A picture taken at Bryce Canyon in OctoberThe past ten days have shown daily improvement in my health. I started walking a little bit on the 12th and now walk 2-4 miles a day. My cough is nearly gone, just a once in a while thing now. My appetite is still not fully back but I am able to eat a wider variety of food at least. I’m still not getting enough sleep which I think is probably a side effect of my medication.
Starting on the 13th the insurance company has been trying to fly us home and offering to have a professional driver take the motor home for us. We’ve been arguing that back and forth and finally today I got the good news that I can stay for our planned duration. The downside is of course that they won’t pay for any more treatment of Valley Fever and related issues. I have two blood tests, another cat scan and a visit with the lung specialist scheduled over the next month all of which we will have to pay ourselves. I prefer to stay with the system here since it should give us the best idea of my progress rather than switching systems completely by going back to BC where Valley Fever is less known. Our daughter visited our doctor at home this morning to talk to him about treatment should I come home and when she told him how the two main drug chains in Salmon Arm couldn’t get my medication and in fact had been back ordered for months, he could not find a supplier either. Aileen managed to get my three months prescription filled at Safeway in Coolidge but used up all their stock. They said there is a shortage this year. Friends are going to
We can get back to living a more normal life now with the threat of being sent home gone. It’s been impossible to do any planning and we’ve been letting things slip. Aileen just came home from her meeting and was overjoyed with my good news. We are going to celebrate by going out for supper.
Jacquie and Jim were over for Mexican Train a couple nights ago and Jim was the big winner. We went out for supper three nights ago to try and tempt my appetite and it worked. I managed a chef salad. Last night we went to the Canada Supper up at the clubhouse and I enjoyed the pork loin.
Just before Christmas I matted and framed five of my 13x19 inch prints. I sold one the other day to a lady who fell in love with my shot of some poplar tree trunks with bright fall foliage behind. Earlier in December our friend Linda asked if I would take some pictures of their Christmas lights, which I did. Today she came and bought three small prints and gave me more than I asked.
Great news! (Finally, some good news.) It's a shame that you can't get them to cover it, but at least you can claim it on your taxes: I imagine you've got some taxes to cover with the 17% of whatever it'll cost you!
ReplyDeleteI am so, so happy that you are able to stay there where they know the illness! It's frustrating that the insurance cannot see the benefits overall and provide coverage for the better treatment. But at least you won't be hassled about going home now.
ReplyDeleteYou'd better treat yourself with kid gloves until you get back across the border!
Oooo! We haven't been visiting you recently, and didn't even know about the valley fever. That was a real menace when we lived in Phoenix several years ago. So glad you are getting better and can continue your stay here in the desert southwest. Maybe you can move on over to the southeastern part of Arizona -- valley fever doesn't seem to be around over here very much.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're feeling better. It took a while for sure! It's good that you are able to stay where you are since you can't get the medication in B.C. Apparently you can apply to the Feds
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sk.lung.ca/drugs/2005.04.04.prescriptions.faq.html
but who knows how long that would take.
Gordon took the medication for 6 months after we got home so from April to October so if you can take 3 months home with you, that would be good. Is there an infectious disease specialist anywhere close to you in Salmon Arm?