Insurance jungle

As everyone can see, insurance is something that has been on my mind lately. With my foot all fucked up and doctors and nurses guessing what might be wrong, seeing an actual specialist and getting the tests needed done is a relief to me. At least I have hope that they can figure out what is going on in my foot. One thing that is very different here is the insurance and the whole procedure to get one, get your information correctly and finding a doctor who takes your insurance. In Finland you can just walk to a public health center and they will take a look at you, send you to have labs done or to see a specialist and you pay the visit or annual fee, which is not a lot. If you have an insurance that covers private doctors, you can make an appointment to see ANY them, pay the bill and have your insurance company reimburse you. Here not so much...

First you need to know what your insurance covers. Then you need to find a doctor that takes your insurance.Then you fear that whatever they will do to you, the lab work, tests and specialists they want to take a look at you don't cost more than what your insurance covers. And then you need to go see them all over the place. I went to see the orthopedic surgeon in about 45 minutes from where I live, but this was because
T's mom set up the appointment. Tiffany went there when she slipped last winter and said the doctor was great, which she was. Totally different from the "It might be this or it may be that" doctors I saw at school.

Now I have my insurance situation settled, I am actually double covered as my Finnish insurance also covers me here. So what ever my insurance from school doesn't cover, I can have my insurance from Finland to pay. Awesome! Now I can take care of my back too...

School started 2 weeks ago, on my birthday no less! It always starts on my birthday...School's OK, I have 3 classes which have potential to be really interesting. I'm also working at the global education center on campus which is great. I have met some great people through school and work and for the most part it's fun. Today I'm working from 11:30 till 4:30 and the classes don't start until 8! I will be on campus until 10:30 when T will come pick me up. I will stay at work and do some homework for couple of hours. Today's class is about environmental health determinants which has a potential to be really interesting except the professor has kind of a monotonic voice which obviously is a problem at 8 in the evening. Thankfully I have my fantastic new thermos that I got for my birthday so I can always load up on caffeine! And in case you wonder what makes it special...it's painted to be a penguin! It is the cutest thing ever and I got it from T. The whole summer I was going to Dunkin Donuts for my morning coffee and decided that once school starts I will bring my own. Will save a lot of money and since DD sells their flavored coffees in stores I can make that at home. So I needed at thermos. And T got me one. Penkku, as I call it, goes to school and work with me every day now!

I play fantasy football with my friends. For the past 2 seasons I have lived through T's FF team, checked how here players were doing and being happy and sad depending on how they did. This year we both are participating in our friend Shari's league. It is a ton of fun even though I'm 0 and 2 right now. Watching the games take a whole new meaning when you can see "your guy" have a touchdown and you can celebrate it and see the score on your match up change...I have a bunch of great players but so far who ever I've played hasn't produced and whoever I left on the bench has been awesome! If the points left on the bench would count I would win this league hands down! This week is my week. I can feel it. Brad, you're going down!