My MS Story ... part five

At the same time that I was putting my trust in the chiropractor, I was also doing my best scheming to find a way around what Dr. Jackass wrote in my medical records. Even before we had any indication of MS, Fletch & I had already been planning to take steps this year to get financially prepared for our future. We were watching my step dad go through Alzheimer’s without a long term plan & we did not want to be in the same predicament. Fletch’s mom, Susan, got us the Suze Orman financial planning kit for Christmas so that we could get started. The 2 Suze’s were here to help us. But before the holidays even ended & before we could really dive into it, I started suspecting that I had MS.

So now it was even more important than ever to plan for the future just in case I do need assisted living someday. We have health insurance to cover regular medical needs but if I need assisted living, then Long Term Care insurance is going to be essential. And despite the doctor ruining my chances, I became obsessed with finding a way around this.

It was a very long & drawn out process that went on for about 6 months. I asked friends & family who knew about or sold Long Term Care Insurance for advice. I told them all about the scheme I had come up with to make it happen. None of them discouraged me. They all made it sound like my plan was completely plausible & totally possible, which fueled my hair brained scheme even more.

I’ve come up with some pretty crazy schemes in my life. I just try to think of every possible scenario or obstacle & I figure out a way around it. I’ve been doing this my whole life. I think I learned this from my Dad, who taught me how to figure things out for myself. I’ve figured my way out of some pretty difficult jams, pulled off some pretty crazy shit & I was determined to do it once again.

My plan was simple. I would ask for a copy of my medical records & simply take the page out where the doctor mentions MS. I would then make an appointment w/ a new doctor, in a different health system, and bring my records with me, minus that page of course. Then I would apply for Long Term Care and when they asked for my medical records, I would refer them to my new doctor, never mentioning Dr. Jackass. I know, I know, it sounds crazy & it probably was. But if it worked, it would be the best scheme I ever pulled off, not to mention the first questionably illegal one. But hey, just because in MY mind “I” knew I had MS, I still hadn’t been officially diagnosed w/ anything yet.

I even had to get creative about getting a copy of my medical records. You would think I could just call up & get a copy. That’s what I did in the past when I switched form a doctor in Omaha to the doctor in Glenwood. However, this doctor’s office said they could send them to another doctor for free but if I wanted a physical copy of my own records it would cost me 50 cents a page. That’s ridiculous! These are MY records! As thick as the file was when I came to this doctor, that would cost well over a $100. So I called my cousin who works for a doctor who removed a fibroid for me 2 years ago. She had access to my electronic medical records & so she printed them out for free & mailed them to me. See, I told you, I always find a way around things.

Maybe all this was just something to keep my mind off of what was really going on. Maybe it was just another form of denial or maybe it was just something I felt like I was still in control of since I had no idea how to control MS.

Fletch & I started meeting w/ financial planners. It wasn’t as simple as just going in & applying. They all wanted to get some information first; what were our goals, when did Fletch want to retire, what’s our current financial state, blah, blah, blah. They would then devise a plan that would be best suited for us. I just wanted Long Term Care but we didn’t want to seem too anxious, or draw any suspicion, so we took our time, having several meetings with them over the course of several months. I remember focusing on my walking every single time I went to their offices, hiding any sign of a possible limp.

Another reason why it took so long is because it is just my nature to procrastinate. And I'm very good at it. Plus, we were heading into the summer months and camping season at Lake McConaughy. I am a fun first, instant gratification girl. And this girl was havin' a Big Mac Attack!!