Reminiscing: Yet Another Thing I Should Not Be Allowed To Do Unsupervised

Being in schools every most some (sigh) days really brings back a lot of memories.  Not vividly or anything.  Just vague remembrances.  It also makes me take what I witness every most some days - both in the classroom and place that (using my perfect hindsight) into my own memories and gives me additional perspective. Remember how adults told you that you'd miss high school? "Enjoy it, it's the time of your lives." or "In ten years, you'll look back and only think about the good times".  I swear I had a better second one in my head.  I even used it today.  And I got the same look that I (and everyone I knew) always used as a response.  You know the one.  The one that clearly says "bullshit".

Yes, in high school it seemed that the world was going to end when you felt snubbed by a friend, or the cutie that you had a crush on talked to someone else, or you're significant other of two weeks broke up with you (even though what you had was true, pure love).  Now I feel like my world is going to end when I'm paying my bills.  Occasionally during one of our rare blow-up fights.  (We don't argue.  We both bottle it in until we're about to explode.  They're fairly epic, and a very healthy way to deal with any issues) But even then, not really.  I've come to realize that the majority of stresses can really wear you down, but they're not what defines your life. Oh, and I heard the last one while I was student teaching.  The girl had a new boyfriend that she was crazy about a week later.

I'm sure that I had my fair share of freak-outs in high school.  You feel a true sense of freedom for the first time in your young life, and can't wait to grow up.  I asked one of my former students today how he was liking his junior year.  Apparently, it was ok, but he was really just counting down the time until he graduated and could move on to college.  I gave the typical adult comment, and I got the typical indignant look back.  But it's true.

I don't remember a lot of day to day stuff from high school, but I remember hanging out with my friends in front of the library every day before school.  I remember some of my teachers, but others I can't even recall their faces.  I barely remember homework, and the ones I do remember were the ones that I epically procrastinated on and had to cram at the last minute to get it done.  But that's not a bad memory anymore.  In fact, I remember more of the off-the-wall IM chats I would have with friends doing the same thing. Yes children.  We had to talk on the internet.  or the home phone (I so desperately wanted one in my room.  I think my parents hated me, which is why they wouldn't pay to have a jack installed...and for my own line) We didn't have cell phones yet.  Let alone texting.  We did want beepers though. (which is another thing that I look back on and laugh).

In case you haven't figured it out (or didn't from the title) I really don't have a direction I'm taking this, so I'm sure that I'm even more off topic than I ever intended.  The real thing that sparked this post was on the way home, I was listening to my iPod in the car (which I can now, because I have an auxiliary input jack...yay!) and one of the songs that came on that was kinda the 2001 graduation type number from Eve 6.  Which I don't  think I've actually heard in about 6 years.  Even though it's on my iPod.

I don't talk to my friends from high school that much.  Especially since the one I talked to the most decided to abandon twitter.  Strange what having a kid that has figured out that one foot goes in front of the other, and having another one on the way, and planning a big move can do to a person.  Or she just wanted to simplify.  One of the two.  I do play some facebook games with several friends from high school. Yes, I am that lame, that I didn't say a facebook game, I said facebook games.  And occassionally comments back and forth on walls get posted.  Every once in a blue moon, We'll even message each other.  Part of it may just be that I'm bad at 'keeping in touch', but then again, didn't we all swear that we'd do that.  But I don't think that it's a problem.  I know, at least with my friends that we could hang out and reminisce, and it'd be kinda like old times.  Not really, because we've all grown a lot in our own ways. But nonetheless, it'd be familiar, and a good time. 

At DG's wedding a few years ago was the first time I'd seen several friends from high school in a few years, but we ended up hitting the bars, annoying the people at Taco Bell, and being the most obnoxious wedding guests. Ever.  We actually conquered the head table.  We were playing Risk, the home game, only at a wedding. Strategically conquering other tables whenever possible.  We won.  I don't think the other tables really knew what hit them.  Or cared.

Anyways, long story short (after the fact, thank you hindsight): Time moves on, painful memories fade, or transition into amusing anecdotes.  It's always fun to look back at the 'good old days' nostalgically.  Not that they were good then.  That's just how we remember them.  Good times.

And for the record, no.  I don't know why you bother to read this crap either.  But I do appreciate it!

It's Like Waiting For Christmas. Only Not.

Ok.  First off, I really need to stop having multiple posts in a row with similar titles.  Especially since I post infrequently. At best. End tangent (which began before the actual content.  Go me.)

I hope everyone had a good Chrismahannakwanzakah. (and new tangent: OH MY GOD!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I FINALLY FOUND THAT VIDEO...I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR FOREVER).  I had a good one.  I got the tie clip I wanted.  Which made me a very happy panda.  And somewhat embarrassed that it was like getting the Red Rider bb gun you wanted, but never actually got.  Only it was a TIE CLIP.  But for me, the real celebration will come in February.

Back in May, I posted about my rash of symptoms from my sinus issues.  Then in September, I followed up by announcing that I was planning on going under the knife.  Then the whole thing became a nightmare. Like for real-real, not for play-play.

I visited the specialist on the first day my insurance through Hubby's university took effect for the year.  And I'd been told that it wouldn't be an issue.  And presumably it wouldn't have been.  It may still prove to not be one, but I'm not sure.  And it's six months later.  You see, the university takes insurance premiums out at the end of each month.  Starting in September.  Meaning that even though I'd been to the doctor in mid-August, it wouldn't be until the beginning of October before the insurance company would do anything.  Because my account wasn't paid.

This led to receiving multiple letters from the doctor's office demanding payment. Finally it was paid.  At the end of October.  And my doctor's balance went down by only $100 or so.  Because that little camera that was unceremoniously shoved up my nose for a whopping 35 seconds and used to determine the best course of action was classified by my insurance as surgery.  Which they don't cover.  They would if it had been officially ordered by my PCP, which he did.  But that was before the annual insurance switch-over.  I think.  It gets confusing.

Finally, the last week of October, I get the results from the letter of pre-determination that the doctor sent my insurance.  They would cover having my tonsils and adenoids removed, but not having the little doodads fixed (the only procedure that is so quick and basic that they don't even bother putting people under for) or having my septum fixed.  Because those are sinus surgery.  But having my adenoids out (which - at least for me - literally fill my sinuses) was covered.  I'm really not complaining.

I appealed in mid-November.  But they hadn't come to a determination by mid-December, which is the last time I talked to them.  After getting the first letter back from the insurance, I called the specialist to make an appointment.  I figured let's see how necessary he thought the two denied proceedures were (hence why I waited a while to file my appeal) and how much they would cost if I opted to just pay out of pocket.  He couldn't see me until the last week of November (this was late October).  A week before my appointment, the secretary called to inform me that the appointment had been rescheduled for mid-December.  I went in, the appointment lasted five-minutes, I was feeling good about what he had to say, and I walked out with an appointment scheduled for January 7.

I'm sure you're now thoroughly confused.  Because clearly if I'd been hack-and-slashed I'd have been bitching about it here. And on Facebook. And on Twitter. And and via any and every other form of communication I could think of.  I may have even brought the telegraph back out of retirement for that one.  Fortunately, (although extremely frustratingly) the doctor's office had an issue notifying my insurance about my scheduled surgery.  As in the insurance informed them that they had no record of me.  After a very long and confusing call to the insurance company, it was determined that the doctor was notifying the regular insurance, not the student insurance.  Despite what the very-nice-but-not-entirely-with-it secretary told me.  They also informed me that there was an issue with January surgery.  My insurance ended December 31.  Also? My insurance doesn't require advanced notification for surgery.

After calling every answering machine at the university insurance office, I finally managed to reach someone.  Actually the head of the department.  Because she is married to one of my former coworkers.  So I just called him.  Turns out, re-enrollment is automatic and there is no lapse in coverage.  BUT the insurance information isn't sent to the company until January 18.  The deadline for new enrollment.  And the first payment isn't until the end of the month.  Which would have led to the exact same issues with insurance I had back in August.  But at least then they had knowledge that I was covered by their insurance, just not paying my bill yet.

Long story short, I simply rescheduled the surgery and have gotten comfy on the spare bed.  But the countdown is on: 24 more days until surgery!!!!! Then a week or so for recovery, and I'll be able to breathe.

Oh, and all this shit just for surgery that is officially blocked for an hour of time.  But I've been told it probably wont even be 30 minutes.

And I realize that this post is kinda whiny and no one really cares and is sick of hearing about my sinus issues.  But this is my blog, and I pay for the domain.  So when you're in my domain, you do as I say.  Ok.  Maybe I need to take a nap.  Stupid not-getting-restful-sleep-for-24-more-days.

Oh, and for the record: my New Year's resolutions? To post on here more frequently.  Fail.