My latest adventure~Compression Stockings!

I went in for my compression fitting at "Fittings Unlimited" this past Saturday as directed by my surgeon.  What a morning!  Who knew the process would take an entire hour and send my blood pressure soaring to new heights?  The 'boutique' owner was very chatty and how shall I say~in your face?  She was VERY informative and thorough, which in most cases in a good thing, but I just wanted to get in and out of there.   I didn't need to know how many dogs, cats, etc. she had, her favorite color, or look at photos of people who had just had surgery and were swollen from one end to the other.  Really, didn't need all that...
I filled out lots of paperwork and she took a copy of my insurance card (which, in the end, really seemed like a giant waste of time as well as all of the paperwork I had to fill out).  She collected all of my info./paper work and put it into a file folder (which she coordinated with the shirt I was wearing, she informed me), took my prescription from Dr. Fry, and took me back into one of the little fitting rooms to be measured. 
I'm not much for complete strangers touching me--let alone seeing me half naked, so the whole ordeal was a bit stressful for me.  I learned all kinds of new and interesting things, however.  Did you know that apparently EVERYONE's legs are different sizes?  One of my legs is bigger than the other--ankle on up.  Didn't realize this was the norm.  Took my weight and height and then went to get my custom fit garment.  "NO RETURNS ON ITEMS" signs were emblazoned on all the walls.  Hmmmmmmmm.  Couldn't miss them.  They were everywhere.  No warm fuzzies there...
She then began to show me how to put my sassy new compression thigh highs on.  It was quite the ordeal, let me tell ya.  I was actually sweating by the end of it.  Gonna have to wake up an extra 15 minutes every morning just to get these suckers on--I'm being completely serious.  She told me NOT to wear them to bed.  They can become a tourniquet on your legs.  They have tights you can wear to bed, of course. 
That was all of 45 minutes--I spared you some of the most boring details involving dish washing gloves, laundry detergent lists, lotion precautions, washing and drying instructions, etc. etc. etc...
Going to the counter, I was thinking this would all be over soon and cost me around 50 to 60$.  My mom's insurance completely covered hers, but I wasn't banking on that.  I had a prescription from my specialist, so like any other prescription, insurance would cover SOME of it, right?  Nope.  Not only that, the darn things cost $130.00 A PAIR.  Are you kidding me?  I started to get angry.  My insurance was mandating that I wear these suckers for 3 months.  If I don't, they won't cover any part of the surgery I need.  They're making me buy them, but not paying for a single cent.  Let me reiterate once more how much I hate insurance companies.  I thought Obama was supposed to do something about that...
Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, and any other holiday to me, I guess.  The good news is they are awesome and I feel like I have completely new legs when I have them on.  Monday was the first time I have been leg pain free for months and months.  I'm just hoping one pair will last three months.  I sure as heck can't afford 2 pairs (although my personal consultant told me that my doctor wrote the script for two pairs so my insurance would approve 2~~why did I have to see a specialist to get a prescription for medical grade compression stockings and have a flipping script to begin with again?  This insurance game is one I clearly do not understand).
So, stocking--heaven.  Price tag--not so much.  But, I'm thankful to have them and that Marty was willing to pay for them.  When Max saw the price tag on the box he said, "But Mom, they're just SOCKS!".  Bright child.  It's not like they're a new Wii game or anything, for goodness sakes (smile).
I may attempt to file a claim with our wonderful insurance company (ironically it's Principle, which isn't doing insurance for much longer) regardless.  It can't hurt.  It's just my time, energy, and patience.  I would again like to thank my husband for his support, financially and emotionally (again, smile) through this whole ordeal.  It's been very frustrating for me. 
At least I know what to ask Santa for Christmas this year--just one more pair of JOBST thigh high compression stockings, 20-30mmHG with the silicone dot band (heaven in a box~~a very, very expensive box)...

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Prognosis... wait...

Art by my talented sister, Erin Haines    ...

Friday came and went and after 2 and 1/2 hours at Lake View, we have answers (and now we just have to play the waiting game). The nurses, ultra sound tech, and surgeon were amazing.  I went into the consult with much trepidation and walked out feeling relieved and hopeful. 
Not knowing what to expect from the entire process was the worst part.  I didn't know that a lengthy ultrasound was involved on both legs--or that I would have to undress for it--so much for wearing shorts to bypass this necessity.  I had flashbacks of delivery as I had to take deep breaths, hold them in and "bear down" (I never fully understood what I was supposed to do for this process), and then let the breath out.  I did this so many times I got dizzy.  They were checking for my vein's ability to "reflux"--stop and start blood flow again.  I understand that the tech had to push down forcefully to take clear photos frequently, but I walked out of that room so sore--in the cutest pair of navy paper shorts you've ever seen (ha, ha!).  Be jealous.  Be very jealous! 
Our nurse, Larry, was amazing.  He took photos of my veins with my name and a series of numbers underneath--mugshots, if you will.  He asked several questions and wrote everything down, making sure my insurance understood this was affecting my daily activity, work, and sleep (or lack there of).  He talked about getting everything sent to insurance and setting up a surgery date for sometime in November.  We talked about how much it would cost and recovery time.  He answered all of our questions, we shook hands and waited for the surgeon to come in.  We felt like everything had been taken care of.   
We sat there thinking 'this will all be over in a month'.  It was hitting us at a bad time financially as we are having our yard regraded and a retaining wall built around our egress windows this coming week (due to all the flooding problems we had).  And Christmas would be just around the corner as well.  Small inconveniences. 
The surgeon walked in.  Very friendly, Dr. Fry had a little different take on the situation.  It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride for Marty and I.  Dr. Fry informed us that most insurance companies will not pay their 80% if some form of 'treatment' is not attempted first.  He also told us that these 'treatments' always fail.  Although I appreciated his honestly, I was disappointed.  He wrote a script for some very sexy (heh, heh) thigh high compression stockings that I would have to be fitted for and wear for three months.  He said I would feel some relief while wearing them, but that would all go away as soon as I took them off.  Happiness.  Some relief is far better than none, however.  The good news was that my situation was bad enough that I only had to to the compression therapy for 3 months while most people have to do it for 6 entire months.  I'm lucky (wink).  Sad that insurance companies MAKE people go through months of pain, fully knowing it won't work, in order for the patient to have their insurance help pay for the procedure (which is why we pay for insurance in the first place, right?).  When I had the stupidity to ask why insurance companies force people do this, Dr. Fry simply said the insurance companies are hoping people will just give up.  This is one woman who is not. 
We go back in to see Dr. Fry on January 7th and will do another ultrasound (standing up this time) to record the reflux (again) in my veins.  We will document that I have worn the compression stockings for three months.  We will take more photos.  We will send all the combined information off to the insurance company and set up a date (that day) for my surgery~no more than 30 days from the 7th.  An end is in sight (smile)!
Some other good new, the vein in my left leg that is most bothersome is actually completely dead and will have to be stripped out.  The little 'bone' fragment I was feeling above my knee (that gets all red and swollen) is a clot, but since the vein is dead, it is not life threatening.  I can continue to run.  It will hurt me, but I won't be hurting anything physically.  Knowing this, I can mind over matter the pain.  Before I kept thinking I was actually hurting something in my leg.  Apparently I have to wear the compression stockings to run or invest in a pair of compression tights (equally alluring, I'm sure).

Cooler weather is approaching, and all of you who know me know I don't wear shorts all that often, so my fancy new 'socks' won't be a bother at all.  Can't wait to see what the 'fitting' entails (as they were closed at 5 and our apt. didn't get over till 5:30 p.m.) and how much they are going to cost.  If only money wasn't a consideration--I could just get it all over with now.
But it will come, and this time of year goes by so very quickly.  Considering I felt like I was going to pass out when he was making the imaginary incisions in my leg and showing me where they would cut and making the stripping motion--it'll give me time to mentally prepare (smile).  He only does surgeries on Fridays too, so I'll have the weekend to recover and won't have the dauntingly impossible task of getting time off from work to have it done.  There will be lots of swelling, and I won't be able to run for 3 to 4 weeks (hey, it'll be mid winter and the treadmill and I get very tired of each other by then), but recovery time is pretty quick.  I may just need a little more help with the boys than usual.
To any of you who took the time to read this painfully boring and meandering blog, God bless you.  Have a wonderful day, and here's to growing older every day (smile) and to keeping up with our kids.  Who knew my mid 30's would be so adventurous?

Today's the day...

October 1st.  Here we go.  Been waiting for, anticipating this day for weeks and weeks.  It's finally here.  My consultation with Dr. Fry for surgery.  Why am I so nervous?  Couldn't sleep last night.  So silly.  It is nothing.  I've been telling myself~and everyone else~ for so long that it's nothing, and now I'm freaking out.  I think the stress of the past few weeks of constant illness at our house and the increasingly crappy environment at work has just taken my mind off of it, and now that I'm actually THINKING about it, I'm getting that fluttery in the chest, rapid heart beat breathing that I get at the onset of anything remotely unsettling.  I even annoy myself.  Panic attacks are not becoming...
My biggest fear it that he'll tell me to just suck it up.  Deal with it.  Keep taking your pain meds .  Find a new job that doesn't require you to stand on your feet all day long or lift heavy objects.  Get used to that daily burning sensation and the individual 'heart beat' each vein has in your leg.  You don't need sleep~~the horrid cramping in your legs you have every night when you lay down is just something you'll eventually learn do live with.  You just won't be able to run, I guess, if it hurts that bad.  Find something else to do for exercise.  The swelling?  Just put your feet up through out the day till it goes down.  You'll be fine.  Yeah, that would really stink.  I'd rather have them tell me they have to cut most of my leg out than that~~maybe.  I realize I'm not thinking rationally right now.  I just want it all to be over~~all to be over with results, I guess.  Positive, pain free, back to the functioning me, results!
Listening to Griff sing his ABC's and dump out all the fake food in his kitchen as he 'cooks' me breakfast.  Such a great little guy.  Both of my kids are amazing.  Even if they did cause these terrible varicose veins (wink, wink).  Just reminding myself how much I have to be thankful for.  Taking deep breaths.  Enjoying my blueberry tea.  Contemplating making the bed and starting laundry.  Need to finish the rest of the paperwork I'm supposed to bring to the Iowa Vein Center this afternoon too.  Apparently they need to know your past medical and family history as well as all the meds you're on (including times of day you take them and dosage).  Nosy people. 
It WILL be fine.  It really is nothing.  My body just feels the need to have an anxiety attack and freak out about it for no apparent reason.  That's just how I roll~~and roll with it I shall, but not without taking another clonazapam and doing some deep breathing exercises...