Thursday, October 6, 2011

The saga continues

It all started here, when I realized something was just not right with my workouts. I was getting dizzy and had pain in my ears. It was screwing up my workouts and I was worried something was really wrong, so I had to do something about it. I went to the doctor, who found nothing wrong, which led to a lovely MRI, which again showed nothing wrong (AND cost me $700, which I'll be paying off for two years).

You're not going to make me get a job to help
pay for that, are you?



















Today is the next step: I get to spend $70 on a copay to have a little visit with the otolaryngologist (the fancy pants word for the ENT or Ear Nose and Throat doctor). Truthfully, I'm a little worried for two reasons. Reason 1 is that I'm sure I'll need more than one appointment and, folks, I just can't afford that horrendous copay! Reason 2 is because Kari had similar symptoms and when she went to the doc, they put her through some crazytown tests, including running on a treadmill half naked. I do not want to do that.

Google images is my hero.













I'm hoping I get there and they're all like, "Oh, you definitely have _________ and since we figured it out so quickly, we're going to take care of that copay for you." Yes, I live in a shiny dreamworld. I had to wait two months for them to fit in an appointment for me, so I'm not really all that confident for a quick diagnosis, but you never know.

In other news: Yesterday I did cross-training instead of running, with an hour-long spin class followed by some strength sets. I already feel better. Today is a run and then another spin class and strength tomorrow. I really think for me, the strength sets help with stress, at least mentally. I'm such a cross-training addict that running just doesn't seem like enough. I want to feel pain somewhere other than just my legs AND get better at running.

The cupcakes my mom and I got on vacation. Her: triple lemon.
Me: Peanut butter chocolate.














 
This week has been one of those where I just want to eat cake and cookies and peanut butter and sleep all the time, but the workouts really do help. I still want to sleep all the time, but I'm pretty sure that's not going away. Sleep rules! I envy Pippi.


Have you ever had to save up to pay to go to the doctor? Ridiculous, I tell you. Just ridiculous.

How do you balance cross-training with your running training?

7 comments:

  1. I really hope they are able to figure things out quickly for you! It's scary to now know what's going on with your body. I had a little medical scare earlier this year and ended up having to use all my savings to pay my deductible and co-pays. I was saving to take my hubby on vacation for his 30th birthday. Oh well! (Oh and nothing was wrong with me...)

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  2. Good luck today! I remember crying to my parents about how expensive all of the doctors appointments were. It's awful. I'm sorry. I really hope they can figure it out fast!!

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  3. I hate going to the doctor for something other than a completely obvious thing. I feel like they are only ever giving you their best guess and I don't like paying money for guesses.

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  4. I have a tip for you: Google: military bases. Go to said location (hint, try Fayetteville). Find cute, single guy. Marry him. Never pay for medical insurance again.

    Yes folks, I'm here all week.

    I do have to pay a copay for the dentist, but it's like 10 bucks. I think it cost like 200 bucks to give birth. All in all, it's pretty sweet for free insurance.

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  5. I had an incident where my insurance has decided not to cover an office visit--$200. And I owe $200ish to my old gyno for the first 6 weeks of pregnancy. I'm afraid what the rest is gonna cost. That's it, I'm making husband enlist!

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  6. That is so stressful! It's F-ed up that you not only have to worry about your body, but about how you are going to afford treatment. My fingers are crossed for you, despite those mean cupcake pictures.

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  7. Ugh, $700 for that MRI? Do you have a deductible, like...you spend say, $1000 on fun doctor things, then insurance picks up more of the tab?

    My biggest health care expense was...COBRA (for insurance for a coupe months in between quitting full time job and starting full time grad school). Routine dental exams are expensive without insurance (or maybe I just had crappy grad student insurance), so one time I skipped my dentist visit for a whole year, until I married my grad student husband who has pretty good insurance through the University.

    Cross training for me meant trying to ride my bike 1-2x/week over the summer + weights/abs in my living room. Now that I re-joined the gym, it's bootcamp + spin on non-running days.

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