Friday, June 21, 2013
Getting Ready
Ive joined The Hipster Club - When youre just too hip!
I have not only connected with a woman my own age about to have a hip op around the same time, but also a lot of useful info based on peoples experiences.
Topics like 'hipster proof' where you live, or having a roster of friends to drop by or talk to. And getting a grabber to pick things up from the floor with. Or advocating for yourself.
i know its a good op. I know theres 99% satisfaction with hips compared to 76% with knees.
But im only just beginning to figure the details closer to the op itself and more importantly - post op.
ive drawn up a 7 week calendar. My hospital stay will be from 31July -5 August (if I advocate for myself well enough when they try to turf me out.)
Then my good friend Nadyat and I are going to do a house~swap. She lives on the ground floor. So I will move in with Tiger. And she will take Claude and move into my 2nd floor unit with Mishka.
Shes coming over tonight so our animals can make their acquaintance.
Until next time Im blogging off
Monday, June 3, 2013
Navigating the Health System
we are pretty lucky in Australia. We have had a universal health care system called Medicare since 1974. Everyone pays a levy1.5% of their salaries. But over the years Medicare has been eroded and there is an expectation people have private health insurance as well.
this gets complicated. My surgeon practices in a Public Hospital but in order not to wait forever I am going in as a Private patient.
Medicare will pay 75% and my health fund 25% but that is of the 'scheduled fee'. The gap fee is 3 x the scheduled fee and I must pay this out of pocket. Similarly the Assistant Surgeon and Anaethesist. I am still trying to work out cost of prostheses and hospital stay.
i have never had an operation in my life so i feel im entering a new planet.