My journey to better health

I think they've got other matters to occupy them right now.

Oye! I have a feeling they won't do anything. It's been almost 6 months and they can't seem to agree on anything in healthcare. It's way too hard to take away a benefit. If it were easy. Social Security and Medicare would have been long gone. Fingers crossed it stays and gets better.

I've read that while we're all concentrating on the hearings about Russia and our election they're trying to sneak this under the radar.
After the ACA and the Medicaid expansion, I know several of them want to go after Social Security and Medicare. That's why they keep calling them 'entitlements' instead of what it really is: a prepaid mandatory retirement and health plan.

My BGL are up due to emotional stress and the heat. The b_tch that threatened my mom and I managed to twist my words around and now I'M the one in trouble with a lease violation.

What's it like to live in your state? Can someone with an income of around $9000 a year survive somewhat okay?

Not in Texas.

Definitely not in VA. Even out here in the sticks, you'd be hard pressed to find somewhere to live for less than about $600/month.

The Senate sneak is only getting it through committee right now. I don't know if the few more "moderate" Republicans will let it go all the way through the chamber. Keep you eye on the senators from WV and ME. They've spoken against taking away the Medicaid expansion in the past. The current bill has a plan to restrict it through block grant over 7 years. It is bad, it is cruel, but at least it is slow(ish).

Won't be in my state, the moment they yank that money I'm kicked off. This state is bankrupt but hasn't had the courage to file yet.

Could I live somewhere in your states legally in a paid-for tiny house? How's the grocery pricing?

I don't see why not. there are residence requirements. Google Texas Snap requirements.

What about the rest of the cost of living? Medicaid coverage, groceries?

MRI is Wednesday followed immediately by seeing the surgeon. I hope he can do it fast, before congress gets a crack at taking away my medical coverage. I just read the bill today and it's horrifying.

So did the rest of us.

And they want to vote on it by next Friday. No way can I get surgery scheduled that fast..........

Fif, this thing may not pass.

You could definitely live in a tiny house, although it wouldn't be a good idea in this part of the state. You'd have to have a way to get it out of harm's way for storms. But, there are areas farther west that probably would be perfect.

Our state did not opt in to the Medicaid expansion, so it's tough to get covered here. Groceries in the less urban areas are not terrible, and sales tax (charged on food) is low. Sales tax is 5.5%, and they do charge tax on groceries. There is state income tax, but I don't know the rate. I am not sure if it applies to things like SSI, but it is charged on retirement money.

I think our part of the state is not too expensive, but I am still employed, so my perspective is skewed. Like everywhere, it's tough when you don't make much money. Social support exists, but it's stretched thin.

Kentucky, while doesn't have tax on food, and did opt in to the Medicaid expansion might be worth checking out. the current governer is thinking about opting out.

Figures....medical care will cost me more than I get to live on even with my grandpa's inheritance.

Probably be going through all this travel, dr. visits, CT's, MRI.....and it will all be for nothing without $ for the surgery.

No wonder I can't sleep well and my numbers are up....

My two surgeons are playing office tag. The CT showed a tumor too big to excise without embolising it first, the MRI showed it small enough to just excise. Sooooo, they have to decide which scan is the accurate one so we can proceed. Still waiting to hear what they decide so I can get this over with.
My numbers are still a bit up and I can't sleep very well right now. How I hate the waiting....

I now have to have yet another test to determine the exact size of this tumor, under anesthesia, throw a leg vein. LordHelpMe, I sure hope all this is covered.....

Fingers, toes crossed!

CT-Angiogram next Thursday and it will take me all day long. Up around 4am so I can get there by 7....and maybe be home by 4. I will be soooo exhausted by then and hungrier than a bloodletting of mosquitoes. (I have no idea what you call a group of skeeters but bloodletting sounded appropriate to me)

4 AM? Yikes! Good luck and hopes for good news.

Try being up at 3:15 since they are picking me up at 4? Won't get to leave until 6pm, home maybe 8-8:30pm...taking some fruit salad to eat when I wake up as I will be super hungry. No food or water after midnight. I am dying for a sip of water right now.

It is raining buckets and buckets as I type this. Wish me luck!

I have good news and bad news from my test, which required me to lay still for 6 hours without moving the leg they cut into (my lower back was screaming after 4 hours):

good news: the hemangioma in my throat is small enough to just excise.

bad news: they found a dural arteriovenous fistula in the surface of my brain which is very serious and will be dealt with first.  If I hadn't had this test they never would have found it until it burst.  60% chance of a successful cure with embolization though so that's the first treatment we'll be trying.  That's a similar procedure like what I had with the test only they'll be leaving blockages to cut off it's blood supply and hopefully collapse it so it won't burst.  I'm so far asymptomatic which is good I guess.  If the embolization doesn't work then I'm looking at having my head shaved, cut open, and targeted radiation as well as excision.  With the meds I'm on my hair probably won't grow back and it took me 20 years to grow it this long.  I was alone when the doctor told me since mom didn't go with me this time.  I had a hard time telling mom what they found when I got home.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dural_arteriovenous_fistula
https://med.nyu.edu/radiology/about-us/subspecialties/neuro-interventional/our-services/brain-dural-arteriovenous-fistula

I caught a glimpse of a few images (a bit blurry for me at the angle the monitor was at) and one of the bigger blood vessels does a complete loop-de-loop!

I am so sorry, fiffur.

(((((Vibes)))))

Love, purrs, prayers and healing vibes.

Thanks, I need those.  Also pray congress doesn't take my medical away for at least 2 months.  I go back in about 2 weeks for a consult, then schedule surgery probably 2 weeks after that, and check if it worked several weeks after that.  If it didn't then even more time to get in for the 'open head, find brain' in bald woman......

No matter how good I am at being low carb my BGL numbers are running around 98 after a good 12 hour fast....I know, stress and worry.....

98 is perfect. I wouldn't complain about that.