I’ve been feeling pretty good while on my leave of absence. Of course, that’s easier to say while I’m still getting paid out my sick leave… I still have a pay period or so to go with that, and it will be a nice buffer. The financial future is scary, but I’ve been doing pretty well with taking things day-by-day…
Also, my health insurance is good through the end of the month. With that, I made sure to go get my mammogram, which I was overdue for. I’m up-to-date on my other doctors, so I wanted to get that out of the way.
I got the call from my doctor that my mammogram was “inconclusive.” She called in another round of screenings: a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound.
I wasn’t really concerned. Probably nothing. A shadow. Maybe I moved a little during the first one.
I called the radiologist to set up the next appointment. They can’t get me in until October 16. “You don’t have anything earlier?” Nope. Booked solid for those procedures, anyway. Again, my insurance will end at the end of September.
The tears started flowing. I told them I’d have to call back. That some things would be happening with my insurance, and I’d have to get that figured out first. I hung up, crying.
Once I got my wits about me, I realized that maybe the out-of-pocket costs wouldn’t be so bad. So I called to find out. $165 for the diagnostic mammogram, $110 for the ultrasound. Not as bad as I’d initially imagined. I had it in my head it would be in the thousands. I booked the appointment.
But I’m shaken and upset.
With my leave of absence, I could continue to purchase my same health insurance for $800 a month. When I was scouting on Obamacare before, I found pretty ok policies for around $300. I’ll go that way, but I don’t think I can sign up until my other insurance expires. My health insurance will be uncertain for awhile.
This is one of the reasons I’m such a proponent of Medicare for All. You should not be forced to be a slave to your job to maintain your healthcare. Shoot even with health insurance with my job, some of the dental work I need is cost prohibitive…
Cherry on top: there is something going on with my part-time job, and they had to cancel our shift today. I’m actually grateful, because I’m not in the best mindset right now. But also, $60 is $60.
Since I have the day off, I’m going to be creating art. I’ll probably ride my bike and drop off campaign literature for Caprice for School Board District 7 for a little while. I’ll journal.
I’ll also gently remind readers that I have a shop through this webpage. I need to get new stuff up there, but all of the art and crafts there are available and would help to support me as I continue my risky protest against unsafe school re-openings. The holidays are coming up, so if you do holiday shopping please keep me in mind for hand-calligraphied cards and/or envelopes as well as smaller art pieces. Keep an eye on my Instagram account for offerings too.
Thank you for reading my mental rambles.