Howdy!

The other day, I got a flu shot while visiting my friendly neighborhood Rheumatologist (okay...  That's a little much.  She's not entirely friendly and her neighborhood is hell and gone from mine, but she does get the job done, I guess), and, for whatever reason, this time around, it kind of waylaid me with a minor league bout of yuck. 

It's strange.  Some years, like last year for instance, I tend to just feel a little malaise that clears up within an afternoon.  However, other years, like this one, it hits me with a hacking, stomach-churning, nightmare that, thankfully, also clears up in an afternoon, but leaves behind some lingering aches and pains. 

Nonetheless, my guess is that it has something to do with starting up my Humira again after a six-month hiatus thanks to some clueless, bureaucratic cock-nozzle who insisted I wasn't allowed to take it because they didn't cover it.  I called in a rage, which, after exchanging telephone pleasantries, lead to the following exchange:

"Are you familiar with computers, young man?"  I asked with all the cloying, patronizing, assholiness I could muster.  
"Of course," he said.  "I work on one all day long."
"Oh," I continued, "then you must also be aware of the internet then, huh?"
"Yeah," he said with a chuckle. 
"Does your outfit have a website then?"  I asked.  "It really would make things so much easier in this day and age."

"Of course," he began.  "Our website is w. w. w. dot blahblahblah. dot com.."
"Thanks a bunch," I said as I typed in the address and pulled up the site.  "Oh look!  A handy patient information page!  And, you've EVEN got a PAGE devoted to the medications YOUR company covers!"
"Yes we do," he said happily.  "You and your doctor should be able to look at that list to see what we they can or can not prescribe."
"Oh, thank you, young man," I said.  "That really should help."
"You're most certainly welcome," he said.  "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"Ummm.." I said.  "Just one more thing."
"Sure."
"Can you look at that medication page and tell me what that H. U. thing is?"
"Of course."
"I have a smudge on my monitor, and well, I don't have anything to wipe it off with and..."
"It says 'Humira'," He said.
"And, does it say that you guys cover it?"
"Oh yes," he said.  "It turns out that we do cover it."
"Oh," I said.  "So, when I refer to you in this piece I'm writing, would you rather I call you a liar or just maliciously lazy?"
"Let me get my supervisor."

 You know, when those people out there tell you that it's important to be proactive when it comes to your health care, it turns out that they're right. 

Oh!  And, if you're in one of those at-risk groups (You know who you are), go and get a flu shot.

-DP

Share