The Experience

So, have u ever laid(n?) on a flat, hard surface completely still (head immobilized by a hannibal type mask) in a cold room (thank goodness they give u a warmed blanket) for 2 hours????  That’s what i did on Saturday!

What an experience…The good news is that i must have fallen asleep because when i came out of “the tunnel”, i asked the technician how long i was in there and she said 2 hrs…there was no way i would guessed 2 hours…so i must been asleep longer than i thought.  I knew that i fell asleep but it must have been for a much longer time period than i thought.  Luckily for me, the noisier things get, the more relaxed i get so the more that i can sleep.  I mentioned before that the machine is very noisy – they actually give u ear plugs – so it was singing a lullaby for me each time.

At some point my head started hurting and i would shift it ever so slightly but it got to a point where it was hurting so much it was actually burning!  I guess they didn’t put enuf padding behind it…i actually remember thinking, “shit!  I should never have shaved my head…if i had hair, at least that would have given me some padding back there”.  Luckily, they had to inject me with a dye before taking more pictures so she was able to put more padding behind it to make it more comfortable.

MRIs are not physically painful, except when they inject the dye…but i absolutely hate to have to do them because they really can be mentally EXHAUSTING!

Got the Call

the cost?

$350 out of pocket on the day and then the insurance company is going to cover 80% of the entire cost – ARGH!!!  i hate this insurance i have…i’ve had MRIs done before when i was with another insurance company and paid NOTHING out of pocket…SHEEEIIIIT!  guess i’ll have to get over it.

THEN!  the same idiot i spoke with earlier this week who asked me about my name called back.  Now today is Friday and I’m going in tomorrow for the MRIs…she called me back TODAY and said, “now there is a $350 patient responsibility for these procedures” *yes i already know, this is only the 3rd call from u people in 5 minutes*

Chick: how are u going to pay for that
Me: *not that i think that it’s any of ur business but*Ahm…my credit card…
Chick: So would u like to go ahead and do that now??

again…is she serious???  Why the hell would i pay for a procedure that i haven’t done yet???  these people are insane!!

Me: Can’t i pay tomorrow when i get there?
Chick: oh yes, i’ll just update ur file…

Oh yes u will!!!  WTF????  these people have me constantly using foul language…really????  who the hell pays $350 for a procedure that hasn’t been done yet????  Am i the crazy one here?  

Really????

Being sick is a helluva ting…My MRIs are scheduled for Sat afternoon.  I’m assuming that the entire process should take about 3 hours – UGH!!!  i can think of lots of better ways to spend 3 hours..at any rate…

The hospital called me to pre-register, so i’m talking to the chick and she’s going down her list of questions.  Here is an snip of the conversation:

Chick: What’s ur last name
Me: Samuel-O’Brien (1 thing people up here just DON’T get is the concept of a hyphenated last name…it’s something that i will NEVER understand and it pisses me off to no end, but it’s something i have to deal with EVERY *^%* time i’m asked my name AND of course, everyone thinks i’m married)
Chick: O’Brien?
Me: No…Samuel-O’Brien; it’s hyphenated.  (If i’m in a good mood, i will say that it’s hyphenated the 1st time i’m asked and by this time (EVERY TIME), i have attitude)
Chick: Is that an adoptive name, a legal name what?
Me: It’s MY NAME!!!

WTF?!?!?  Was she really serious?  Was she kidding me???  I think that by the time i answered that question, she realized that I was pissed off and said that it was just an additional question that came up after she put in my name…I’m sorry, i really didn’t care at that point, i was just insulted that she had to ask that question afterward.  What kinda stupid ass question is that?????

Anyhoo, at the end of the call she told me that someone else SHOULD call me to tell me IF the insurance covers the procedures and how much my deductible and co-pays are.  I called them back this morning to find out if that has been done yet and the chick said, “they’ll call u and let u know.”  I am yet to get a phone call.

I have no idea what my out of pocket expense is going to be…I’m taking bets on how much it will be and if i’ll know PRIOR to Saturday when I’m at the registration desk.

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