Sparks and Butterflies...

But aside from that, she's still completely normal

  • Home
  • About Michele

What the Hell Happened to Me?

November 5, 2019 By Michele Leave a Comment

In a word… Life.

I was looking at my blog and realized that I haven’t written consistently since 2016. Wow. And then life went crazy.

Here’s a very short synopsis, and I hope to come back write more specifically.

  • Mom died.
  • The after mom stuff – like what happened to her body and teaching dad how to function.
  • Getting used to dad’s new normal – which includes hording.
  • Getting used to our new normal.
  • Sassy dying.
  • Pebbles dying.
  • Dad becoming more dependent on us.
  • Dad getting sick.
  • Dad dying.
  • The after dad stuff. Like my family being fucking crazy, and death bringing out the very worst in people, and realizing I really don’t have anyone but Jay. Finding out what people really think of you? I don’t know.
  • Joseph graduating – and going from a minor to adult in all services.
  • Jamaica.
  • Lucy
  • The houses – pre-selling. Selling.
  • Moving, renting, the guest house, and more family what-the-ever-loving-fuck.
  • Hysterectomy?
  • Where we are now.
  • What the plans for the future are.
  • Jim. And Jeannette, my dad, and the whole tale.
  • Updates on Jay, Joseph, Logan, the pets, and me, now.

Let Me Tell You Where to Put Your Benefits Package

January 13, 2017 By Michele Leave a Comment

<Vent Incoming>

I’ve never mentioned what company my husband works for. And I won’t now. But I’m heated at them, and so I’m-a-gonna-vent.

We get our health coverage via covered California. Why? Because to put our family on his work’s offering would cost 40% of his take-home pay. Which leaves 60% for things like EVERYTHING ELSE INCLUDING RENT. For example, if I paid you $100, first, you’d have to pay $40 for your medical insurance, and then have $60 for your rent or mortgage, car insurance, gas, utilities, groceries, phone or tv or internet… You get the picture. We’re on a shoestring as it is, so that’s not happening. Our rent is 20% of our pay. In other words, their offering is twice our rent. There’s something wrong there. And this isn’t actually my vent.

ANYWAY. While the medical offering is way out of our league financially, we do get their health insurance, as otherwise we wouldn’t have any, and this year, we signed up for vision. I need to take care of some things eye-related. Those premiums aren’t crazy, but this is the first year I’ve signed up for it. (My husband’s work, but he brings me all the paperwork.)

First of the year comes and goes, and I verify that yes, his payroll has been deducted, but we’ve received nothing on the vision plan. I ask Jay to find out who he has to talk to, because I don’t have a card, or a list of doctor’s or anything to prove we’re signed up. He finds the person and asks me to draft an email for him to send. (He works nights – email is his best bet.)

Email he sent:

“G’morning,

During open enrollment, I signed up my wife and I for Vision coverage. I confirmed that the coverage premium was taken from my paycheck. Will we receive any information on providers, or receive cards, or some such? There’s a need to visit an ophthalmologist, but we don’t know where to go.

Thanks in advance,”

Let me preface this by saying I have worked in HR. I’ve been the person that handles benefits, and signs employees up with the various companies. I’ve been that person you go to when you have a benefits question. So, when I tell you the response is inappropriate – I know what I’m talking about.

HR Division Manager’s Response, in its entirety, minus the signature:

“Did you read through your benefits package?  You have to ask your doctor if they accept our vision plan and they will tell you what’s covered.”

So, Dear HR Manager, actually yes, I did read through the benefits package. Vision got one half of one page, shared with dental, on which it was explained that it’s a ppo with in-network and out-of-network stuff. AND THAT’S IT. I actually know what’s covered and the copays, I just don’t know how to find an in-network doctor, or PROVE I’M COVERED TO THEM. “You have to ask your doctor if they accept our vision plan and they will tell you what’s covered” Is NOT in the package. Did YOU read YOUR benefits package? Doctors are NOT supposed to give me a primer on my coverage, should I need it, YOU ARE. They’re paid to tell me that I’m blind. So – no worries… I’ll fucking find the vision plan’s number myself, go through the run-around of getting them to figure out that why yes, this random Michele Wilcox is a covered member, and ask them to give me a list of available doctors. At the very least, you could have said this as an HR MANAGER (Remember, I’ve done your job): “I’m sorry, but the vision plan works a little differently than other coverage. If you call this number, xxx-xxx-xxxx, or visit this website xxxxxxxx.com, and tell them you’re with ABC Company under Vender Number sl;dkfjsdlfl, they’ll be able to help you find the information you need. Please don’t hesitate to call with any other questions, I’ll be happy to help.”

</vent>

Surgery Nerves

May 10, 2016 By Michele Leave a Comment

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a critter named Ned. I have an update.

Insurance has approved the surgery. I’ll be having a  laparotomy as opposed to a laparoscopy. Meaning, instead of small incisions, using a camera and then removing the critter through a small incision, I’ll be having a fully open abdominal surgery. In my case, it’s warranted, and is the safer option.

I have a pre-op appointment tomorrow, and then my surgery is a week from Friday on May 20th. I’ll be in the hospital 2-4- days. Then full recovery will be 6 weeks. The first 2 weeks at least will be no driving. And a full week off of work. On top of it, it’s the beginning of summer, will be the last week of school, and we’ll have to cancel our first of two trips we planned for the summer.

In other words, the household will be in chaos. I’m upset by this. And I’m nervous. And I’m overwhelmed. But Ned has got to be evicted.

 

It’s a Boy Named Ned

April 18, 2016 By Michele Leave a Comment

In the ongoing saga of testing and WTF is going on with my innards, I have more information. So… A little bit of TMI for you below the fold.

Continue Reading

I know about the Zebras

April 13, 2016 By Michele Leave a Comment

Back in February, I mentioned that I had some tests done.

I eventually received my mammogram results, which were all clear. But I never heard about my pap smears, or about the ultrasound.

I called last week, and asked for my results, and the lady said she call me back. She didn’t.

I called Monday and asked again for my results. This time I was chastised, “We told you to call for your results two weeks later.” Well so sorry. Geez. The pap smear results were clear, which is good, because the last time I had it done, they were abnormal. She said, “Let me talk to the doctor about the ultrasound.”

“This is neither positive or negative, but the doctor wants you to come in so he can give you the report.”

“When?”

“This week.”

So – I’m now in that slightly terrifying place of limbo. On the one hand, I could be dying. On the other, I’m guessing they want to tell me about my two uteruses (already know), my fibroids (already know), and my cysts (already know) — in other words, I know about the zebras, just checking if there’s any unicorns in addition — so I’ll just be out of the copay money for nothing.

So I’m alternating between terrified and annoyed.

Next Page »

Wife. Mother. Daughter. Business owner. Please send coffee.

Follow Me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

My Main Gig…


I provide Virtual Assistant services to individuals and small businesses to help them flourish...

View the Categories

Archives

My Writing Elsewhere

Recent Comments

  • Headless Mom on What the Summer Looked Like to me
  • Abbie on My Mom Died Last Night
  • Lamont Wimberly on A Joke from my Dad
  • Abbie on Help Me Understand Obamacare
  • sara on Help Me Understand Obamacare

Copyright 1998-2016 Michele Wilcox