Finally...Progress!

After many weeks of waiting, some progress was made and some good things have happened this week. I can't tell you how excited I am for things to start falling into place.

1. My long term disability got approved through my employer. This means I will get 60% of my pay and can keep my insurance paying only the employee contribution for two years. THIS IS A HUGE AND AWESOME DEAL. At that point, I should qualify for Medicare insurance.
   
   Two days after I found out I got approved, the woman called back with the specifics about monthly income. It's so nice to know this - one less question mark. Granted, when I get approved for SSDI, all of this will shift because I cannot get double payment for my monthly payout, but hopefully it won't change things too much.
2. Having gotten the official LTD approval, I wanted to go ahead and do something else that has been hanging over my head: let my co-workers officially know (those who weren't already reading this blog!) that I would not be coming back to work. It's a sad milestone, but at the same time good to have over with so that I can move on. I sent out an email and go so many responses back right away of well-wishes and people sad to see me go. I feel very loved. I am absolutely dreading going into work to clean out my office...it's going to be so sad!
3. Feeling like I had fallen through the cracks at Duke, I contacted them this week and found out the sticking point: I was in the queue waiting for them to contact my insurance to see what they will pay on my outpatient visit. On Thursday, I found out that Aetna approved my visit and they should be calling me very soon to schedule. Yay!
   
   
   
   
   
4. After hitting another low with my lungs, we decided to start on IVs again this week. I have honestly never been happier to start on IVs...everything was becoming so hard each day and I felt so limited and frustrated with what I couldn't do. Good news! I have had a very quick response to the antibiotics. My numbers aren't a ton better, but every little bit of improvement I can feel. And my kidneys are doing amazing.
5. We finally met with a lawyer today who is going to do our wills and set up our powers of attorney. This has been on our 'to do' list for a long time and it feels good to finally get to it.
6. I got my phone interview for SSDI scheduled for the end of April. So one more step down that long, winding road.
   
   Progress!!
   
   
   
   
   
   Photo credits: A Good Week, virginmediapioneers.com; Charlie Brown and Snoopy, why-knot-kwilt.blogspot.com; L, thevword.net