A Letter to Insurance

Dear Ci.gna,

Yes, you have been my insurance carrier for several years now. I pay out the nose so I can have decent insurance. I do not understand you in any way, shape or form. You so easily pay for some things and fight, deny, fight, deny other things all under the guise that my employer is asking you to do this. I will not take the most recent coverage denial lying down.

We were fitted for a wheelchair back in September. Who WANTS their child to need one (unless they have Munch.hausen by Proxy)? It was a life altering, traumatic experience to realize that my child will need one and come to the decision to get fitted. I find it truly crappy that you send us the paperwork for denial two weeks before we were supposed to get the chair. It is crappier that you sent it addressed to my child. She is only six and does not understand the ins and outs of the insurance BS you put us through (although she might be able to make sense of your nonsense in her world). It is the crappiest that it was right before Christmas.

What part of Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy do you not understand? Yes, she walks. She doesn't walk far or well for long periods of time. We can't make it through the grocery story, let alone Walmarx, the mall or downtown parking to get to dr. appointments with out her needing to be carried or ride (in her stroller which if for babies, she has NO independence in that). You have paid for her Mac.laren Major with insert, her multiple DAFOs, her weekly therapies and numerous dr. appointments.

Yet, you deny her wheelchair for ridiculous reasons. Quotes from the letter:

=The individual does not have a disease process or injury for which weight-bearing and/or ambulation is contraindicated.
=The individual does not have a disease process or injury that precludes use of the lower extremities
= A seat width and/or depth of 14 inches or less is not recommended

Again, what part of Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy is not understood??? As far as the smaller seat width---- she is a small child! DUH! DUH! DUH! They also do not want to give us a light weight wheelchair cause the caregiver can push a standard chair. I can, but she is, once again, a small child and we are hoping she can gain independence by maneuvering herself.


As I said before, I will NOT take this lying down. You ruined my Christmas and have started off my New Year on a sour note. I guess filing multiple back injury claims will help? I am filing every appeal you give me, already at the third level. I have gotten the CEO of my hospital involved (yes, I work at a hospital that has multiple people disbelieving this as well). A basic pediatric wheelchair is NOT a luxury for us, it is a necessity.

Ci.gna Insurance, you suck! F*@k you very much for you inattention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Meghatron's Mom

Wanting/Having a Number 2

And I'm not talking about poo! (sorry, my 12 year old boy humor rearing its ugly head)


Ellen, one of my fav bloggers, has posted a very interesting question. It is so provocative that I feel like my answer needs its own post. I was reading the answers on her blog & felt like I would put the "harsh on the mellow" of the responders.

Am I scared to have a second child? I am "turdified".

My risk of pre-e is so high that I would probably have another preemie. Not just another preemie, but one more premature than MM. I feel like we were very fortunate with our NICU stay and don't really want to tempt the odds. Yes, she has CP as a long lasting reminder and they still don't know why (was it lack of nutrients in utero, was it lack of oxygen during labor, did it happen after delivery). My pre-e was quite severe. I have so many problems now with my blood pressure that I can't imagine risking my life for another little one. How is that fair to DH & MM? I know I would be on bed rest from very early on. Again, how is that fair to the tiny family I have now? I need my job, MM needs her therapy, DH needs a partner (no matter how poor of a job I have been doing), etc.

The whole autism thing plays into this as well. They still haven't found the cause or if it is truly genetic. I don't want to bring another child into the world with the potential of having ASD. What if I had a boy and he was more affected? Yes, we are very lucky with how well MM is doing and her functionality. I hate that she has to struggle & fight every day to make her way in this world.

I read of those who went on to have a second and it helped them. It all worked out and healed them of all the trauma they had from NICU, etc. When I envision having a second, I don't see all that happening for us. Is it cause my judgment is clouded by my own issues (depression)? I also read of how another has helped the older SNK. I totally can see that, but is the age gap too large now?

I am a realist and look at the odds. The odds are not in our favor. I love to gamble, but I try to be smart about it. I wouldn't bet on these odds with money, why take the risk with another life and risk our family as well? People say "adopt or get a surrogate". Surrogate would carry our DNA, so still risky. Both of those options are quite expensive too. We have spent a good sum of our savings on ABA & other therapy for MM. We just don't have thousands of dollars sitting around to adopt.

That doesn't mean that part of me doesn't say JUST DO IT! (although we can't just do it, it takes work for us to get pg & stay pg) Don't worry, just go for it. What will be will be. I have done it before, doing it now & it is working out. My heart does feel an empty place, yearning for more children. I always wanted a houseful of children. I know that wants & needs are two different things. I need to take care of the family I have and enjoy the child I have now.

And would some one please tell MM that she is not having a little sister? She keeps saying that over & over. She also told the teacher she has a baby brother named Patrick. These statements don't help me stand firm in my decision! .

So am I scared? What do you think?

Still Here

Making a knot & hanging on. Will update soon.