Being Responsible

UPDATED: I did forget two important parts of this story.
1. The part where I tried to smile nicely at Smug receptionist in the hopes she would take pity on me and let me pay off a smaller amount of my account, and instead she gave me a somewhat horrified/distracted look. Upon getting back to my car I realised smiling had made my extremely dry lips crack and I had blood all over my teeth. That'll teach me for smiling.
2. The fact I have EXTREMELY cool parents, and I have no idea what I'd do without them. Such supportive, kind and wise people, they are one of the biggest reasons I see my life as truely blessed, despite it containing chronic illness.

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ORIGINAL POST

I quite dislike having to visit with any of my doctors anymore than possible. A situation which has lead to at least two late night visits to the Accident and medical centre (and another small account which adds to our list of medical accounts we owe). So with it being the easter weekend I was a grown-up about things and took myself down to see my doctor about the nasty head cold on Thursday. Might as well keep our debt in one place as much as possible.

Now I must just explain that each time I go into the doctors office I deal mainly with lovely sweet receptionist whom allows me to make small payments on my account, and assures me not to worry about it. I have managed to keep said account under $100. The only reason it had begun to creep up was I have been needing to see them so often lately, and for some reason the Account manager saw fit to TAKE ME OFF the high user programme, meaning I suddenly went from paying $10 per visit to now needing to pay $40 per visit. A sum which adds up when you go anything up to three times a week.

So that's the background. Anyway I wander into the office on Thursday and faced my first sign that things weren't going to be fun this visit. Smug receptionist was on. The one who knows who I am (I'm in there all the time) but pretends she can't remember me. She told me I would need to pay off said account that day or I wouldn't be given anymore appointments. Great, especially considering we are especially broke at the moment and I had only just enough money to cover a prescription surcharge.

After a wait, I got in to see my doctor. We went over things and agreed I had a head cold. After a check-up it was also determined I had a sinus and chest infection. I was then asked when I was seeing my specialists. I listed off the six dates for the various specialists I'm seeing.

"That's a lot, lucky we're keeping you busy." my doctor laughed. Yes, lucky... I'd be getting in so much trouble otherwise, what with my penchant for all things crazy and my abundance of energy (Note sarcasm). It was also in this moment I realised SIX specialists, they'll need to be paid when I see them. Crap.

I do have insurance, but in this case we need to cover the expenses first, and then we get refunded at some point in time after making the claim.

I also then remembered how when Craig and I got married we imagined we'd be so set up by the time he turned thirty. Well, at least we'd be out of debt and buying a home.

Then I got sick.

Anyway, to make this long story short I felt too sick and too embaressed to ask if I could contiue to pay the account off over the next couple of weeks to either my doctor or the smug receptionist. I had to go and borrow money off my parents to pay for my account. What had started off making me feel like a grown up ended up making me feel like a child, and one whom bleeds her parents dry at that.

I hate being in this position. I totally get that said receptionist is just doing her job. I don't want to be the person whom can't pay for stuff, I hate owing money. Right now we are in a bit of strife.

This too shall pass.