Lab Work, Insurance Fighting, and Dr. Rasmussen Follow Up

I go get my lab work done at UVRMC to re-check the liver labs (3/10). I get an email from Dr. Frech a few days later that states that my liver labs are still elevated but some of the numbers are coming down. He wants to re-check them again in 2 weeks.  He is hoping that after more time on the feeding tube, the numbers will continue to come down and stabilize.

I am also informed that my insurance company does not want to pay for my feeding tube. They won’t pay for the tube unless the order is written that 70% of my daily calories come from the feeding tube, not the 50% that the order is written for. Dr. Frech says not to worry that they will find a way for the insurance company to pay for it. The nutritionist goes through my diet again and changes the order to 70%. I have lost 3 more pounds since being on the tube so they are going to increase the feeding rate and volume. Now we are waiting on the pre-authorization to go through the insurance company again to see if things can get paid for.

I also have the labs done for Dr. Rasmussen on 3/21. I get the results from him at my next appointment. The only number that is low is my vitamin D. We go over how things are going. The feeding tube is going well but now this pain in my side may be the death of me. He suggests a few different things like going on Neurontin. He begins to read the list of side effects and we both veto that idea. I don’t want to take any more pills. Something should explain my pain; I don’t want to mask it with pills. I want it fixed. Period.  He is also hoping that the feeding tube will help stabilize my symptoms. At this point, Dr. Rasmussen wants to follow Dr. Frech’s lead. I am to see Dr. Rasmussen again in a month.

I also get liver labs re-drawn again on 3/24. I will get these results at my next appointment with Dr. Frech in a week. I am also now taking Lortab. I feel like my insides might explode, or I am having a gallbladder attack (I already lost that organ). I see Dr. Frech in a week and am really hoping that I can hold out.