Good news, bad news and stupid people.

March 27, 2003

How is that for a subject line?

We went and had Cheyennes hearing test done today. The good news is

there is nothing wrong with her hearing, the bad news is there is

nothing wrong with her hearing and we have to do more testing to find

out why there is a language delay and what sort of services she needs

for it. Oh joy.

Ok, so I call Kennady Krieger. The woman is very nice. The problem

is they don't take our insurance. Well, they do, sort of. They take

Cigna PPO but only if you work for Home Depot. She tells me to call

a developemental peditrician. Wonderful. So here we go again. Last

time we did this it took me over two years to get anywhere and get

testing done. Ok, so I have to find someone to do testing. This is

very very painful! I decide to take the what I thought at the time

was the easy route. Call the insurance company and ask them who

takes our insurance.

I kid you not, this is the conversation I had with the woman from the

insurance co.

Me: I need to find a developemental peditrician.

Cigna: A what? I don't know what that is.

Me: I have a child here that needs to be tested for austism and I

need a developemental peditrician

(pause)

Cigna: Could you please repeat that?

Me: (very slowly) I have a child in the house that has autism, I

need to have another one tested and I need someone that specializes

in pediatric developement.

Cigna: Hold on, let me look into that. (a min or so goes by) I am

still looking. (more time) I can't find anyone. I can give you the

names of some peditricians.

Me: I don't need a peditrician, I already have one.

Stupid stupid stupid person. Dumbasses like this should not work

with the public. I am sorry. I mean, lets think about this a

moment. An insurance person not knowing what a dev. ped is. I mean,

lots and lots of people use them, they are fairly common. All those

ADD/ADHD, OCD, PDD, ASD, CAPD and other alphabet soup dx's come from

developemental peditricians.

By this time I am off the phone and threatening to stick a fork in my

head that it would be less painful. I call my ped. and tell them

what I need. I explain to the receptionist and she finds me a

nurse. I talk to her and tell her what is going on, that we had

Cheyenne at the audiologist, that everything is fine, that Dr. K said

that he would write any referals I needed even though our insurance

co. says we don't kneed one, etc. and that I need names of people to

call to find someone who takes our insurance where we can get all the

various testing done to find out what is wrong and what she needs.

She tells me to call Washington University. I call them, get

sent to this person and that and then, when I get to where I need to

be I get a recording telling me to leave a fucking detailed message.

I HATE THIS!!!

Is it any wonder that I have refused to go through this horse and

pony show a second time until now? I just want to go stark raving

mad. Austim is easier to deal with than the damn testing process.

Georga Hackworth

Men, can't live with them, can't trade them in for their weight in

chocolate.

April is Autism Awareness Month!

Enter to win $50 in free books at www.ubah.com/F1549

March 27, 2003

Goodness gracious Georga!!! What a pain in the butt to have to deal with

idiots like that. I hope you can find somebody to take Cheyenne to and get

the process going. It really isn't any wonder you've put it off.

{{{Georga}}}

ellen