Running Around Reno

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What an incredible whirlwind.  I’m currently blogging from an (oh-so-comfy) hotel bed in Reno, Nevada.  I flew in last night and am flying home tomorrow, so I spent the day doing my Operation Beautiful thing.  But first – I had to go on a run!

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I absolutely wanted to see the downtown area of Reno on foot. It was some very interesting running scenery.  I ran to a little Johnny Cash music. 😉

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Have I mentioned that I am completely head over heels obsessed with the RunKeeper app?  I haven’t worn a GPS watch in ages, but I always carry my phone (for safety and music purposes).  This app uses the GPS on my phone to calculate pace, distance, and more.

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I like how you can change the settings so you get more/less updates on your progress.  I have it set to come on over my music every 5 minutes with a pace and distance update.

 

I would’ve loved to run further and longer, but I had to dash back to the hotel to get ready!

 

This Operation Beautiful event was held at the University of Nevada Reno, but it was co-sponsored by an eating disorder treatment facility called Center for Hope of the Sierras. I spent the morning doing a little media, and then I headed to the Center to meet with some of the women in treatment and tell them about Operation Beautiful.  It was wonderful to meet and learn from everyone.  <3

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I also got to go to lunch with a few of the ladies from the Center, including Kate, who has been reading HTP for four+ years!  So sweet.

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I learned a lot from Kate and her coworkers about how hard it is to get insurance companies to cover enough residential treatment for eating disorders.  It was actually pretty disheartening – I hate to think of patients (or their therapists) begging insurances companies for a few more days of treatment, but it happens all the time. This article from the New York Times on the subject is from a few years back, but it’s still full of good information on this hot-button issue, if you’re interested in learning more.  I definitely want to research this issue further – I’d  be curious to hear any stories of insurance successes or failures for ED treatment, if anyone is willing to share.

 

My speaking event was later in the evening.  It was great.  Well over 400 students showed up!

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Just a reminder that this week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and if you want to learn more, you can head over to NEDA’s website, which has many great resources, including an online screening tool for eating disorders.

 

If you’re in the Reno area, please consider coming out to their NEDA Walk – it’s this Saturday. All the money raised by the walk goes back to NEDA.

 

And maybe, just maybe, would you help me celebrate the positivity, hope, and joy behind Operation Beautiful by posting a note sometime this weekend?  Leave it in a bathroom, a library book, on a bus stop sign…  You never know who will find it!  Maybe it will be someone who really needs that kind thought.

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E-mail me your note (operationbeautiful@gmail.com) and I’ll share it on the OB website for others to read and enjoy. <3

 

Thought of the Day:

“Fall down seven times, get up eight.”

{ 25 comments }

 

  • Christine @ BookishlyB February 28, 2014, 1:20 am

    My sister has suffered from an eating disorder for over twelve years and the only residential treatment places she’s gotten her insurance to cover have been really, really crappy ones that are set up more like psychiatric hospitals- not the answer! There are some nice ones that do “scholarships,” which she was lucky enough to get for a place in Arizona once (she lives in Central CA), but without long-term, consistent follow-up care through the same program it’s a tough disease to get over. Insurance companies love to allocate x-amount of days to be covered, when in fact eating disorders are something that can require months and years to send into remission. I think in a time where there are so many newer “issues” to focus on eating disorders are sometimes spoken about almost nostalgically, so I’m so glad that there’s a time for renewed attention.

  • Abi@AbsofSteel February 28, 2014, 6:50 am

    i love runkeeper too! Btw, I saw an operation beautiful note on my college campus a week ago and it totally made my day 🙂

  • Katie H. February 28, 2014, 7:05 am

    I love exploring in my running shoes when I’m in a new place! One of my favorite runs ever was a 10-miler in California during a family vacation. (Although apparently my in-laws were getting pretty worried about me–they thought 10 miles would take about half an hour?? Not sure… My husband kept assuring them it was not abnormal for me to be gone for an hour and a half.)

  • Sara @ LovingOnTheRun February 28, 2014, 7:35 am

    Love that quote “fall down seven times get up eight” – I have to remember it so many times in life. Looks like you are having a great whirlwind trip! Enjoy!!

  • Elizabeth {Positively Healthy} February 28, 2014, 8:09 am

    It breaks my heart to hear about insurance companies and those with eating disorders. I had an eating disorder for about 5 years and we never had an issues with our insurance thankfully but it kills me to know that others who were in my shoes could be struggling.

  • Stephanie Schwartz February 28, 2014, 9:35 am

    Hi Caitlin, I’ve just recently started following your blog..love it! I know you mentioned in this post the runners app and that you always run with your phone. What do you use to hold your phone when you run? or do you just hold it in your hand? I’ve tried an arm band before, but I found that the one I used kept falling down. Thanks in advance!

    • Caitlin February 28, 2014, 11:31 am

      I hold it or tuck it into a pocket if I have one 🙂 sorry I don’t have a better recommendation. Does anyone?

  • Ali February 28, 2014, 10:02 am

    I am in treatment for an eating disorder and my (very, very good, considered the best in the state) insurance only covers about 1/6th of my outpatient program. I’ve had to stop treatment before just because I can’t afford it. Coming up with that money is really difficult but knowing you have a problem is even harder and stopping and starting treatment over and over makes everything go down hill even faster. I saw an OB note in the women’s bathroom last year but I was so far into my disorder that I couldn’t even look at it or internalize it.

  • Rebecca February 28, 2014, 10:28 am

    I work for a state senator in Massachusetts, and he’s actually filed legislation that would allow individuals to sue their insurance company if his or her insurer doesn’t provide appropriate coverage under MA’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse parity law. Treatment for eating disorders would fall under this law. The bill wouldn’t apply to certain types of employer plans that fall under federal law, but could go a long way to empower consumers. I’m personally of the opinion that every state should have strong parity laws that have real teeth.

  • Rebecca February 28, 2014, 10:49 am

    I understand the cell phone for safety–if I take the garbage out at work late at night, I bring my cell phone just in case something happens because our cordless doesn’t work that far from the desk. But with all the cell phone theft happening (the U of M area in particular the last few months), I’d be wary of having my phone out in public–day or night. They’re now telling people not to have their phones out on buses and whatever, because people could grab them. They’re also coming out with new security apps so that you can keep your data safe if your phone is stolen. People are crazy.

    I keep forgetting to post OB notes around! I used to a lot, and at some point just stopped. I should get back into that. I saw that one of the girls from Superchick Tweeted about NEDA and Operation Beautiful the other day, so that was cool.

  • Alex February 28, 2014, 11:36 am

    I am a seventeen year-old who loves your blog, and I have suffered from anorexia for two years, and was put into treatment in the summer of 2012 in a partial hospitalization program. I was supposed to go to inpatient, but my insurance wouldn’t even cover that, so PHP was my only option. After about a month in treatment, my insurance wanted to kick me out, but I was nowhere near ready, so my mom kept me in treatment and we have racked up quite a bit of debt from that. Insurance sucks.

    • Kate S. February 28, 2014, 7:32 pm

      Hi Alex,

      Your experience is so common and so incredibly difficult–to know you need a certain kind/duration of treatment and to have walls put up by insurance. I dearly hope you are currently in recovery, but I wanted to pass along the information that some programs have what is called “PHP with boarding” programs where clients can go to residential treatment even if they don’t have a residential benefit. Let me know if you’d like more info. Take care!

      • Alex March 3, 2014, 10:45 am

        Hi Kate,
        I am currently at a healthy weight, but as many people like me, am not in a healthy mindset. I struggle each day with body image, skipping meals, and other eating disorder symptoms. I don’t know if my family can afford coverage for anything at the moment, as I am not seeing a therapist and only seeing a psychiatrist because I need medicine. It is a hard circumstance. I would love to know more so I can tell other people I know, but I don’t believe I could go back to treatment unless I was deathly ill again.

  • Stephanie @ Whole Health Dork February 28, 2014, 12:53 pm

    LOVE that you are promoting NEDA Week! Thanks for doing such great work! I had anorexia when I was 13 and through swift treatment, was able to recover and live the relatively normal life I have now, free of food obsession. I’m sharing some of my experience on my blog this week. 🙂

    Since I was so young, my parents dealt with the insurance aspect and I’m sure that insurance coverage issues may have changed in the nearly 20 years since I was treated. It’s really sad to think treatment wouldn’t be covered. I wouldn’t be where I am without help. I would, sadly enough, most likely be dead since I was close to death’s door when I was hospitalized.

    • ohio rehab November 23, 2015, 1:48 am

      I like reading a post that will make men and women think.

      Also, thanks for allowing for me to comment!

  • Kelly February 28, 2014, 12:56 pm

    LOVE the “Thought of the Day!” They always make me smile and think how great life is! Have a great weekend!!

  • Afton at My Virtual Mission February 28, 2014, 1:31 pm

    That does look like an interesting run! Good on you for running a shooting! 😀

  • Tara February 28, 2014, 2:37 pm

    Hi Caitlin! Love your blog…Sounds like the speaking engagement went well! Quick question about your run app…how accurate do you think the calorie burn figure is?? JW as I know treadmills can be super off..?

  • Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs February 28, 2014, 2:58 pm

    A run is such a great way to see a new city! Sounds like you had a great (short) trip!

  • Rebecca February 28, 2014, 4:17 pm

    I saw the documentary Someday Melissa last year. Have you seen it? Melissa had to leave treatment earlier than she should have because of issues with her insurance. It’s a sad story.

  • Kate S. February 28, 2014, 7:37 pm

    It was so great to meet you, Caitlin, and thanks for coming to Reno! Your talk was so great and the ladies loved meeting you! Thanks for helping to bring awareness to how difficult it is for individuals to get their insurance to cover the treatment they need–it is a battle I hope we can someday stop having to fight. Also, I love the photos of our downtown :).

  • Espie February 28, 2014, 7:54 pm

    I’m so happy you went to my alma mater–UNR! I was on the NEDA committee during undergrad and it was so difficult to organize events. This post made me giddy 🙂

  • Sara February 28, 2014, 11:35 pm

    I spent 4 months in an inpatient and then partial program and people were always getting “kicked out” due to their insurance coverage. These places aren’t cheap and girls basically have to be on their death bed in order to get the coverage they need. Then again, one of my friends was doing the therapy but they technically cant force you to go to groups. So if you aren’t going, insurance is going to see that in your charts and think, “hm, she isn’t really even trying to get better, why are we wasting our money?” and discontinue coverage. For several girls, treatment was a suspenseful process and their treatment teams would be battling with insurance reviews WEEKLY for a longer stay. It was incredibly sad to see some girls go who I KNOW are just going to end up BACK in treatment very soon 🙁 And its true, I bet they spend so much more money than is necessary because if they just let the patient stay the full course of treatment, the patient would be less likely to relapse and cost them even more money by consecutive treatment stays.

  • Adrianna March 1, 2014, 8:44 pm

    we have been battling insurance issues for the past year, trying to find one that will cover treatment for my sister. she’s been severely anorexic for years, and was in and out of treatment at the only place that would accept her. the facility was horrendous, much more psych problems than anything, and did not properly treat all the true issues. while they did manage to keep her alive, she’s back down the spiral once again…and finding insurance for her is impossible. she needs significant help at a proper facility, is getting closer to death every single day, but yet they don’t recognize this as an insurance disease? so frustrating…

  • Lindsay March 2, 2014, 1:50 am

    Insurance and Eating Disorder Treatment is a big discussion in every treatment facility I have been in. I just got out of treatment on Monday. I remember once a week where patients and therapists would be cursing the insurance companies, but that just pisses me off. Yes, I wanted my friends to spend more time in residential treatment, but blaming it on the insurance company is bull-shit. The company that is your employer determines what your coverage’s are and what the insurance company is allowed to be paid. I think that if you want to blame anyone it should be the company that refuses to write it into the policy that there be residential coverage for eating disorders. I have struggled with an eating disorder for 14 years. I have had my own struggles and my parents decided to fight with the company that my dad works for and now we finally have it changed in our policy. I hope people can figure that out and stop BLAMING the insurance company.

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