Patience and Kindness for the Win

I received a revised bill from my care provider after resubmittal of the health care insurance claim.  The patience and kindness of my letter paid off in rather large dividends.  So far, the professionally-toned request to re-submit the claim to the proper arm of my insurance has saved me almost $150.  It is not the only claim that was billed, but it is a start!  I am one happy customer.

Sometimes, You Have to Giggle

I've had some interesting moments this week in my quest to play a little bit better with others (a familiar journey for The Introvert).  Mostly, these moments have had to do with health care and having to share information about my health history.

Scenario #1: The Erstwhile Non-Matriculate
I've made no secret of the fact that I'm planning to take a non-matriculated refresher course in the Spanish Language.  I'm excited about it because it's been ten years since I used the language with any frequency, and it's been almost twenty years since my last Spanish Language class.  In order to take the class and be a Non-Matriculated Student, several online forms are required regarding health history (presumably, just in case I have to visit Student Health Services).  One of the forms got into detail regarding conditions and surgeries.   There weren't enough lines or fields available for me to give the complete answers to the questions.  This sent me into somewhat of a funk.   No one likes to think of themselves as having a difficult medical history.  Most of the time, I don't think about it at all!  It certainly was no one's fault that the lines/fields in this form were too small.
The Answer to Scenario #1: I took a break, and went back to it after cooling down.

Scenario #2: The Flummoxed Fee-Payer
Health care billing is not my favorite thing.  Indeed, this Introvert used to work with Telephonic Case Management for health insurance claimants out in Seattle.  I'm very, very good at deciphering medical bills and determining if the claim needs to be re-submitted.  Recently, I was sent a rather hefty bill for normal (and medically necessary) services rendered.  When I first looked at the amount, I blanched.  However, the claim and where it was sent was handled in a way that was not technically correct.  Rather than calling the billing department at the care provider's establishment and pointing fingers, I opted to type out how the claim should have been submitted (per my understanding of the ins and outs of our insurance plan), and to send my response to the bill at hand directly back to the billing department in the hopes that the paper trail and the pleasant tone of the paper sent would facilitate a quick and timely resubmittal for full payment.
The Answer to Scenario #2: I played to my strengths and experience, rather than giving in to the feeling that I should call someone and demand action right this minute.

Scenario #3: The Mania of the Move
My older stepson is moving to his graduate school tomorrow.  Due to this fact, our house is understandably in a state of flux.   However, the constant movement and clutter of things and people is detrimental to my serenity.  It's a temporary state, but the difficulties inherent in this state of being are not helped by the overall sense of mixed sadness and extreme pride about the move.  Brady is an amazing stepson and a very accomplished young man.  I'll miss him terribly.  In the meantime, I've set up "base camp" in the living room, carving out a space where I can chill out with my kitties and be available to Brady for whatever he needs while he prepares for this next chapter of his life.
The Answer to Scenario #3: I'm available to my boys, while preserving a calm space during a time of transition.