The other side by DH (Dear Hubby)

Last week Tiffany and I were talking about CF and all of the people involved in the facilitating and supporting the treatment process.  We were joking around about how much her CF adds to the support of the economy.  Below is a list of the people I could think of that have jobs because of Tiffany’s CF -- maybe you can add a couple I haven’t.  Just think, without CFers the economy would be hurting more than it is today -- I am glad that we could help someone out with job security!  Here is our list (names are protected for privacy issues):

CF Center

Dr. G. -- CF primary care doctor who oversees all of the CF care.

Nurse P. -- adult CF nurse (the person who gets it all done)

Nurse B. -- peds CF nurse who is the back-up when Nurse P. is not available

Respiratory Therapist C. -- runs PFTs (Pulmonary Function Test) that help determine lung function

Respiratory Therapist R. -- tag teams with RT C.

Nurse Aides -- two different nurse aids who check Tiffany in and get all the basic numbers and ask all the annoying questions.

Receptionist of Pulmonary Department -- tell us to go back and get all our insurance info, scheduling

People in Billing

Social Worker J-- she helps us with basic info and helps most folks with basic info on social programs

Nutritionist B. -- she helps oversee the nutrition side of CF (many people don’t realize that most CFers have a hard time maintaining good weight because their body does not produce enough enzymes -- this is actually one of the main areas that is treated in CF)

Other Dr.s and providers

Dr. Mu. -- ENT doc who oversees sinus treatments and performs surgeries

Dr. Mu. nurse, assistants, and billing -- helpful team to Dr. Mu.

Dr. Ma. -- Endocrinologists that oversees diabetes treatment

Dr. Ma. nurse, assistants, and billing -- helpful team to Dr. Ma.

diabetes trainer -- did initial training on pump and available for questions

Ping salesperson -- sold us on the Ping pump

Insulin Pump supplier -- customer service people and order fillers

Johnson and Johnson developers -- they are putting a lot of money toward diabetes treatment (can’t wait till the closed loop system comes out that tests, reads, and administers insulin)

Drug Assistance folks -- these people help you with medicine assistance in either getting discounts, copay help, or free medication (I think we have 3 different programs helping us)

Hospital

Admitting personnel -- admit you and go over billing and insurance

transporters -- anytime you need to go anywhere they are there (and usually late -- we get forgotten once for 45 minutes in a hall way of the operating wing)

Dr.s and more Dr.s -- We had nine visits in one day last hospital visit, attending dr., infection dr., CF docs, psychologists (it is always interesting to watch them -- they don’t know what to do with people like us), etc. . . 

Nurses -- usually two a day (ours are pretty good usually on the floor and pod that they put all the CF patients)

Pharmacists

Respiratory Therapists - usually see one four times a day -- they do all the breathing treatments and CPT (something??? pulmonary therapy -- they pound on you or use a machine that vibrates that breaks up the mucus in the lungs)

Home Health Care

P. the pharmacist assistant

Multiple delivery people

D. the pharmacist

L. the billing person

Nurse D. -- oversees Tiffany’s care when at home

Nurse C., M., and C., -- fill in for D. especially in evenings

Testing

Blood work people

Sputum Culture people

Medicine

Development

Pharmacist M. at primary pharmacy-- our primary pharmacist who works wonders for us and is very helpful

Pharmacist assistant -- checks us out and helps Pharm. M.

CF pharmacy pharmacists

RS pharmacy  that does 3 months prescriptions

compound (mixed solutions) pharmacist

Insurance

Customer service reps

clinical and pharmacy reviewers -- people who determine whether a drug or procedure is needed

Pharmacy team -- tell you who to talk to and what your policy covers

Nurse L. -- insurance nurse that wants to help but who we don’t talk to (don’t want to muddy the waters)

Wow! This list got longer even than what I was expecting. At minimum, over 50 people a year have their job in part to help treat Tiffany’s CF and its side affects. Now, I wonder what that would look like in dollars and cents? I am sure that would be more than I think also.