I love OSU...really I do.

Let me start by saying how much I love my job at OSU. I'm working in research, using skills I learned through many of my previous jobs, and I'm excited about the future opportunities I will have because of this experience. Now, the bad part... I never realized working for a large university required so much patience. I was supposed to be hired full time on June 1. Someone didn't get the job posted on the website at the proper time, so I couldn't apply for it until a few weeks later. Then, it took longer than planned for my paperwork to go through so I could be "officially" hired. Keep in mind that there was still a crap ton of work to be done, and we are on a strict one year deadline to complete the research. So, I was still doing my job (unofficially). I finally was hired on June 18, which works out so that I get paid during the two and a half weeks I am taking off this summer due to going with Emmy's family to Myrtle Beach and getting married (since I already worked for 2 1/2 weeks without pay).

Then, I find out that I get paid monthly, on the 30th of every month. No big deal-all of my bills are due at the beginning of the month, so I can stick to a budget with whatever is left over after bills. Remember how I started on the 18th? Apparently, the 12th of the month is the deadline for getting paid. So that means I don't get my first paycheck until July 30. That's a little stressful, since we have a few wedding things to pay for, like rings and a license. But I paid my rent and bills for July back in June, and Zach has been working a lot of extra jobs, so we should still be ok. I have been working at Young Chefs Academy and with Elliott, so I have a few little checks coming in that help out with groceries and gas.

Then, I find out that my doctor's appointment had to be cancelled just before leaving for Myrtle Beach, since my doctor doesn't take the OSU insurance. Apparently, only OSU-affiliated doctors take the OSU insurance. I'm very sad about this, because I love my doctor, and have been having some issues that I would really like taken care of before the wedding. But yesterday, I got an appointment with a new doctor for next Thursday, so things should be ok.

Now, to the point of my story. I woke up with a really bad headache yesterday, but thought it was my allergies. I took some medicine, but it didn't really help. No big deal, I'm tough, so I went ahead and worked my twelve hour day. (I taught a cooking class last night). I ran some errands after work, and realized that my headache was getting worse, and becoming a migraine (duh, Heather!). I had uan out of my Imitrex prescription, and was waiting to go to the doctor until I got my OSU insurance card for a refill, so I have no medicine to stop this pain. I took some medicine last night, and Zach researched Urgent Care centers that take the OSU insurance plan at work. I woke up this morning still in pain, so Zach took me to an Urgent Care. I got my OSU id badge yesterday, but haven't yet received my insurance card. But everything's electronic, so surely they can look me up. We got to Urgent Care, and found out that they can't look me up unless they have my insurance id # (different from my OSU id #). I can pay for the appointment out of pocket and get reimbursed later, but it starts at $165. I haven't been paid yet, so I don't have an extra $165 or more. So, I call HR, and am given the phone number of the insurance company. After waiting on hold, I'm told that the insurance company has no record of me in the system. They haven't received any paperwork at all. I have worked "officially" for almost three weeks, and the insurance company hasn't received anything. Awesome.

So, Zach drives me to CVS to get some over the counter migraine medicine. I take two immediately and find out that the maximum dosage is two pills in a 24 hour period. They dull the pain slightly. A few hours later, I find an old Percocet prescription and take one. It takes more of the pain away and makes me feel very loopy and dizzy. It's not so much that I don't hurt, I just don't care as much about the pain. After a three hour nap with an ice pack on my head, I'm feeling marginally better. I really hope I feel better tomorrow, since I have to go back to work. I'm just very frustrated, because I know that a shot of demerol and an imitrex would have taken the pain away. But I don't have any proof that I have insurance, and I don't have money to pay out of pocket for the medicine I need. And it's probably because someone at OSU whose job it is to enter new employees into the system didn't do it in a timely manner. I really hope I have my insurance card before next week's appointment or I'm going to completely freak out on someone and camp outside their door until they do their job! But Zach did a great job taking care of me, and I really appreciate it-he's the best! :)