Thursday, February 24, 2005
Lots going on.....
I'm busy fighting with my employer's disability insurance company about my short-term leave. At the beginning of this month, my rheumatologist and I filled out seven pages of paperwork and put a tentative return to work date of March 14. Yesterday, I got a letter from the company saying they'd approved the first two weeks of February only and that I must prove I'm still too sick to work! Um, did they think I'd be miraculously cured of Sjogren's in two weeks?? So I went to my ENT that did my biopsy and asked him to send those medical records to prove I'm sick enough to require a lymph node be ripped out of my neck. And I'll go to my rheumatologist's office tomorrow and give them a copy of the letter. The company wants a detailed treatment plan, a return to work plan and a list of medical reasons why I can't work be sent to them. My next appointment with the rheumatologist isn't until May! Do you suppose rest and refraining from dealing with insurance companies would be an effective treatment plan?
Talked to my aunt on the phone. Apparently my grandmother started coughing up blood yesterday and was taken to the hospital. Grandma has stage 7 Alzheimer's, so hospital stays are always traumatic for her.
I couldn't go visit her tonight because Dan's at work with the car, but the hospital is probably going to discharge her tomorrow anyway. She has not been well for many years, but I don't think it's quite her time yet. I did ask my aunt to let me know if anything changes, though.
My biggest concern is that she not be in pain. She's not coherent anymore, so it's very hard to know when she hurts physically or is just upset. She's not eating well, and I think her body may be slowly breaking down.
May be getting together with three other members of But You Don't Look Sick who live in the same city I do. We may meet on a regular basis, sort of a mini support group. It's always cool to meet other people who know exactly what you deal with day to day.
Can't believe how wiped out I am. All I did today was get an allergy shot and drop off some paperwork at the ENT's. I still dozed off on the way home. Yeah, I'm fit to return to work all right. Sigh.
Pain level: 7
Fatigue level: 9
Talked to my aunt on the phone. Apparently my grandmother started coughing up blood yesterday and was taken to the hospital. Grandma has stage 7 Alzheimer's, so hospital stays are always traumatic for her.
I couldn't go visit her tonight because Dan's at work with the car, but the hospital is probably going to discharge her tomorrow anyway. She has not been well for many years, but I don't think it's quite her time yet. I did ask my aunt to let me know if anything changes, though.
My biggest concern is that she not be in pain. She's not coherent anymore, so it's very hard to know when she hurts physically or is just upset. She's not eating well, and I think her body may be slowly breaking down.
May be getting together with three other members of But You Don't Look Sick who live in the same city I do. We may meet on a regular basis, sort of a mini support group. It's always cool to meet other people who know exactly what you deal with day to day.
Can't believe how wiped out I am. All I did today was get an allergy shot and drop off some paperwork at the ENT's. I still dozed off on the way home. Yeah, I'm fit to return to work all right. Sigh.
Pain level: 7
Fatigue level: 9
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