Saturday, August 22, 2015

Stuff


While wandering about the grounds of the palace the other day, I noticed that lovely, perfect little rose. I took another photo for comparison, so you could see just how small it was.


Yes, smaller than my watch it was. (Excuse the blur, you try holding your watch next to a small flower and fumble with the cell phone camera to get the shot. I know, I know, I could have done better.)

Small and dainty and such a bright and bold red. It really struck me, such perfection yet ephemeral.

Much like my patience with this whole convalescing thing.

Yes, I need time to heal up before returning to the fray. Yes, I understand that what I had was major surgery, but still, convalescing is a rather sedentary activity. As much as I'd like to drive down to the harbor or perhaps down to the Atlantic (for to snap some photos), it is actually uncomfortable to wear a seat belt.

Not to mention which my lack of patience with my fellow occupants of the highways and byways of Little Rhody.

I've done a couple of short missions down to the store (roughly a half mile by road) and noticed almost immediately that my temper is a bit shorter than usual. I shouldn't be raging at the other drivers because I might bust something dontcha know. That would not be good.

For you see Dear Readers, getting a good night's sleep has not been in the cards lately.

I believe I mentioned in the series of hospital posts that I have a great deal of trouble sleeping on my back. On long plane rides across either of the ponds I was able to manage by having a couple, maybe even five or six, adult beverages, you know, for medicinal purposes. While I am under no prohibitions regarding alcohol (as long as I stay off the pain killers, which I have) it just seems, I dunno, not good to consume alcohol while I'm laid up "in ordinary," so to speak.

I am to the point where I can lie on either side and, if I am really careful, can kind of lie on my belly. While I did learn, after a fashion, how to doze on  my back in the hospital, at home that's not a good idea. My cat, Anya, takes great joy in playing "carrier landing" on my stomach when I recline on my back.

She always sticks the landing (normally an OK-3) but from time to time she comes down a mite hard. Causing me rather a lot of, shall we say, discomfort.

So lack of sleep, some intestinal discomfort and my temper is rather short. Truth be told, as I age my temper seems to get shorter and shorter. Then again, I've always been prone to short outbursts of anger. I usually keep it bottled up, only those who really know me can tell, but the occasional "fire truck" will leak out, from time to time. Saying that pithy little Anglo-Saxon epithet is strictly forbidden around The Missus Herself.

So I need to tread lightly there.

Another joyous thing happened on Friday which I need to relate.

I have very good short term disability insurance through my employer. Well, it's good if the folks on that end actually do their jobs.

I filed my claim while still in the hospital, some two weeks ago. Puzzled as to not having heard anything further (after receiving letters and emails from them to send things out to doctor's officers and other "fax this now" paperwork) I called the number they gave me.

Keep in mind, this claim was filed two weeks ago.

The automated system showed nothing, based on the claim number they gave me and which I parroted back to them on demand.

Social Security number? Nope, nada, I was not in "the system."

Finally I had the opportunity to talk to a human. Seems (according to her) that in their system you need to explicitly save what you enter into the computer at the end of the session. She claimed "that's probably what happened."

I suppose it's possible to have the claim go "off wi' the fairies" after generating the correct snail mails and such. I found it to be somewhat, disconcerting.

I suggested that the company seriously needs to think about getting a different software provider. The one they use now sucks. I mean lose an entire claim because the system needs a human to hit "Save"? As opposed to doing it auto-magically?

Sigh.

So I did the dance (again). Filed the necessary permission documents with my various doctors' offices and await the magic form asking if I'd like the money deposited directly to my account and please fax this form back to us. (Hhmm, seems to be no place on the form to say "No, just send me a check." Modern times.

So I remain more or less "med down" and continue to do stuff to keep my brain busy.

Hopefully all the right buttons were pressed and hoops jumped through.

Stuff.

Annoying at times but we all have to deal with it.

22 comments:

  1. I tend to think they purposely make it difficult and confusing to keep some from successfully filing claims.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would tend to agree with that.

      The modern philosophy of customer service is to keep saying "No" or "we have no record of that" hoping the customer goes away.

      Doesn't work with me.

      Delete
  2. Chris, LittleRhody isn't the only place that has serious mechanical problems on the roads. There are way too many cars out there with loose nuts on the steering wheel. That problem can be easily rectified with the strenuous application of a torque wrench to the head of the driver. As to the computer problem, William Shakespeare had it right:
    to err is human, to really fork up requires a computer. Judicious application of adult beverages should help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Loose nuts indeed.

      I think Germany was one of the few places where the other drivers didn't irk me. Then again, the Germans take driving and driver education very seriously.

      Oh yeah, Venice. I never got p.o.ed at the traffic in Venice (Italy, not California), oh wait, no cars in Venice, never mind.

      Delete
  3. Beautiful rose Sarge. Your Missus is a master and I always enjoy the wonders of your holding. That watch looks like it's been shot at a couple of times!

    Insurance companies are, like banks, now owned and operated by the gubmint. It's gonna take a whole lot of torque-wrenchin' to fix that train wreck.

    Pretty amazing how the body mends itself. All those little cells doing their thing and not a single fornicating bureaucrat in sight.

    Anyway, hang in there. Sit in the sun, enjoy the beauty of your garden, quaff an AB and send us a picture!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hang in there, Aye!

      It's all I can do really. Thanks Shaun!

      Delete
  4. Methinks it is a common thing about the human v digital ethereal world..................Workman's Compensation through the Department of Labor.....................I can so relate with the various injuries that have occurred on the flight line at Eddy's Airplane Patch.
    I still do depend on the snail mail for the Tricare Stuff, though........................
    I live in the Mojave Desert...................................All of the natives drive like idjits............................................................

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahaha. Even in the desert?

      Wow.

      Bureaucrats, if the system was more logical and efficient, there would be no need for bureaucrats. So they go out of their way to make things illogical and inefficient. At least that's my take on things.

      Delete
  5. What's a watch?

    Claims of any kind are a real chore because, it seems, nobody is there to help, only hinder.
    My guess is the software they use didn't have a user manual.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh. Retired guys...

      Yes, the claims process is almost like an obstacle course. One exception in the insurance world? USAA. Never had a problem with them, nor have my kids.

      Delete
  6. Recovery from surgery ain't for sissies. Take it slow Sarge...and enjoy that adult beverage. A nice stiff hot toddy for a few nights and you'll sleep well. Sleep - is the best healer there is. As to the insurance - I can relate. I was home for 3 days after my last hip replacement when I got the mailing indicating I was expected back to work - in 1 more week! I nearly burst the incision with indignation and rage...took an hour to get it sorted and I got the appropriate approval for a total of 9 weeks recovery. Which, after having a joint removed and replaced with shiny Cobalt Chrome and Titanium - is correct. Hang in there Sarge, the time will pass.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kris. I know you have "been there, done that."

      Time does pass, oh so slowly at times.

      Delete
  7. If you lived in Florida, you'd have no trouble driving in the traffic. Everyone is convalescing from something or another. The biggest danger lies in the Walmart parking lot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, in Florida...

      Hhmm, I don't want to go there. I can see myself living in Pensacola, in a trailer in the sand...

      Walmart. Sigh...

      Delete
  8. Typical Rhode Island driver.

    Just leavin' this here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1wUx98-Kxw&feature=player_detailpage

    ReplyDelete
  9. It never ends does it??? Hope you get it straight eventually...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh it'll get straightened out, just have to be persistent and unrelenting. I can do that.

      Delete
  10. Not to Betty Downer but it is just starting for you. Next comes sloppy billing. Rather than straighten anything out, they just send it to a collection agency so as to clear their desk. Must be the VA Syndrome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually I have two insurance companies. One who pays for the doctor, one who pays me, short term disability. The former is one of the best in the area, those bills are paid. It's the latter who are giving me, shall we say, issues. They owe me.

      It will get sorted out. Sooner rather than later.

      Delete

Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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