Easy come, easy go :(

False alarm on the insurance covering my orthotic shoe inserts (see last post). I called the doc's office today in advance of my 2:30 appointment to get casted for orthotics, just to make sure they had called and gotten verification with the new confirmation code (you know, the one where she typed in all caps: "ORTHOTICS ARE COVERED" on my record?).  Dr. L's secretary said they had called with the new code and gotten a "no" again.  So I called and spoke to a different insurance rep this time, and she saw the note, but said that previous rep had been mistaken.  Yes, the paragraph she read to me saying orthotics were covered was there, indeed, but she had neglected to read the fine print, where it says: "exclusions to orthotic coverage: foot orthotics" and "exceptions to the exclusion: patients with diabetes." I scolded her for her company's ineptitude (which was really that other rep's oversight) and asked her if she realized I almost went to the doctor today for a $500 expense that I thought was covered; she replied, "I realize that, and it's a good thing you called one more time to verify."  Yes, a good thing.  Okay. What I wanted to say was, "Rooooaaaaaarrrrrrr!"
Realizing this conversation was a dead end and persisting at this point would probably just cause me to embarrass myself, I hung up and picked up the phone to cancel my appointment, but then I checked myself and texted Jon about my frustration instead.  He talked me through the decision and said we would find a way to fund this expense, because it was necessary for the future health of my feet. I thought about all the reading I had done to make sure this was really necessary and asked myself if I thought Dr. L's was the right place to go for this, and decided that I should keep the appointment.
Soapbox moment: It is VERY frustrating and VERY wrong that our insurance companies do not recognize the importance of preventive meds and devices and procedures, instead preferring to wait until there is actual disease or disfigurement before laying out a penny. I think it could actually be good business (and more moral) to cover a variety of preventive measures that could save health and thus save money down the road.  Stepping off the soapbox now (carefully, so as not to hurt my foot!) . . .
Now on to the appointment: While I was there, Dr. L said with great animation, "Oh! I have something I want to show you! The new hospital I've been operating at has these cameras in the ceiling, so I've been snapping pictures during surgery." Then he proceeded to open another patient's chart and show me the photos of his big toe joint replacement surgery, step by step!  It was actually really fascinating! "Here's his bone, you can see the degeneration of the cartilage, see how it's all yellow and squishy here? That should be all white. K, now here's the bone with that part all cut off . . . "
From me: "Oh!"  (looking at the two pieces of the bone with a huge space between them now)
Dr. L: "Yep, and that blue plastic piece there is a spacer, that I'm using to measure the size of the artificial joint I need.  And here's the new joint, in place."
Me: "Wow!"
Dr. L: "Oh, hey, he's still here, I bet.  You want to talk to him?"
Me: "Heck, yeah!"
So he runs out and drags in this patient he had just finished seeing, and I said, "Dr. L just finished showing me the inside of your toe, so I thought we'd better introduce ourselves, you know, meet."
Was that funny or dorky?  Jen?
The first thought through my mind was, "He's so young! He's like, MY age." (You see, I have this lingering perception of myself as somewhere in my late 20's, and I can't believe my foot is this bad off already.)  We had a really interesting conversation; I asked him several questions, and he said, "I really only used the pain meds for 2 days. It was really a breeze." I saw he was walking in one of those walking boots, and I said, "So how long ago did you get this done?" (Thinking I would hear 2 or 3 weeks ago.)
He said, "Last Thursday."  Wow!  That's not even a week ago!
Every part of that visit did my soul some good.  Getting to spend some time talking with Dr. L while he slapped the plaster on my feet to make the molds was helpful, seeing the pics and talking to the current surgery patient was helpful, getting to ask some more questions--very helpful.  I feel more at rest.  I'm even considering canceling the 3rd opinion appointment I have with an orthopedic surgeon later this month.  What do you think?