What's she worth?

Dear Cigna--

(Sidenote: I did a little clarification post about this. Click to read.)

You have been our insurance provider for 3 years now and I'm very grateful. It certainly is a blessing. It would cost us, out of pocket, just about $1,000 a month for Sydney's supplies. That's the amount in dollars we would be forced to come up with, per month, to keep her alive were it not for you.

However, I am upset because I am tired of fighting the same battles with you over, and over, and over, and over. You look at statistics. And numbers. I realize to you, my baby girl is nothing more than a number on your computer; but, to me, she's my world. How do you know what her supply needs are? How are you qualified, beyond your generic stats on a computer screen, to tell me what she should be using---or shouldn't be.

Look below...these are the supplies that keep Syd alive for 1 month. You are in the business of making money and I believe with my whole heart that is more important than Syd's overall health. You want to save a penny. How can you tell me she should only be testing 5-6 times per day instead of 10-12? How do you know if that is enough for HER? Do you live with a 6 year old child who has T1? Probably not, you look at your numbers and put faith in them as though they were a Bible.

~Syd's supplies. Which ones do you think aren't important? Which ones should we cut out? Do you really want to have this conversation with me? I think not.


~See, Cigna, the problem is, I can be doing everything right and still get numbers like this...


and this...


We aren't doing anything wrong to sometimes get these results. This is a mentally exhausting disease. I've lost count of the number of times we have spent nights like the one below. Testing and retesting. Trying to bring her sugars up to a safe level. Or, testing and resting hoping her highs are coming down so she doesn't fall into DKA and wind up in the hospital with an IV. Or in a coma. Or dead. You don't have the personal experiences or know-how to tell me what she needs and what she doesn't. She is more than a client #. She has a life and we are doing the best we can to let her live it and enjoy it to the fullest.



Cigna, I'm tired of the same old fights. Come spend a week in my shoes. Come take care of my little girl's Type 1 diabetes. After you live my life and walk in our shoes, then you can have an opinion about her needs. For now, try not to see everyone as a number. A label. A person that, if you deny their needs, can save you a penny or two.

I realize to you, she might not be worth much. But to me, she's worth the world.


Sincerely,

Shamae
Mother to Sydney Danielle,

--6 year old T1 Diabetic for 724 days.
--With over 7,240 finger pokes accounted for.
--And more shots than most people receive in a lifetime.
--And she is just under 2 years of having this disease.

--Sydney loves to sing.
--And dance.
--She can color wonderfully.
--She is an AR reader at school.
--She loves reading.
--She doesn't like math.
--or eggs.
--or milk.
--She wants to be a musketeer when she grows up.
--And a soldier.
--And a singer.
--And a mother.
--She has a generous heart and a kind soul.
--She loves Jesus.
--and her family.

Cigna, see the people--not the number.