Having my patience compressed while trying to obtain compression stockings

Since 2009, I have been wearing waist-high compression stockings, which use a tight fitting material to prevent blood from pooling in my legs and feet. These stockings have been a lifesaver. Without the use of them, my heart rate and blood pressure become extremely high when I sit up.

Last year, I had many changes in my life including new doctors and new insurance. In December, I decided to ask my doctor to write a prescription for new compression stockings. My old stockings were over a year old and had lost their compression ability. My doctor wrote out a prescription and sent it to the pharmacy. Since I have new insurance, I did not know my regular pharmacy does not supply compression stockings. So, I had to find a pharmacy which accepted my insurance. I found a pharmacy, and had the prescription sent to the new pharmacy. The pharmacy called to set up a time for me to come in and get fitted for the stockings. The woman said they would be open until 7 p.m. I said I would be at the store at 5:30. I traveled to the pharmacy, which was an hour away, to get fitted for the stockings. When I arrived at the pharmacy, there was a note on the door, "We closed at 5 p.m. today. We will reopen on Monday at 8 a.m." With nothing else to do, I turned around and traveled an hour back home.

About a week later, I found another pharmacy which accepts my insurance. This new pharmacy was only 30 minutes from my home. I asked the doctor's office to re-send the prescription to the new pharmacy. Getting the prescription sent was a challenge. Since the doctor who wrote the original prescription was not my regular doctor, to have the prescription re-sent required my regular doctor to re-write the prescription. This would not have been a big issue; however, my regular doctor is only a resident. She does not have a medical license and has to do everything under the supervision of a supervising doctor. To get the prescription re-sent took about a month. But alas, after many phone calls to both my doctor's office and the pharmacy, the prescription and all insurance paperwork was properly submitted.

At the end of January, the pharmacy called me to tell me everything had been approved by my insurance for the compression stockings. I needed to come in and get fitted for the stockings. Upon arriving at the pharmacy, the woman informed me I was to be fitted for knee-high compression stockings, I told the woman, "No. I need waist-high compression stockings." The woman looked at her paperwork and the doctor's prescription and told me, no, the doctor had ordered knee-high compression stockings. I told the woman the prescription was wrong. I needed waist-high compression stockings. How do I go about getting waist-high stockings? The woman informed me I would have to contact my doctor and have the prescription re-written and re-submit all the paperwork to the insurance company. On the verge of tears, I left the pharmacy feeling completely defeated.

I followed up with my doctor requesting the prescription be re-written and re-sent to the pharmacy. After waiitng a month and nothing happened, I started calling both my pharmacy and doctor's office. The paperwork was being held up by my doctor's office because they were confused why they had to re-submit all the paperwork. After I explained the situation as well as my pharmacy calling and explaining the situation, the paperwork was promised to be submitted. After waiting another month, I woke up early this morning in a panic. I was overwhelmed that the compression stocking prescription  would never be submitted or it would be submitted incorrectly or it would be rejected by the insurance company. After worrying about it for about 20 minutes, I finally realized I was being an idiot. Worrying will not change the situation, but praying will! I started praying to God, "Lord, You know how frustrated I am about these compression stockings. I pray all the paperwork has been submitted. I pray the insurance company approves this second request. I know nothing is too difficult for You. Please, let my compression stockings be approved today. Amen."

After sleeping for a couple more hours, I called the pharmacy this morning. The gentleman checked on the status of the prescription. After waiting ten minutes, the man informed me the request was just coming through on his computer as being approved. I was praising the Lord for hearing my prayer. I was praising the Lord for answering my prayer. Now, I have to travel next week to the pharmacy to get fitted for the stockings. Then they have to be ordered. So, in two weeks, I hopefully will have new compression stockings! Yahoo! "Cast your burden upon the LORD, He shall sustain you. He shall never allow the righteous to be moved" (Psalm 55:22).