Geek in Heels - Page 175

Oct 8, 2009 • In Personal, Pregnancy

Having the Worst Day…

After weeks of filing out forms and waiting…and waiting…I finally got approved for health insurance and received my insurance card in the mail.

Ecstatic, I began to call doctors right away. I could go on and on about how difficult it is to find a good OB in my area who accepts my new insurance, is currently accepting new patients, and does not have a months-long waiting list. But I won’t get into that now. There are more pressing issues at hand.

J and I just returned from an OB that had a last-minute cancellation and was able to fit us in the same day. I was especially anxious because we have not had a checkup in a month, and was worried at how my terrible cold had affected Tater Tot.

The doctor discovered that I had been bleeding. Not enough for me to notice, but definitely enough to have formed clots.

Luckily, we were able to hear the baby’s heartbeat, and my cervix is still closed.

The doctor has ordered a full bedrest for the next week.

At 12 weeks, my chance of miscarriage is less than 2%. This is the time that many parents decide to announce their pregnancy, with the most risky weeks behind them. It seems oddly ironic that we are at a very high risk of miscarriage during the last week of my first trimester.

Sadly, the story does not end here.

As we said goodbye to the doctor and proceeded to the front desk, the receptionist gave us an apologetic smile and told us that my insurance provider is refusing to pay for my visit.

“Did you just start coverage with them? They’re saying that your pregnancy is a pre-existing condition that is not covered under your policy.”

WTF.

When applying for insurance, I had specifically told them that I am pregnant. In fact, I had mentioned it twice in my application – the first under health history and the second under additional comments: “I am currently seeking insurance coverage for my pregnancy.”

Obviously, I can’t call to complain, because their customer support is not open on Thursdays. However, there is a very good chance that I will end up canceling the policy (I will try my best to get my first month’s premium refunded) because either they will require me to pay a sky-high fee to get prenatal coverage, or they will just flat out refuse to cover me.

Thanks a bunch, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. You are yet another reason why the U.S. healthcare system sucks.

Please pray for us in this difficult situation, everyone…

Disapproving Rabbits

Website of the day: disapprovingrabbits.com

They’re cute, they’re fluffy, and they disapprove!

Sick!

Sorry for the absence – I’ve been sick.

Fever, body aches, coughing, vomiting, crying SICK.

(Crying not only because I was so miserable, but also for Tater Tot. If I am in this much pain, how much is the little one suffering?)

I felt a bit better today but I still have a fever.

Trying my best to catch up on emails and work.

So until I feel better –

Geek in Heels out.

A Call for Help

Several of my readers have offered to help spread the word about my freelancing services (thank you!). If you or anyone you know are in need of the following services, please contact me through my contact form, or via direct email: jenny (at) geekinheels [dot] com.

Web design/development, specializing in blogs. I am very familiar with WordPress, Squarespace, and Joomla.
Branding/corporate identity. I helped spearhead a year-long branding campaign at my previous job, where I was in charge of:
1. Creating and maintaining the corporate identity website
2. Creating templates and samples
Printed materials. I have in my portfolio:
1. Direct mail campaigns, start to finish: copywriting, designing, and working with printers and mailing companies. Designed pieces included letters, envelopes, inserts, and postcards.
2. Pamphlets and brochures
3. Advertisements
4. Catalogs
5. Posters, banners, and flyers
6. Stationery: letterheads, envelopes, mailing labels, business cards
E-marketing. I am familiar with various email campaign systems and all the major social media outlets.
Wedding album design

A portfolio site is in works, but it is not finalized yet. For the time being, I have samples of all works which are available upon request.

I also have a great relationship with a printing company that can handle all printing jobs, as well as handle any mailing requests, if any.

You can view my résumé in PDF format here.

Thanks for reading, and thank you in advance for your help!

P.S. – My husband is in need of a full-time job! If you know of any companies in the NYC area in need of a talented Software QA Engineer, please let us know!

Trolls and Naysayers

I have been blogging for eight years. I have had moderate readership at my first blog, gained immense exposure through Weddingbee, and am starting to get a small but devoted following here at Geek in Heels.

Needless to say, I am no stranger to internet trolls. I have received my fair share of personal attacks and snarky comments over the years. You would think that I’ve gotten used to it by now.

…but I would be lying if I said that it doesn’t hurt.

This past week, in response to My Reasons for Withdrawal, I have been subjected to the following comments:

“stupid bitch”

“a perfect example of the entitlement generation who got a mortgage they couldn’t afford, live in a city that’s too expensive, and continue to leech off us hard-working Americans.”

“welfare whore”

“…poor self-pitying wench…egotistical yuppy dinks thought that they had the finances to live in NYC on one income in a place they really couldn’t afford to begin with….These dinks deserve to lose their home because they have no life experience, think way to much of themselves, were not willing to work hard.”

“[You are] the reason I will never support universal health care.”

The best part is that all these comments were posted to other sites that linked to my story. None of them had the courage, time, or consideration to bash me straight to my face. Yes, I only found them through referring links to my blog.

My reason for writing My Reasons for Withdrawal was to inform my readers of what is going on in my life. That was all. I was, and still am not seeking pity. It was not an attack on the U.S. healthcare system. And it certainly was not meant to arouse so much anger.

The power of anonymity that the internet offers can be scary at times. South Korea, one of the world’s most wired countries, is even considering enacting a “Choi Jin Shil law” after the famous actress who committed suicide after slanderous comments about her were posted all over the web.

I know that the best reaction against trolls is no reaction. Ignore them, and they will go away. While I admit that this method works in the long run, it still does not quell the initial sting of reading each hurtful comment. It almost makes me want to not write about personal subjects anymore, because there are a lot more scandalous events going on in my life that will certainly provide more kindle for the fire.

It really is a sad world to see so much hate and judgement hurled against strangers, assuming so much without knowing the entire story, and immediately casting out those with differing opinions.

Ninja-fy Your Google Reader

Did you know that Google Reader has a secret ninja mode? Activate it using the infamous Konami code (if you don’t know what the Konami code is, shame on you!) and your favorite RSS reader will transform into this:

Not only has the cute ninja from GMail themes replaced your sidebar, your “Like” button has transformed into a heart! Click on the “Like” button for a nifty animation of flowering hearts:

Click on “Unlike,” and the heart will break before your eyes:

View the YouTube video below for the full explanation and to see the animation in action:

Via GeekSugar.

An Awesome Book

When I first found out I was pregnant, the baby-preparation experience I looked forward to the most was not decorating the nursery or picking out the baby clothes. It was building the baby’s first library.

As a avid lover of books, I absolutely cannot wait to introduce my child to all the books I loved as a child. Where the Wild Things Are. The Giving Tree. The Velveteen Rabbit. The list goes on and on.

(And if my child takes after J and does not like reading much, I’ll just DIE. DIIIEEEEE, I tell you!)

Yesterday, Wired’s GeekDad introduced me to another book I must add to the list: An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton.

I immediately clicked on over to read the book online, and was impressed beyond words. What parent – what any sane person – would not want to gift their loved ones a fun, easy-to-read book that fosters creativity and encourages the reader to think BIG and outside the box?

Yes, I have already read the entire book online. But I will definitely buy a copy before Tater Tot arrives…and you should too! Why? Because the author will give away a copy for every copy that is purchased through the Awesome World Foundation.

What books did you love growing up? Which books are on your list of must-reads for children?

Keeping My Chin Up

While having a conversation with a fellow church member yesterday, the topic of my current situation came up.

“I’m still surprised at how well you and J seem to be coping. I would’ve broken down weeks ago. I’m really proud of you guys, and I pray for you every day.”

Yes, we may have to give up our first home. Yes, we are in debt. Yes, we’re still biting our nails waiting to hear back from our insurance options.

At the same time, I am still hopeful. Hopeful and optimistic. I have faith that God will provide, as He has always done so in the past. (This isn’t to say that we can just sit on our butts waiting for a miracle to arrive. Rather, we will try our best and God will provide a solution that will ultimately be in our best interest.)

My prior entry on our situation was not meant to arouse pity. It was not an attack on the U.S. healthcare system. It was merely a way to let my readers know what is going on in my life. And honestly, it hurt a bit that the few blogs who linked to it received some scathing comments about “the poor family who didn’t plan ahead, got a mortgage they couldn’t afford, and only got into this situation due to their stupidity.”

But you know what? I don’t care. Rather, I feel sorry for them that they would feel the need to bash on strangers when they do not know our full story.

Every Sunday, I am reminded of just how blessed I am. Because every Sunday, church members approach me and ask about our growing family. People whose names I don’t even know tell me that they are praying for me, J, and the baby every day. And every time I think of our friends and families who keep us in their prayers, I cannot help but smile.

Tater Tot is already so blessed – how can he/she not, with so many people praying for him/her?

Glee!

I have a new obsession, and that show is Glee.

After downloading all 5 episodes in the season so far, including the director’s cut of the pilot, I pressed “play” on my computer expecting not much more than another over-hyped sitcom.

Not so, my friends.

I proceeded to watch all 5, right after the other, in one sitting. It was that good. And I’m itching for more.

THE best new show of the year.

And for all my fellow Glee fans, here is a treat from the latest episode:

(If you’re viewing this on an RSS reader, please click on through to see the animation!)