Gratitude

I'm very grateful for the upswing in my health recently. I'm grateful for a work schedule where I don't have to take time off of work for dr visits, and insurance where I don't pay copays for office visits or most Rx. This way I can have as many follow ups as my Nurse Practitioner wants without worrying.

For finding a Nurse Practitioner that is knowledgable, kind and even took the time to call me at home when she was especially concerned about me after I missed a visit. For a small office where the staff all know me by name and are friendly and always helpful.

The biggest thing that kept me from seeking medical care last fall after I moved to SLC was the cost. Even after I found a clinic that had a grant to cover my visits, the cost of my medication can easily be $110 per month. So I was also hesitant to be put on certain medications due to the price.

My current insurance is through COBRA, another thing to be grateful for (most people say COBRA is super expensive, but I'm only paying maybe $30 more than I was when I got the coverage through work. I can be on COBRA for 14 months, but I am worried about what will happen after that, since my current job is a small business and doesn't offer coverage.

My Nurse Practitioner has been amazed at the change in my demeanor and attitude since I started seeing her. She told me today that she hopes that I realize the progress I've made and give myself credit. That was good to hear, since it is easy to credit the medications and to feel that I could have been doing a lot more than go to work enough to be able to pay rent and eat, binge watch Netflix and generally hide in my room all the time.

But it is true. I did keep taking my meds even when I saw no change, I kept applying for other jobs, and kept eating, and I stayed alive. Some credit does go to my parents, family members and friends. I probably wouldn't have kept going to the dr and trying new meds without my parent's insistence and support--both financially & emotionally.