleep. Funny how, when we are in kindergarten, we hate naps and later in the MIDDLE and beyond part of life, we dream of them. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!