Sunday, January 22, 2012

Tidbit of Information - Be Aware!

Hello everyone! Today I have a small tidbit of information for you.

Last week, I had requested to have allergy testing to see what foods I am allergic to because of a certain health problem. I specifically asked for food intolerance and food allergy testing. The GP's office told me it was very comprehensive and would be expensive to pay out of the pocket.

My insurance covers it.

I made the appointment and had blood drawn.

Several days later, my husband received the phone call with my results. It seems I am allergic to dog fur! I have two dogs. I've had as many as 4 in the house at one time. I've had dogs for most of my life! Imagine my surprise to know that I am allergic to my babies! No wonder I have a stuffy head almost every day. This was not the bad part.

I called my doctor's office to get the scoop on the whole shebang. I asked to see my labs and I received them via fax. Here is the bad part...

My lab results only included cow's milk and peanuts! Everything else was environmental. Trees, grasses, bugs, animals, etc. Only 31 results were listed! They only checked 31 things! Only 2 were foods!!! Comprehensive?!

I called back to complain and they said they would check into it and call me back. I was fuming! I specifically requested food intolerance/food allergy testing. They offered to redo the testing for foods and not charge me for the environmental. They said it would only cover about the same amount of items that the environmental covered. YOY!!!  I am thinking about it. I have seven days after the blood draw before they destroy my sample.

What to do? Be charged for nothing much that would be of benefit?

The moral of the story is to ask to see your labs to make sure they are doing what they said. It is easier to dispute something when you see it right away. Why charge your insurance for things that you didn't request? I would never have known the mistake. I wouldn't have questioned it at all and would have wasted my money and my insurance money and believed I was only allergic to dogs. They want to send me for a scratchie test to find out other allergens which the blood test didn't cover. Yeah. Right! Like I'm going to believe them now. I don't like doctors to begin with and this is sealing the deal.

I'm looking into an alternate route.

Be aware! Take care.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Some More Catching Up

Hubby and I took photos and made some of our own Christmas cards this year. They turned out really nice. Here's one of the pics we took. Now you get to see what us old fogie chicken farmers look like.

Me and Hubby
I think we're cute. Oh well...that's what love means!

More Catching Up

I have a little bit of a problem attaching successive photos within one entry. So bear with me while I continue with my catching up.

Check this out...
Blooming Cactus
I have no idea what kind of cactus I have, but it decided to bloom. It had a pod on it for about a week. The pod was the size of...if you put your index fingers together and your thumbs together to make a 'spade' shape...that's how big it was. Then it opened up into this beige and maroon fuzzy thing. Gorgeous! I'm sure this picture doesn't do it justice. When it bloomed, I was awe-struck. Sometimes you just don't know what to expect from God's gifts of nature.

Catching Up

It's been a while since I've posted. I had been busy getting things done for Christmas. As you see below, I've been busy.
Grandson's Afghan for Christmas
This afghan turned out really nice. Hubby helped me make it. Actually, he did the braiding for the Jacob's Ladder. That saved me a lot of headache! This was the second full-sized afghan since I started in November. I've made a baby afghan, which I'll have to show later. I'm almost finished with a shawl (for me!) and I'll post that pic later, too.

Speaking of Christmas.

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Merry Christmas to all of you who are Orthodox Christians and celebrated yesterday, January 7th.

All the best to all of you who read my blog. Take care.