Mystery

When Zane’s formula didn’t arrive at the beginning of last week, I decided to call the home health supply company to see where we stood on the insurance approval. I was surprised to hear he would not receive the formula as soon as I expected. Apparently, Zane’s insurance still had not approved his last order of enteral feeding supplies. In fact, when the woman called insurance, a Medicaid employee told her it would be upwards of two weeks before she had one. Of course, without an approval, home health could not ship out another order. I totally understood. If insurance denied Zane’s food, then the company would have to eat the costs. The woman I talked with was so nice. She offered suggestions for obtaining the EleCare Jr. while we waited: The Oley Foundation (didn't have the EleCare); purchasing it directly from Abbott (not realistic at almost $300 for a week and a half of meals). But it was nice of her to try to help us out.

I called the pediatrician’s office to see if we would use an over-the-counter formula in the interim, explaining our dilemma to the wonderful receptionist there. However, none of those formulas would give Zane adequate nutrition while we waited on insurance. He would have to suffer with the gagging/retching/vomiting for two more weeks. I felt so guilty giving him the soy formula, but he couldn’t not eat.

So I was pleasantly surprised when—the very next day—Zane’s shipment of EleCare Jr. arrived by UPS. I felt endless amounts of gratitude for the woman at the home health supply company, believing she worked her magic to get the shipment to us. I couldn’t wait until the next business day to call and thank her.

When she answered the phone, I thanked her endlessly for sending the formula since it had come from their facilities. “It wasn’t me,” she said. She looked up Zane’s account and told me she was still pending an approval. Shipment was still pending, as well. I called the pediatrician’s office, thinking they found a way to get the formula from the local office after hearing of our extensive wait. “It wasn’t us,” they said.

I so wanted to thank someone for helping out. But—as much as they may have wanted to—no one within the system did. I immediately thought of Zane’s Aunt Sara. She loved Zane so very much. Could it be within the realm of possibility that she had some influence over the person in the shipping department, enabling Zane to get his much-needed formula sooner than later? I don’t know. But it certainly would be just like her to do something as wonderful as that. And no one else is owning up to the shipment.

Love ya, Sara J