I lived in Seattle for a while. A friend recently sent me a map to visually demonstrate why things didn't My Lyme doctor is in New York. The closest doctor that would treat me, without a 3 month waiting period, was 12 hours away. That was fine. I was sick and found someone to sign on the dotted line so I could get the treatment I decided I needed. Oh yea, thats how this blog is starting. Pure sass.
Since deciding for myself that the time had come to remove the PICC line - I have been taking an oral antibiotic twice a day for two months. I was reaching the end of my prescription so I call my doctor's office. They refused to refill my prescription unless I come into their office. I calmly informed them that they are 12 hours away and that is quite the expense to have a prescription refill. She said they would be happy to do a phone consult. Oh and that phone call, despite only being 3 minutes, will cost me $150. When I pointed out they still had not sent me my receipt for my last phone consult she informed me there would be no receipt for phone consults. Aka no chance of insurance reimbursement.
This was the tipping point. I didn't care she was 12 hours away. I took my earrings out.
I'm a logical person. Of course your doctor needs to see you every so often for liability purposes. If I was taking, um I don't know Vicodin, then sure - let's chat once a month. But real talk. I am being treated for a chronic disease! If that shit went away after 28 days I wouldn't be paying your ass out of my dwindling pocket. More importantly I would be going down the road to any ole doctor who takes insurance.
With that being said. Today I am officially drug free for the first time in 10 months! I stopped taking my antibiotics. Before you reach for your wallet - I have $150. I do. But Lyme disease is a continuous cycle leaping and hoping. There are no tests or protocols for me. So its up to me to summon the courage take and leap stop a med and hope that I will be okay. Off the proverbial ledge I go! And if any of you dare say my doctor did me a favor to spur on this courage I have two words for you: Bitch please. That courage is all mine.
