Who's That New Boy?

Today when we get to Boston the nurses are going to say "Who's that new boy?"  Mark was very excited to go get his hair cut yesterday.  He was so overdue...Thanks to Holly at InStyle he is back to his high and tight.  I also to have to add that Mark is a hairdresser snob...he will only see Holly.  It's a little funny to me, because when he was little I had to sit on him to get his haircut!

I have officially wasted 2 mornings waiting on a phone call from Social Security.  This women has called me 3 times while Mark has been and dialysis.  I told her to call back on a Tuesday or Thursday when we are not in Boston.  She had agreed to call me Tuesday morning at 8am...well she never did.  I thought she would call this morning for sure....nope nothing.  Maybe it is my bad for not taking her name, and number the 3 times I have talked with her?  Dealing with Social Security is like a part time job.  They call you and demand to talk to you right when they want too.  You may even receive a letter in the mail that you need to report to their office.  Now keep in mind...This is all to get his Medicaid going.  Once you have a diagnosis of End Stage Renal Disease a number of thing happen. (meaning a ton of paper work happens!)  You are put into a national registry and signed up for Medicaid.  Medicaid is run by Social Security.  It will not kick in for Mark until 4 months after his diagnosis due to the form of dialysis we have chosen.  If he were to go right to a Transplant or Peritoneal dialysis it would be in affect immediately.  I believe he keeps Medicaid for a year after transplant.  I was reading about a study that was done in 2006 this morning.  The average cost for a Kidney Transplant only is about $227,000.  That is just for the transplant...not including any other medical procedures that may happen before hand.  This study also did not include the donor cost as well!  This is why it is so important to have Medicaid.  Mark's regular insurance will pay $110.00 deductible to Medicaid each month while he is insured by them.  This is a much cheaper option for his regular insurance provider :)  This maybe a bit dry to all of you, but it amazes me how much goes into all of this.  To think he is only one patient.  So we will see...I bet Social Security will call me this afternoon while we are at dialysis. 

Mark last night pretending to be a Rock Star....notice the hockey stick guitar and even a penny as a pick!

Now time to get ready for the day!