This has been another busy day. The Director of Pioneer Bluffs came this morning to pick up the Newsletters. She brought with her mail trays so I transferred the envelopes into those.
The lady from the Council on Aging called and helped me understand Medicaid better. Since Kathy didn’t quality (yet anyways) for home services she has to spend down almost $7,000 every six months to stay on Medicaid. This spend down has to be all medical expenses.
Since that won’t happen, we will drop the Medicaid and reapply later when Kathy needs home services. What a process! You can only receive Medicaid insurance without a required spend down if you make less than $900 a month or if you qualify to receive home services. KanCare sent Kathy three identical letters to inform her she didn’t qualify for home services. Things that make me go WTF. One wouldn’t do it?
We went to KC today. Kathy was kind enough to drive me as I am feeling a bit fuzzy-headed today. I liked the surgeon I saw. He was kind and efficient. I will need surgery later this year. He is booked out till the end of October and I have a trip to India planned for two weeks in November. He recommended I wait till I get back from the trip to have surgery as there is a six-week recovery time. His nurse is to call me to get it scheduled sometime soon.
I learned last night when I switch from left side to right side to sleep the Vertigo comes back but if I keep my eyes closed as I switch, it greatly lessens the Vertigo. My blood pressure was too low this morning and my heart rate has been dropping below 45 several times which is my normal. My body feels weird though as I was experiencing heart rates of 80 – 150 the last couple of weeks. I am struggling to find balance these days.
I sent a note to my Doctor today and he prescribed a medication that should help reduce the effects of Vertigo. I only take it if I have a spell. Kathy and I stopped at Walmart on the way home to pick up the prescription. The doctor at the ED also sent a script for nausea and vomiting. We picked that one up too.
I am feeling better today although my head feels fuzzy. It is a side effect of the patch they gave me to help stop the spinning. I took short naps to and from KC today as the patch also caused sleepiness. It also causes urine retention and I have barely been able to pee today. Man, sometimes the side effects are worse than what we are treating.
Tomorrow I have to be at the hospital in Emporia for a heart stress test at 8:30. Yikes! I don’t like mornings so that will be early for me.
Tomorrow I am meeting some of my dear friends for lunch. It feels like it has been a hot minute since we were all together so it will be fun to see everyone.
After lunch tomorrow my calendar is free for the rest of the week. I feel like I need several stay-at-home days in a row to fully recover.
So grateful to be feeling somewhat better today. At least the house isn’t spinning and I can tell the floor from the ceiling. When I get a bit of Vertigo it isn’t near as bad as it was yesterday and it only lasts for a few seconds.
Got a letter from Kathy’s insurance company that told Kathy that they will not be refunding her premiums for the third life insurance policy we discovered Kathy had. I didn’t expect them to but it was worth asking. I would suggest staying away from American Income Life Insurance Company. They sell junk policies.
With hearing from Medicaid and the Life Insurance Company, I think I have settled all of Kathy’s affairs that needed attention. Always a good day when I can take things off my pending list and today I got to cross off two things. Only four more things on my pending list.
I had another reminder about my health yesterday. I way too often take my health for granted. Time to get back on the band wagon and get my act together.
Grateful for a kind and efficient doctor today, grateful Kathy was able to drive me to and from, and grateful there is medication that might help lessens the effects of Vertigo.