So, I mentioned last post about the Genetic repository tests and how I might be considering them. Well, I'm not anymore. I am not sure if this is the case for all of the testing sites, but for the one closest to me I have to join the longetudinal test. I am not particularly wanting to be longitudinally studied mostly because I do not want to transfer my Wegner's care to a different doctor. I have found the doctor I like, their treatments are working well for me and they have been there with me from the beginning. Competent rheumatologists who don't act like they are the be all end all of knowledge for you are hard to come by. I like the fact that mine shows me my blood work and doesn't treat me like I'm an idiot and how dare I ask questions or raise concerns about the state of my care. If you have a dr., any kind doesn't even have to be a rheumy, that treats you like a number FIND A NEW ONE. Think of it this way, they need your payment more than you need them and there are probably other doctors around that would be more than happy to treat you (I have heard that the Mayo clinic or John Hopkin's are willing to fly some vasculitis patients to their centers, but don't quote me on that). Shop around, join a group (the vasculitis foundation group on facebook is wonderful, so is the Wegner's Vasculitis page found on the same website). I know that rheumies can be hard to find, specially ones that treat vasculits, and you may have to sit in a doctors office filled with people much much older than you (that's my case, I am the youngest person in the waiting room, every time I go in) but a good doctor is worth it!!!!!!!!!
The only reason I might consider doing this study is that it would appear that I would only have to pay for the first visit, after that they would be free. This is tempting for one main, glaringly large, huge reason: when I turn 26 I will be flung free from my parents insurance. Now, with healthcare in the United States being such as it is, if I have a break in insurance for whatever reason (say, I don't have a new insurance lined up to take effect right after I am thrown off my parents') then I can no longer be covered for my Wegner's. This becomes a problem for me as A) my current job cannot afford to pay me insurance (funny, I work for the state) and B) it won't matter anyways because around the same time I turn 26 I will be jobless anyways as I have to start my student teaching which = jobless. I have considered medicade but apparently they will not cover you if you are a full time student. This leaves me in a quandry, student teaching counts as being a full time student, but I can't work at the same time as student teaching is a full time job that you aren't paid for.
Which leaves me saving up right now so I can buy my own insurance, hopefully. It also leaves me praying for this so called "socialized medicine" health care bill.
There is also the issue of health. I've already been told that I am doing too much. But that's what summer breaks are for :) Believe me, come Friday I am going to attempt at being a lady of leisure. My classes are online and I only have a few tests and 98 observation hours to do over the summer! This is me relaxing. Don't worry though, whenever the snow decides to melt and I can gather up a swarthy crew to sail off into the mountains through the floods this year, I have a few weekends planned away from everything.
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