Not much has happened since my last tumor/surgery update.  I’ve more or less been waiting for 11/1 to hit so I can confirm in-network status with my insurance one more time. The email I received back from Kris a week and a half ago (Kris is the UCSD patient navigator for Dr. Friedman,) contained two January surgery date options.  The one I finally decided to move forward with is 1/23/18.  It’s a Tuesday.

I spoke with Kris on the phone again this afternoon.  She was able to give me a list of “to do’s” that I plan to start working on tomorrow:

• Send MRI report, audiogram and MRI scans to UCSD
• Get registered in UCSD system so I have an MR #
• Forward MR# to Kris so she can get surgery approval from my insurance carrier
• Set up a pre-op physical with my primary doctor within 30 days of surgery & fax reports/results to UCSD

Once my date is “official,” Jake and I can work on making plans/reservations for flights and lodging while we’re in California as well as begin to put together a plan for family and friends who have so graciously offered to help us on the home front while we’re away (and upon return.)  I know I’ve said this before – I can’t believe this is my reality.  I’m making plans to have surgery to remove a brain tumor.  It’s so surreal.

It’s hard to think about scheduling major surgery when you really don’t feel “that” bad, and from the outside, people can’t tell that something is wrong.  Most days I carry on like nothing is the matter and forget that I have an unwelcome guest inside my head.  It probably helps that there is always plenty going on in, out, and around our house.  But nights like tonight push reality in my face.  I just clicked [send] on a pivotal email to the patient navigator for the Acoustic Neuroma Program at UCSD asking her about next steps.

So there it is…a decision.

After a month and a half of researching, going to appointments, and getting 3rd and 4th opinions, I’ve finally chosen a surgical team to evict Norman and will need to travel to San Diego to do so.  There is one important hoop to clear before formally making things “official” and that involves the lovely matter of insurance.  Both surgeons are currently in-network providers and the hospital and medical group they will bill through once they move to UCSD in November are also in-network.  That said, I don’t anticipate any issues with them being in-network come 11/1.  However, it seems I will still have a couple of weeks of slight uncertainty until I’ve confirmed the in-network status.

So perhaps this is more of an “almost decision.”