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2022-09-06 - 10:35 a.m.

I just ran the budget. No did not create the excel yet- had to refresh the budget as it was actually a couple months ago since ran it. I ran it BEFORE losing the job. ( I knew I did it recently in this app I like. Ramsey Every Dollar)

I use their Free version.

The medical bills outstanding are around $900.
That is for the co-pays of three months of care for my family.

It would have been $377 less but for the denial of service from Anthem based on their statement "we do not cover that code for the diagnosis this was billed under"

"What is that diagnosis?"
The lady was reading the code when said that. She then looked up the cross reference to define the code and read real time, "gender dysphoria".

YUP A $377 bill because Anthem is transphobic.

There is that...

So our burn rate for out of pocket is at least $250 a month in co-pays. That does not count the prescription co pays and the ones I actually did pay already. I had that money on my flexible spending health care card so used it so that was another $300 spent. So I am going to round to avg of about $400 a month is our out of pocket costs AFTER insurance total for medical care.

That is adding in prescriptions and what I paid- so a pretty good estimate.

So I will add $400 a month to the budget for medical ( for future reference and to see what income I actually NEED! The last budget was created in May as I was ramping up to see the income DESIRED and planning for how much work I WANTED To pick up now that all the kids have gone through the hoops of diagnosis and treatment of most of their medical issues! Pots CHECK All diagnoded and saw the specialist ALLERGIST ATHMA SPECIALIST CHECK Sleep Specialist CHECK ( I kinda feel bad for the one kid as there is a prescription READY from the sleep doctor for them at the pharmacy and I did not yet pick it up !! Once the mortgage goes through I can then do so- need to be ready if a co-pay so good thing moved the little bit of cash in the IRA to be able to pay mortgage AND pick that up this week!).

The next medical issue is that I did finally see an OBGYN to get established since mine retired a couple of years ago. This was on my list due to the sporadic heavy menstral bleeding. I was not too worried as the Internet minimizes that as a concern and it seems could be premenopausal changes in hormones causing that.

It was SUPER bad last July when visited Buffalo and I swore it was also exasperated due to my body actually being allergic to cigarette smoke. I mean it was heavy before but never as bad as when I happened to be there so I thought perhaps the reaction to smoke was a factor?
Maybe not and just coincidence...
as this again happened in June of this year. But the thing is it was not REGULARLY so heavy. Just once in a blue moon..
with more normal in between so I have not been concerned. Based on what I read seemed not that atypical.

BUT I did want to get to the Dr. just in case! My regular physician also did not seem concerned.

So I am glad I saw the specialist. I expected it to be absolutely normal- quick appointment, pap smear and then order of a mammogram. (Its been two years- don't think REALLY need it that often. Recommendations have changed I think on that. The radiation is also not healthy so it is a matter of balancing risk. If HIGH risk for breast cancer then more regular mammograms recommended but for me I think every few years sufficient honestly.)

The last thing I expected was the Dr. To make the comment: "Did you have all C sections?"

I thought she misspoke and asked "Do you mean have all vaginal deliveries? YES to that; no I never had a C Section."

She was surprised and said it looked like my cervix was tightly closed. Now that happens when pregnant or when there is possibly menopausal hormonal changes but I think not typical during PREMENOPAUSE when still bleeding.
It can also happen if there is some growth- cancer or other.
So she said "Nothing to be worried about- this happens sometimes as body changing but I want to have it checked out just to be sure as I can't tell from an exam alone what is going on. Want to be sure all is OK"

OK then.

So I need to get an ultrasound. Ah here is a good overview of what this is and why generally ordered. It makes sense as she said she wants to be sure the IUD is in the right place. She asked if I wanted it removed right then and there and I said NO (simply as I want to be sure health insurance covers anything I get done! I mean I may land a good job in a month and have REALLY good health insurance as opposed to this crappy VA plan from the marketplace!)

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4993-transvaginal-ultrasound#:~:text=Transvaginal%20ultrasounds%20are%20sometimes%20called,your%20belly%20to%20record%20images.

The thing is that the closed cervix this seems like it might be normal based on my reading? I did just come off my period when I saw the Dr. and from what I read that is the time in the cycle that it is typical to have a closed cervix.
It also could be result of some scarring from the Leep procedure done in the past?

I did have some unusal bleeding between typical periods. But I also have an IUD that is at the end of its recommended life of remining in. So honestly I am not too worried.

Heck infertility is the biggest worry for women when they have issues in this area! Not something I have to worry about at my age. I feel for those women who HAVE not had children that have medical problems. So many women do and it is one of the things no one used to ever talk about. Thankfully we are finally paying more attention ( just a little) and allowing women to speak of their bodies without shame!

I did have some growth that my Doctor ( past doctor) removed in a LEEP procedure. He did the biopsy after its removal and my understanding is it was benign, nothing to be worried about but he did want me to be sure to get a pap smear each year and get regular annual exams.
So just hope nothing else unusal going on and the irregular bleeding is simply normal premenpause as hormones change ( and the cervical position same--)
These articles encouraged me.
https://progyny.com/education/trying-to-conceive/cervical-position-fertility/

https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-the-cervical-os-581962

Good news is I am not actually worried about this. Very matter of fact that it is something to schedule and get done. But also practical that won't put it off too long just in case there is somethign there!
BUT JUST IN CASE reading this motivates me to not worry about the co pay and the bills and be confident that even with the existing $900 in medical bills not paid I will be able to earn enough to pay off those AND This procedure.

YEAH
Don't want to play around with this. This is why I write. IN process of writing I am researching and thinking and discerning and decisioning.

OK gonna call and schedule the ultrasound and mammogram. If the shitty healthcare does NOT Cover these we have a serious problem in the state of VA and I will go gangbusters then knocking on my representatives door to address it.

FUCK I should do that for the non coverage of my kid anyway. YEAH I should find energy to do that already. I should not think "It's only a $377 bill" Hell no; I should know some things ARE worth fighting for even if they demand and investment of time and money.

ON my BUCKET LIST-
Pay off the rest of them medical bills; get caught up; find clients AND file the freaking what is it something like an $80 small claims filing fee for BREACH of contract or whatever it costs in time and my effort to file Pro Bono for non compliance of the VA law that can not discriminate in providing healthcare against trans people. It is just fucking bullshit. One does not have to LIKE that trans exist. One can even BE AFRAID of them as often we are afraid of that we don't understand. It is scary to have such unknowns.BUT to DISREGARD the very humanity and lack basic CARE that is provided to others for basic SURVIVAL- I mean not cover BASIC healthcare that is provided for EVERYONE ELSE just because of someone's trans identity

that is just fucking WRONG.
So wrong.
and I should not accept that for my family; for my kid.

OK to add to the TO DO- ( As still in step one of today's list! UGH This is the ADHD brain- have to dig deep when DO ANYTHING)
* SCHEDULE ULTRASOUND and Mammogram
and call the Insurance company to know what to expect as far as co-pay.

https://www.symptomfind.com/health-conditions/what-is-uterine-cancer-causes-symptoms-and-treatments?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740013%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex&ueid=311ac737-445b-4cea-b5c4-090192ab12c5

I actually got a call from the radiology company the day after the appointment as they were trying to schedule me to come in.

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