I am taking another vacation day tomorrow to have an extra long weekend again. I am looking forward to the downtime and to a few fun activities that we have planned for the holiday. If the vacation that I have requested gets approved, I will only work 2 full weeks during the month of December.
Part of me feels slightly guilty about it because I have needed so much time this year, but I have the time to take, and my work is getting done so that helps alleviate the guilt some. With all that has gone on this year, you'd think that I'd have learned to let go of some unnecessary guilt, but I am still working on that.
As always, I'm a work in progress. It's probably fair to say that we all are.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
Day 292 - Internalize
It is hard to not internalize other people's problems. I've become a member of several cancer-related Facebook groups, and there are often posts that make me sad and scared. These groups have done much more good for me than harm, but I have to remember to be empathetic without projecting others' issues onto me. I hope that does not sound cold. It's not meant to be.
We are all different. Our diagnoses are different, and the way that we handle treatment and life after treatment is different. I am very good at remembering this 90% of the time, and there is nothing specific that is triggering this post, in fact. I've just been thinking about this topic recently.
We are all different. Our diagnoses are different, and the way that we handle treatment and life after treatment is different. I am very good at remembering this 90% of the time, and there is nothing specific that is triggering this post, in fact. I've just been thinking about this topic recently.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Day 291 - Accomplished
I got a lot accomplished today - gym, grocery store, bounce castles with Henry, and some volunteer work. I originally planned for a 10am trip to the gym but figured that stores would be packed by the time the class ended at 11 so switched to an earlier class at 8:45am.
When I got home, Henry requested a trip to the bounce castle place, and we had no other plans so I obliged. He made a few friends and had a sweaty blast running around. I could tell where he was at any given time because he was growling like a dinosaur almost the whole time he was there. Kids are so funny.
This afternoon, I did some work for METAvivor. I am working on a volunteer training program for them and got a program outline off to my contact on the organization's board of directors. I have spent the past few months researching best practices and gathering information on other volunteer training programs so was able to compile my recommendations and a basic program outline and send it along.
If I'm on the right track, I'll start filling in the outline with more robust information. I am so glad to be able to help this organization, and I hope to hear about another volunteer opportunity sometime next month.
When I got home, Henry requested a trip to the bounce castle place, and we had no other plans so I obliged. He made a few friends and had a sweaty blast running around. I could tell where he was at any given time because he was growling like a dinosaur almost the whole time he was there. Kids are so funny.
This afternoon, I did some work for METAvivor. I am working on a volunteer training program for them and got a program outline off to my contact on the organization's board of directors. I have spent the past few months researching best practices and gathering information on other volunteer training programs so was able to compile my recommendations and a basic program outline and send it along.
If I'm on the right track, I'll start filling in the outline with more robust information. I am so glad to be able to help this organization, and I hope to hear about another volunteer opportunity sometime next month.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Day 290 - Reunited
In August, we learned that Henry's best friend at his preschool got into a 4k program at a local public school. His mom teaches at that school so him going was a no-brainer. Henry has not stopped talking about how much he misses his friend since he left the school in August so I emailed his mom to see if they could meet us at a local playground.
The stars aligned, and we were able to catch up this morning. We were at the playground for almost 3 hours, and Henry came home a sweaty, dirty, happy mess. He was so happy to see his friend, and the feeling was mutual. We left the playground vowing to get the two boys together more often. It was so cute to watch them play and listen to them talk to each other.
The stars aligned, and we were able to catch up this morning. We were at the playground for almost 3 hours, and Henry came home a sweaty, dirty, happy mess. He was so happy to see his friend, and the feeling was mutual. We left the playground vowing to get the two boys together more often. It was so cute to watch them play and listen to them talk to each other.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Day 289 - Giggle
Henry's laugh is one of my favorite sounds in the world. He's got an infectious and uninhibited belly laugh that always makes me laugh with him. I was putting him to bed last night, and we were being really silly. The sillier I got, the harder he laughed, and he harder I laughed.
When I got downstairs after Henry was tucked in, I got a little bit scolded for getting Henry wound up before bedtime. The old me would have agreed that I should not be silly with him like that before bed, but the new me does not care. I love the sound of his laughter, and if laughing causes him to fall asleep 5 minutes later than he would have otherwise, then so be it. Bring the giggles.
When I got downstairs after Henry was tucked in, I got a little bit scolded for getting Henry wound up before bedtime. The old me would have agreed that I should not be silly with him like that before bed, but the new me does not care. I love the sound of his laughter, and if laughing causes him to fall asleep 5 minutes later than he would have otherwise, then so be it. Bring the giggles.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Day 288 - TMI
I am happy to report that my chemo-induced menopause has ended. Sparing details, I am really happy about this. Menopause at the age of 34 would bring a whole host of other problems and concerns so I am happy to report that I can cross that off of my list of worries.
As a quick follow up to yesterday's post, I called to pay my radiation bill that I mentioned yesterday and had trouble paying through the hospital's automated system so needed to speak to a representative who told me that my insurance company conducted an additional audit of the bill. He told me to wait for a new bill to be mailed to me but that the new amount owed would be in the neighborhood of $280. Even better! I am so grateful for my fantastic health insurance.
As a quick follow up to yesterday's post, I called to pay my radiation bill that I mentioned yesterday and had trouble paying through the hospital's automated system so needed to speak to a representative who told me that my insurance company conducted an additional audit of the bill. He told me to wait for a new bill to be mailed to me but that the new amount owed would be in the neighborhood of $280. Even better! I am so grateful for my fantastic health insurance.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Day 287 - Insurance
My company's open enrollment period for next year's medical, dental, and vision insurance started today. Before this year, I had never really thought all that much about insurance other than "do I have it and how much will prescription medications cost." When I was pregnant with Henry, I gave my insurance a slightly more critical look, but only to know my out of pocket max and whether or not anesthesia was covered.
That changed this year. During our open enrollment meeting last year, I remember my boss saying "we are only offering one medical insurance option this year, but it is a really good plan." I didn't think all that much about that comment back then, but I thought about it all of the time this year. My insurance is really good. Really good. Without getting into too many specifics or talking too much about the finances of cancer, I still have not met my out of pocket max for the year and will provide one example of how great my coverage has been. The itemized bill for my 33 radiation treatments was over $19,000. I owe $459 of that.
$459 is still a healthy check to write (I don't really write checks, but that sounds better than "healthy card payment to make online"), but $459 is quite do-able compared to what it could have been. I have a lot of other examples of bills like that but won't bore you with details. My insurance is fantastic, and I am so very grateful that my company took the time to research and provide us with such an excellent plan.
I am also so happy to report that the plan has not changed for the 2016 calendar year. My company did add a lower-cost plan for next year as an option for those who do not anticipate needing regular medical care (does anyone really ever anticipate that). I elected to keep us all on the current plan that I know is really good. I'd rather have excellent coverage and anticipate that I will always opt for the higher-premium/better-coverage plans moving forward.
I'm very grateful for wonderful health insurance.
That changed this year. During our open enrollment meeting last year, I remember my boss saying "we are only offering one medical insurance option this year, but it is a really good plan." I didn't think all that much about that comment back then, but I thought about it all of the time this year. My insurance is really good. Really good. Without getting into too many specifics or talking too much about the finances of cancer, I still have not met my out of pocket max for the year and will provide one example of how great my coverage has been. The itemized bill for my 33 radiation treatments was over $19,000. I owe $459 of that.
$459 is still a healthy check to write (I don't really write checks, but that sounds better than "healthy card payment to make online"), but $459 is quite do-able compared to what it could have been. I have a lot of other examples of bills like that but won't bore you with details. My insurance is fantastic, and I am so very grateful that my company took the time to research and provide us with such an excellent plan.
I am also so happy to report that the plan has not changed for the 2016 calendar year. My company did add a lower-cost plan for next year as an option for those who do not anticipate needing regular medical care (does anyone really ever anticipate that). I elected to keep us all on the current plan that I know is really good. I'd rather have excellent coverage and anticipate that I will always opt for the higher-premium/better-coverage plans moving forward.
I'm very grateful for wonderful health insurance.
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