My MS Story... part eight

After all of that hullabaloo, I called UNMC to make an appointment w/ a neurologist. That's where my cousin recommended that I go. However, it wasn’t as easy as you would think it would be. My insurance wasn’t the problem. They said I could go to any neurologist I wanted to & that I didn’t even need a referral. UNMC felt differently though. THEY wanted a referral before they would let me schedule an appointment. I had already been referred to a neurologist by Dr. Jackass back in February, so what’s the problem? It was a different neurologist. I wanted to see one that specializes in MS. This required me to call Dr. Jackass & get a new referral.

That was kind of an awkward thing to do. I think I forgot to mention that when I was still scheming & trying to get the long term care insurance, one of the things I did was go back to Dr. Jackass in June w/ another brilliant plan. I made up a reason to see him, saying I was having summer allergies. I had no sign of allergies at all but this brilliant jackass looked down my throat & up my nose & agreed that I did indeed have allergies. What a joke! It was all made up so that I could put into action what happened next.


While he was writing me a prescription for my non-existent allergies, that I never had filled,
I said: “Oh hey, I went to a chiropractor like we had discussed when I was having leg issues.”
Dr. J.A: “Oh ya? How’d that go?”
Me: “Awesome. He said I had so many things out of line, probably due to my 2 falls, which needed adjusting. So I went for a few months & I have no problems w/ my leg anymore.” (Not totally a lie, he DID say that)
Dr. J.A: “That’s great.”
I paused for a bit while he was writing away & then as if the idea had just come to me, I said: “Oh hey, can you add that to my medical records?”
Dr. J.A: “Sure, I can do that.”
And this is exactly what he added to my records: “The chiropractor said she had significant but correctable misalignment in her low back. After a few visits she is not experiencing any weakness or discomfort in the lower extremity. Her strength is good, strong and symmetrical. She is participating in a lot of physical activities w/o any difficulty. I had considered sending her to the neurologist but it does not seem that she needs that now.”
Hook, line & sinker!! So now we know that not only is he a jackass, he is also a dumbass! It is so obvious that my left leg is weaker.

I thought that would be enough to get the long term care but as we know, it was explained to me that it wouldn’t be. However, after re-reading what he added, I’m having second thoughts about whether or not it could have worked. I’m wishing I would have continued with that attempt. I bet it would have worked. But it’s too late now.
It still feels good to have fooled that jerk though. As I’ve said before, I needed something else to focus on & that felt like a huge accomplishment of revenge at least. I know, revenge isn’t very yoga-like or good for the soul, but that’s where I was at that particular time. And even though Dr. J.A. has no idea I fooled him, it STILL feels good.

So that’s why it was somewhat awkward calling up for a referral to a neurologist less than 2 months later. He didn’t even question it though, he just referred me.
So back to getting that appointment scheduled. Not quite yet! UNMC wanted a copy of my medical records, which of course I had to stop in to Dr. J.A.’s office one last time and sign a release in order for them to be sent. Now it should be easy.

Nope. Once UNMC got the records, a nurse called to ask “Why?” I was being referred. Are you kidding me?? Can’t you read my medical records? I was getting a little frustrated by now and said “Because I have MS & I need to get a diagnosis”. She then asks, “Who told you that you have MS?” I said “Nobody! But I know that I have it & I need to get diagnosed!” Of course her next question was “Why do you think you have it?” REALLY!!?? Why the hell did they need my medical records if they weren’t going to read them? I said “Didn’t you get my records?” She did, but she couldn’t find anything in them mentioning MS symptoms and they needed a reason to see me before they could schedule an appointment. Are you freaking kidding me?? How ironic!! I spend months trying to hide the fact that I have MS, only to give up, accepting that Long Term Care Insurance wasn’t in my future. And NOW I am having to prove that I have sufficient reason to be seen by a neurologist.

Since I had my own copy of my medical records, I went through them while I had the nurse on the phone. I had to direct her to the correct page & show her where it was mentioned. Again, I wonder if it would’ve been this easy to fool the insurance folks. She finally sees it but still has to discuss it w/ the doctor to see if he agrees that I need to be seen. I’m starting to feel like this a Seth Myers/Amy Poehler SNL segment; REALLY!!??

So finally, after all of THAT hullabaloo, which took about a week, she called me back and said the neurologist agreed that I needed to be seen. DUHHH!!!! We scheduled an appointment for the end of August, which was a month away. More waiting.