Good morning and happy Friday to everyone.  Most of the time I dictate my blog through the voice on my iPad. Then I go back and correct any mistakes, which are usually a lot and sometimes hilarious. What obviously never comes across is my voice inflections when I’m speaking, probably why my humor doesn’t come across. I guess you can’t hear sarcasm in words that you read. Oh well, back to my topic, which this morning is, that I started the process of getting an aid.

Remember that thought that first you have to accept  before you can adapt? I guess I’ve sat with it long enough and I accepted it.  When my daughter leaves in August, it’s just me. My mom and step dad live close by, but they work a lot and they’re on vacation a lot. Even my aunt and uncle are down the block and they’ll also be here to help anytime, but they can’t be here everyday. Unfortunately, I had to come up with the conclusion and the honest realization, I need help daily. My daughter does a lot for me. I can’t do it alone. So I finally made the first step.   I spoke to the social worker at my doctor’s office. She’s will be the one requesting the aid through my insurance.

One benefit I had in working at a nursing home for 13 years, was I work with the New York State Medicaid department. I knew not only how to get my New York State Medicaid, but I knew which Medicaid I needed. I got the long-term care Medicaid insurance that enables me to be eligible to have a nursing aid. It could eventually even go up to a 24 hour aid as my disease progresses. I have the Medicaid insurance  that could even pay, if I  ever needed, a nursing home. However, I am really hoping, being the fact that I worked there and I know everything that goes on, my daughter has mercy on me.

The first step is the social worker puts in the form to the insurance requesting authorization for me to have an aid. From there, I believe I have two separate nursing evaluations. Then the insurance company makes decision if I’m eligible.  Then the fun starts. If all goes well and they approve it, I get an aid. If they deny that it goes into appeals. I think I’m a little borderline. I definitely need help there is no denying that. The question is do I need nursing help or do I need just an aid help.  it all depends on the day, and how I’m feeling. Some days I’m good need an aid some days some bad need a nurse. I guess it’s a good thing that I’m having two evaluations. We’ll see what it brings, it will be a process, that’s why we decided to start now instead of waiting until August when my daughter actually goes.  I’ve accepted once again the fact I have to make an accommodation to my MS. It is what it is