September 6, 2018
It started on Labor Day, September 3, when I got up enough courage to send an email to Dr. Prabaharan, requesting a new meter, the OneTouch Verio IQ meter starter kit, which includes the meter, charging cable and AC adapter, a OneTouch Delica lancing device, 10 lancets, control solution, and 10 test strips. I requested to continue my quantity of 300 test strips per 3-month supply.
https://www.onetouch.com/products/glucose-meters/onetouch-verio-iq#what-s-in-the-box
Sometime between the time I sent it (on a holiday) and the time I checked my email the next morning, September 4, Dr. Prabaharan had accessed his work email and sent me a response saying that he had submitted the prescription to the pharmacy. I thanked him and then went to check my pharmacy record and, yes!, there it was–the meter starter kit, an extra bottle of control solution, 300 test strips, and 300 lancets. I quickly checked all four items and sent my order to be texted when ready for pick-up. By 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, my new meter and all the supplies were ready for pick-up. All for zero co-pay under my Kaiser Senior Advantage plan.
Then I went poking around other sections of my online Kaiser account, and I just happened to see that I was scheduled for a phone appointment with Dr. Prabaharan at 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, September 5. I wondered what that could be about. I only knew that the lab had not yet sent test results for my A1C from my blood draw last week. I emailed that I would be at my daughter’s house but he could reach me on my cell and I gave him the number.
I had fully intended to pick up the meter before going out to Tracy on Wednesday, but that didn’t happen. My 4:45 p.m. phone appointment with Dr. Prabaharan didn’t happen either. I kept my phone around my neck from 4:30 to 5:14 p.m. Apparently, Dr. Prabaharan called at 5:15 and 5:17 p.m. and left voicemail that he would send me email.
After a full afternoon and evening with our grandson, we went to the San Leandro Kaiser Pharmacy on the way home. At 9:00 p.m., there are parking spaces right up by the door and there’s only one or two people in line at the 24/7 pharmacy. The young woman who retrieved my package sent me right down to Consultation at Window 1. I didn’t mind.
At home, I checked my email from Dr. Prabaharan. He had me rescheduled for 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 6. And I have a dental appointment at 10:00 a.m.! But I responded, as only a female can, “Okay, fine.” I set my alarm clock for 6:00 a.m. and decided to not try to watch General Hospital tonight. He did tell me that he wanted to discuss a dosage change for my thyroid medication.
Phone Appointment with Dr. Prabaharan
Morning came early as I knew it would. I did manage to get out of bed by 7:00 a.m. I took my thyroid medication with water as soon as I checked my weight and my fasting blood sugar. Then set my alarm for 60 minutes. I cleared my throat and said, “Hello,” a couple of times to make sure my voice was working. At 8-something, my landline phone (on my desk) rang, with a caller ID of Kaiser Permanente. I picked up. It was Dr. Prabaharan.
He did indeed discuss a lower dosage of levothyroxine, based on the results of my TSH, with another TSH test to be done at 3 months. I was expecting 6 weeks, as Dr. Chan had done when my dosage was lowered. Dr. Prabaharan said that it takes 6 weeks for the body to adjust to a new dosage but he wanted to make sure by giving it another 6 weeks. Then I asked him about the A1C and he said, “Oh, yeah, it looks like the lab didn’t do it.”
“So I’ll need to go in again?” I wanted to confirm.
“Yes,” he said, “and I’ll send you email specifically ordering the HbA1C plus the urine micro-albumin test that Dr. Chan had ordered last January.” Finally! He suggested it would be best to go in to the lab first thing in the morning. I figured my new thyroid medicine prescription would be ready before morning, so I could do all of it at the same time tomorrow, Friday, September 7.
Dental Appointment
When the call was over, I took the rest of my AM pills, brushed my teeth, and drove to the SmileCare Dentist office, which had a new owner, Golden State Smiles, since June. When I got there at 9:52 a.m., I asked the receptionist about still being covered under my same plan. There was a young woman standing behind the one seat at the desk, who was obviously training in a new receptionist. She told me that, unless I had received a letter informing me of loss of coverage, nothing has changed.
I didn’t see as many staff as usual. In fact, the only people I saw were the two Latina women in the receptionist area (which had 4 or 5 workstations), the Asian dental hygienist who cleaned my teeth, and the Indian dentist who came in to check. “No food or drink for 30 minutes,” the hygienist said as she applied the fluoride with a cotton swab. I hate the taste and feel of the fluoride in my mouth! But I know it will go away when I can get home and get coffee!
On my way out, I was given a card for my next appointment (in March of 2019). I heard the standing receptionist tell the new one, “When you make a 6-month appointment, always go to the date that is exactly 6 months, then add two days. Otherwise, the insurance won’t cover it.” Hmm, that answers that question that I always had.
Then I offered a credit card which she swiped, printed out something, and gave me to sign. I asked for a copy of what was done today. This is the first time I’ve been brave enough to do that! Maybe because I thought it would be “safe” to do with a new owner of the business. The receptionist had no problem with it. “I hope they pay you what you’re worth!” I said to her as she handed me the requested copy. She grinned. “Thank you!” Then, in a lower voice, “I hope so, too!”
The cost today was just under $200. And I drove back into the driveway without scraping any supports.
Lots accomplished.