Cracked Door

When a door is open just a crack, I can sometimes still get through it. If it opens away from me, it's a simple matter of just giving it a push and it swings open. If it opens toward me though, it depends on how far open it is, how much space I have, and a few more factors if I can get it open. That's how I feel right now with this insurance situation, the door is now open a crack, but I'm not on the easy side for pushing it all the way clear.

Friday morning, we were notified that the one program my DHS case worker was trying for had been approved. My private hired caregivers and parents are now basically self-employed as what's called a CDAC provider and five nights a week of care through the nursing agency is covered. So, that means every Friday and Saturday night are not covered and my day people will have A LOT more paperwork. Since the funding is through Medicaid, it has some restrictions.

Each month, I can go out five times for personal needs, such as going to the grocery store or Wal-Mart. Thankfully, my case manager said this can also include walks on the bike path by the dam close to town as it helps maintain a healthy mental state, or something similar to that. Unfortunately, it doesn't include as long of an outing as going to watch trains, so we'll see how to get that in. Having Saturdays with wonderful weather and a caregiver and not getting to the tracks would be irritating, so maybe I can get it as part of maintaining good mental health. As I currently understand it, everything is up for somewhat of a review, so that could be an item to discuss. This doesn't sound bad, but it comes with a time limit.

All of this is only in place for 60 days, which I believe starts this Wednesday, May 7, when insurance cuts off nursing care. During these next two months, I am supposed to find an alternative for funding my care. What that alternative is, nobody has an idea at this point. Therefore, I could be back to looking at a nursing home in early July again.

As I have said before, we read in Jeremiah 29:11, "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..." With this development, my dad's employer can now drop the expensive insurance and go with another company. That also meas my parents no longer have to pay out of pocket to help cover that extra expense. Through these past few months though, I am very thankful for the parents I've been given.

They went through a lot of work and frustration to try and find alternative funding solutions and to get all the needed paperwork complete. Mom said at some points it felt like we were on trial, being asked what care I really need, when do I need it, and why different skill levels of care are needed at different times.

Through the next several weeks, it's likely that we'll experience more of it. God's direction through all the people He has put around me continues to be evident and will be as the quad life continues.