Talking about "enduring" ALL of the "complications" & Nightmares of being in the hospital after breaking my hip, surgery, Rehab and "conflicts" of other illnesses #WhatTheHealthcare

 #WhatTheHealthcare

To understand this, I fell and broke my right hip n 2 place the Tuesday before Christmas. I am STILL in the Rehab Hospital and everyday there is some kind of "kink" or some complication, and guess who suffers for it???? ME, the PATIENT!!! Here is the latest example.... besides being Anemic and having 3 UNITS of blood before, during and after surgery.... I've had a ROUGH 24 HOURS AGAIN!

They decided to do that liver sonogram and I didn't know I could not eat, drink or even have meds (which I was told they would come somewhere around 3AM or so do to the scan. Well, 3 passed by, then 5AM passed by, then 6AM and nothing to eat, drink, no medications, and by 6:30AM I was about a basket case... well over time for pain meds, my Valium, my muscle relaxers and so on. So, everyone was checking to find out why the scan was not done sometimes in the early morning.

He FINALLY SHOWS UP about 11:00AM.... now this is like 20 HOURS SINCE I've had anything.... the sonogram did not take long, and I was "buzzing" for ALL OF MY MEDS, and some orange juice as soon as he got through. So, thank goodness I got lunch, and of course my stomach is so "small" that I can't hold a great deal of food or drink at a time.

But, I got my meds, and drank the juice, then ate some of my lunch, and now I am just worn out from lack of sleep, and lack of meds on time.... so it's been a heck of a day and night before.... I gather he did the sonogram of my spleen, liver, kidney's etc...so if anything is causing the blood work to be "off" hopefully they will find out.

How to Move forward with severa Systemic diseases, Lupus, Sjogren's, RA & knowing when everything feels so out of sorts, even with the New Year Upon me....

A piece of me feels as if I am blocking out all that we went through with Mom, then losing her in June so suddenly. Then the ordeal of paperwork, and all that happens even after the funeral is over.

Then I've went from one issue such as both ankles severely twisted, to sinusitis, to pneumonia, to Lupus flares, then to take such a horrible fall. and break my right hip in two places... to wind up being in the Rehab on Christmas, and maybe for awhile after the 1st of the year.

I just know that things have to get better. I am so terribly tired of being ill in one way or the other. I tried so hard to NOT allow this to happen to me. I knew my chances of a fall could lead to a break of a bone or joint. That is one of the very last things I wanted r needed. But, when I hit that hardwood floor two weeks ago the coming Tuesday, I knew it was not good.

I wanted to believe that it was bruised badly, yet when I could not drag it on the floor without screaming out in pain, I knew then it was bad.

I've been in a turmoil over the state our nation is in. Now with the "person" that is to be our new President, totally terrifies the hell out of me. I cannot fathom him having enough tact with out own Congress, much less any other nation.

I am having to almost "hide" my feelings this season. Here I see many families, together, excited about kids, Christmas, and this very special time of the year, yet I feel left in a "dark fog" wondering once again why I feel "punished", why did I have to take a fall as I did, and break a hip. And what are the chances that I wind up having another surgery if this hip does not work without an entire replacement since the osteoporosis could cause issues.

Frankly, this is one of the very 1st times I've been this worried about my own health issues. I watched my Grandmother and my Mom be able especially my Grandmother take care of themselves for YEARS alone. Now, I fear everything, from just getting out of the bed to going home. I've always been so bound and determined to do my stuff myself. Now, between the Lupus, the RA, the Osteoporosis, and now a broken hip, that I will lose some of my independence, which that thought bothers me badly.

The latest is I have a huge hematoma where the surgery was done on my hip. I knew it had been looking like a I had "2nd hip" and was sticking out but I just thought it was swelling. But when the nurse went to put a new dressing on it yesterday she found it was much more than swelling, and they took pics of it, and sent them to my doctor. Sure enough it is probably a  huge hematoma, and they are putting ice packs on it 4 times daily, and I won't even get the staples out for another week.

My foot still hurts and I still think I have a hairline fracture in it. I guess I should ask for it to be X-Rayed again. I am just so sick of being poked and prodded on, I hate to say that anything hurts.

I have to wonder if anything in my life will ever become "normal" again?

Perspective....during the rough times of life....

As I sit here in Rehab after a bit over a week since I fell, broke my right hip in 2 places, had surgery, and all within the holidays, I am so full of mixed emotions that I m not sure how or what I feel. I look around at everyone patient here. and ALL of them I have seen so far are at least 12 plus years older than me. I must say the entire staff are great. from the nurses to be rehab gals and guys. We had a really good morning in Rehab this morning, even had one of the guys playing the guitar and singing Christmas songs, and many were joining in.

 I wish all of you a Blessed and Safe Holiday - the weather appears like it may not be the greatest so all be careful if you are driving ... be sure to watch out for those in too big of a hurry or already have had too much "holiday cheer"... My Greatest Hope for the days ahead are for everyone to be at Peace, Harmony, and learn how tolerance can balance out life, and give all a better perspective of people, all people surrounding you daily that we are all the same... all pure humans, in an "Earthly World" that sadly has gone astray from their viewing others with new eyes and a renewed heart.

#invisibleillness Blog Post - and talking about the "fight" of our Life!

"Invisible Illness"? A term to some that would or may not make any sense. Usually for the most part, if you have an "ailment",  surgery, are ill with bronchitis, even things such as diabetes, people tend to "see" outwardly some signs of "illness"... a cold, the flu, even something such as hypertension, high blood pressure, will bring some outward visions maybe the person's face tends to be red, or they may show signs of edema, swelling.

Obesity, is a disease. Of course that, or anorexia, those ailments are also able to be seen.

Someone who has a loss of use of their limbs, such as legs, arms, or have an injury severe enough to require a cane, or a walker or wheelchair... all that can be seen....


Yet, when you "see" a person with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Lupus, Chronic IBS, Pernicious Anemia, MS - at some levels, Mysethiana Gravis, Sjogren's, or chronic types of nerve pain, migraines, and the list goes on and on of true illnesses, that are often not "witnessed" by the outside world. Chronic Pain, which can result in so many, many 100's of different ways, may not absolutely "show" to the outside world.

So, when you see a person parking in a handicapped zone, and they have a placard, even though they may "appear" to be "fit as a fiddle" - never assume that is so. Some days, I may not use mine, or feel like I don't need to. Other days, it is almost imperative for me to try to park as closely as possible, especially is a large store, such as Wally World, Beall's, Penney's and you know the rest. I maybe in so much pain, or feel so weak, or so fatigued, it is all I can do to go in, get exactly what I need, and get out. But, outwardly someone passing by, may not see that in me.

I am a recent new member of a church. Some people there know me, or have made it a point to get to know me, thus they can "get" some reasons why I may appear to look one way yet feel totally another.


I've found that even with my own physicians... if I "remotely" go in for a follow up visit, especially with the Lupus, RA and so on, I had better NOT "appear" all that "better"... in other words, you walk in and even though that physician may have been seeing you for years, if you come in dressed in a nice dress, or nice jeans and shirt, have makeup on, and your hair in place... and jewelry on, some see that as meaning you are "okay"... which can be as far from WRONG as possible!!!!

99% of the time I go to my doctors, whether the Rheumatologist, my pain doctor, my PCP, my heart doctor or whomever, I make sure I DO NOT appear like "nothing" is wrong. Now, that does not mean go in appearing as if you are on "death's threshold"unless for real you DO feel that badly, and believe me there are times I do look it and feel it... but if I am having issues that I feel I want them to really HEAR and LISTEN to me, then I dress more casual, usually forgo most of the makeup, and not come in joking with the staff, and laughing it up.... because no matter what "medical records" show,  that "appearance" is what can make all the difference in whether your true concerns, pain, illness, problems are truly addressed or are more brushed off due to the fact you appear to be doing fine....


In fact, I know that most of us say, "Hey, how are you"???? or we are asked that in any setting and especially in the doctors office. I've come to the place that I say, well not really as well as I want to be, and that is one of my main reasons for being here, something is wrong, I am in too much pain or this and that are swollen, or whatever all of the symptoms that have been going on, I make sure I totally explain that, and I do NOT any longer, give that "oh, I am doing okay".....

Plus with "invisible illness(es), they are often just that "invisible"... and I always go with a very long list, of symptom, especially new things, of my mental, emotional and physical shape.... If I have heard about a new medication, or something that sounds as if it could be right for my situation, that I put notes down and I go through each and every one of them explaining, what it is or is not, how long, when it happens, what type of pain it is, and as you can tell, I try to MAKE any specialists, doctors, radiologists... whomever is doing something on me that moment... I get all of the information possible, and I ALWAYS ASK for a copy of the "test", lab, dr. findings, surgery notes, and so forth... I get it all, and I keep it all... that way I have PROOF that this, that or the other happened or did not happen so I can keep up with it, and also take it to other physicians that may need to see me in the future...


The EXTREMELY REMORSEFUL thing about having a/AN INVISIBLE ILLNESS(S)... is that YOU FEEL ABSOLUTELY INVISIBLE YOURSELF!!!!

There are so many times in my life, whether it be at a doctor, having surgery, going through one thing of the other... is that I feel as if I am just a "ghost", another "body" for them to work on... and that the "person" that is there, very real, with every breath you take it is like they could care less what you are feeling, thinking, going through... it is all MONEY, POWER AND GREED!!!! I CANNOT SAY how many times I've repeated those words as of lately.... MONEY, POWER AND GREED!! Where is ANY Sanctity for the HUMAN BEING AND HUMAN LIFE ANYMORE????

Where Do You "Turn" When you are already "Char-Broiled" by Illnesses, the Insurance companies & Our Medical "Entity"?

How To Turn Over And Change A World of "Not "for" the People, but for The People's Money?

There was a time that I felt "age" and technology moving so very rapidly caused many to not "get the drift" of insurance, medical charges, medical information, & all that goes with that. Well, I am here to tell you right now "age" has nothing to do with any of those things being "confusing". I've found out quite recently, even the medical facilities, doctors offices and insurance companies themselves have no clue as to what they are doing! I've had to get a "crash education" in "diagnosis codes", in the "technical parts" of insurance, medical billing and coding just to get my bills coded, and paid correctly. Two of which I had dealt with since LAST AUGUST~ After 3 APPEALS including myself, my husband, and 5 other people at the University Hospital, working on these, WE NEVER did get Humana to pay those 2 infusions correctly! They continued to try to bill the "Rituxan" as "Part D", which is NOT CORRECT, and then they billed again, and Humana tried to code it strictly as if it were for Cancer, not RA, so that screwed everything up. Alas finally last week, after resorting to ALL avenues even the hospital threw in the towel. They helped me with financial aid for those two bills totaling over $3,000.00!!! They also have me "approved" NOW for the Rituxan infusions until August of this year. After Humana pays all they are going to the hospital will pick up the balance for me. :) Which is awesome news! BUT, in the mean time I was 7 weeks or more late with any biologic! I came down totally ill with two different flares, RA and LUPUS! Along with all of this serious dental stuff that is going to require a Dental Surgeon to probably have to pull all of my teeth, put in a couple of implants, and then put the teeth onto those implants! I go tomorrow to the dentist, but I know just from what I feel and see, I doubt there is anymore "patching". My teeth literally one day seem fine, the next they are breaking off at the gum line, splitting into halves,   and they are almost like coming apart, pieces sloughing off, and it just happens. No rhyme, nor reason. It is the Sjögren's, but all of that was discovered too late. My teeth were already headed down that road probably before 2008, when I first was diagnosed with these Autoimmune illnesses. Plus there is "little" they can do for Sjögren's. There are two pills, I've tried them both. I am still on one of them, but it is not helping really. I constantly have to sip on green tea or something, and I have to constantly chew gum (sugar free and with xylitol" in it) or my mouth is so dry, I cannot swallow, talk, nothing... plus I am constantly having ulcers, sores, sore throats, you name it... . I've already lost 4 teeth in just about 6 months, and I know right now, if these cannot be fixed tomorrow, I could lose at least 4 again, if not more. Now to find an Oral Surgeon, that can "file" this as a medical condition, which it is and it is well documented with ALL of my doctors and now two dentists, that Sjögren's is the issue, and I did have a woman at Humana TELL ME yes they will cover this IF it is a medical condition... and I even got so far as to having them send me a letter stating they will... I may still face having all of my teeth pulled, two implants put in top and bottom, then they almost "snap" the plates in on those to hold them. Regular "dentures" are not the answer for anyone with Sjögren's. Due to no saliva they will not hold in place, and would make my mouth probably less wet, etc. I also have osteoporosis, and it is in the "severe" range. So, that will also be a factor as to how they fix the problem. I could have to have "bone grafts" or some way to fix the bone, if I have lost enough that the implants may not be able to be put in! This is a living nightmare! And the sad damned thing is NOT ONE doctor, or really dentist until I began to discuss it, has tried or talked to me about this horrid disease. Yes, I have it. Yes, it is reeking havoc with my mouth, teeth, bone and gums, but till this moment has anyone offered a "real solution". The ONLY person who has even attempted to find out what HAS to be done, is ME! Plus, this is like major surgery. I am sure the oral surgeon has to put me to sleep, pull those teeth, and then I am not sure about the implants from there, and putting the teeth in. That all depends on my bones in my jaws, as to how it all plays out.... and now I face a major trip 4 weeks away to DC! I certainly cannot go with my teeth literally falling out of my mouth daily now a piece at a time! But, trying to get ALL of this done... no way, no how in 4 weeks! Plus, if things are not bad enough, I have this flare, I was put on steroids again, after an injection, the PA thought I have a sinus infection, which has been wheezing. So, she put me on "Omnicef" but a generic form of it. Well, I have not had any of the "Keflex" type of medications for many years. So, I am on it since Thursday. Friday I noticed my stomach not "right"... but it has not been anyway with the flare mess. So, I take the antibiotics, and by yesterday I have such a horrible, horrible scary case of the big "D" word, I cannot stay out of the bathroom! So, I get concerned, look it up and come to find out, this is probably a "form" of colitis, a secondary infection in my colon, due to it allowing other bacteria to take away too much of my "good bacteria" out of my intestines! I was not that concerned, but it kept getting worse and worse... and it is just I won't even go there... but BAD!!! So, I had already taken some Imodium a couple of times, then read this morning it is better to "talk to the doctor" BEFORE taking any of the anti-diareall's !!! Well what another mess we have here "Sherlock"! I certainly can't even leave the house like this, and now I have another problem on top of everything else. My Enbrel came in Thursday and I took it. But now I woke up yesterday feeling like someone literally knocked me on the ground, and took a baseball bat and beat every muscle in my body. There is NOT ONE place I can touch myself, that does not "hurt"... it is insanity! And who knows, is it one of the flares, medications, something new I am developing???? No biologic for too long, then a new one that I've never had??? I can guarantee "my guess" is probably better than the doctors as this point! That does not include everything that is on the "books" for me this coming month! I honestly fear I will be having to miss the DC fly in. I just don't think with my mouth situation, the flares as bad as they are, and everything else going on with me, I can take a chance to fly to a strange city, going through a 3 day seminar, then stay on through the following Sunday to see Jim's Step Mom. Hell, I can't even go to the store as I am this morning, much less drive to even Dallas! These diseases can really make your life a living hell. When you add on top ALL of the STRESS, with insurance, bills, just having surgery 5 weeks ago, and a few other things going on with "family", that I just found out yesterday, and that I am extremely upset about, my brain is at either go insane completely, throw in the towel, and cover me up for good. And NONE of this includes Jim's ENTIRE ORDEAL with a neck that probably needs surgery, a lower back problem that is not much better, and NO INSURANCE! And don't get me started on the "Indigent" Health help in our county!!! Talk about a joke! That is another complete chapter for my book, if not two chapters. SO!!! IN A NUT SHELL NANCY! You are correct, and it is even WORSE than many know. I just read yesterday afternoon, that "Obama Care" due to the "new insurance crap" may even make getting anything paid through Medicare, and especially Medicare Advantage Plans (i.e. Humana, and the others) even more difficult. They are planning to pay the providers "less"! Well hell, they don't "pay" them as it is. That is why our doctors are starting to not accept them! Because they bill for a 100.00 office visit, and the insurance pays them $3.00!!! or something ridiculous! I realize the medical system is screwed, doctors, facilities all of that is WAY< WAY over priced. BUT it is because the insurance companies PAY NOTHING, thus the circle begins, round and round. And who is stuck in the middle of it? Well us for one as patients! BUT who is it FUELING THE FIRE??? THE GOVERNMENT, MEDICARE! Absolutefrickinly! Yes new word... we have our dear CONGRESS and our Centers for Human Services (not Humane", but Human) to thank for this bill pile of bureaucratic bull red tape. And then it all falls on our shoulders, and we bear the scars all over us where they have just "shredded" humans out of any kind of true health care! It is a total fly over the planet, into another universe, complicated, ridiculous, "corporation greed" let's make money, NOT HOW WE CAN HELP PEOPLE! Thank you to ALL of our Congress, and I mean all of them... local, state, federal.... we vote them in and they vote us as "null and void"....

Chronic Illnesses/Autoimmune Arthritic Diseases - Do You "always" HEED Your Physicians' Advice?

Must you "think" you have to do "All" Your Doctors Tell you to do?


First of All, the "post" below in red is a post I began yesterday evening on Face Book. When I began really getting into the "subject" matter at hand, I KNEW this would make for a HUGE BLOG POST! This is something that just about everyone of us has dealt with one time or the other. If not, then you probably don't go to a physician's office very much!  So, I will let you read the "red" portion - then under it I will "further" write about the title of the blog... "Do You ALWAYS HEED YOUR PHYSCIANS ADVICE??





Well GOSH!!! A MIRACLE HAS HAPPENED!!!! I am already HOME!!! This is WAY too early when you go to our PCP!!!! IF your appointment is at 2:00pm. Usually you spend until about 4:30 pm waiting in that tiny room, staring at the walls! We only had to wait 45 minutes!!! Talk about a joke! Why the hell he insisted Mom come I have no idea. All HE needed was ALREADY there, from Mom's Cardiologist as I SAID!!!! (Twice)... and rather than address her other issues, he begins to exam the stupid shoulder! Then he proceeds to tell her "he dos not think it is a rotator cuff tear" and told her to do two exercises and it should get better!!! Now we never said anything but that it was bothering her. But we did mention we had seen a doctor about it to the nurse. Now, I know for a fact that the "clinic" where my heart doctor and our orthopedic surgeon is DO NOT GET ALONG with the clinic where our PCP, food doctor, my new GYN doctor etc., and also my surgeon who is supposed to be the hernia surgery! So, all he did is mix Mom up. Now she is "questioning" whether to even have the MRI. As I told her number ONE the Orthopedic surgeon is the "expert". And the PCP, is very intelligent, but he is NOT a specialist. SO, I told her to take all of that into consideration as well as how the shoulder feels and is doing (she seemed to think it is better today... well yes, she has not used it in a couple of days, thus of course it feels better. YET, I also told her a doctor is not GOSPEL as far as His "recommendation" as myself, I DID NOT BELIEVE even after FOUR DOCTORS told me there was NOTHING in my left lower abdomen... I KNEW THER WAS!!! So, I went to a doctor until someone knew enough to find the issue. Thus I did, it is two hernia's and at least one needs to be repaired! As my husband and I talked about a while ago, even when we were "growing up", we were "taught" that our "doctors" are like "Gods"... they know it ALL and WE MUST DO AS THEY SAY!!! BULL!!!!!! OF course you NEED to pay attention and for the most part take your doctors advice. BUT it is NEVER mandatory you MUST do as they say or not say..Ultimately it is YOUR body, you know it better than anyone... and if you do not agree, either just don't do it, or do it, or find another doctor! I learned about 25 years ago or more, I NEVER think my doctors know everything, or do I think they can DO NO WRONG! As a whole the majority of our physicians are highly educated. the continue to be educated, they pass board exams, etc... BUT THEY CAN MAKE errors... or just because they say something does not mean you have to agree with it a little, a lot or at all!!!! Actually this is a HUGE issue, and I am going to put a big blog post up about this very thing.... from first of all, they are "human"... second of all, not all of them are "nice" especially surgeons... and so forth... it will make for a terrific blog posting:) I'll work on it tonight and in the morning and post here a link when I have it completed!






Onto further discussion of this subject...

As I got into up in the Face book portion of this post, I began writing about how just a few years back, most of us, whether you were younger and growing up, or you were already an adult, when you went to your doctor (for the most part we saw ONE doctor for just about everything!)

I recall our "MD"S" here in Ennis could "do surgery", deliver baby's, treat you for the flu, or any illness, an take care of just about anything you needed. Unless it was some extremely odd, you were not "referred" to a specialist. There wasn't that many "specialized" doctors then. They saw you if you were an infant, or if you were elderly. It was a "one stop shop" as you could call it.
Then I began to notice right after my daughter was born, (after 1985 forward) many of our regular MD's stopped delivering babies. Several here just stopped all together. They sent you to an OB/GYN for that. I realized at that time, if I doctor did it "all" he was up, day and night, away from home, especially if you did any type of emergency stuff for your patients or a baby was coming you had to be there. So, it made sense to send women to a doctor that did that type of stuff. In fact, I guess there was a time we did not have a doctor right here in town to deliver, so you either went to Corsicana or Waxahachie for a pregnancy. That was also when you did not have a "stick" to pee on to tell you about a pregnancy or not. I "guessed" both times just due to the morning sickness etc. 

Then I began to see our older doctors, our MD's that did everything from "soup to nuts" retiring. They were all elderly, and were tired and worn out. I feel some stayed on way too long just because at the time we didn't have many doctors here. As we progressed over the next few years, I began to notice we had more specialists popping up. Our MD's the newer ones coming up, chose NOT to deliver babies, or do surgery. The left things like that up to the more specialized physician's. Again the problem with that was "lack of specialists" in small towns. You traveled usually to Corsicana, if not DALLAS, for many things that the family practitioners were not handling anymore. I think for many of us, it was a HUGE change! 

You had folks like my Daddy that remembered when the DOCTOR CAME to YOUR HOUSE! A family member went and got them. Then the doctor came to you, you didn't go to him. But that soon was to be changed as our small communities began to grow. Then you had people my age, that were used to a "family doctor" doing it all. So, even at first with myself and others my age, this "specialist" stuff seemed like more of a burden than anything. Well of course it wasn't too long until doctors began to branch out from that "family practice" into more and more specialized fields. We had a larger population even in smaller communities, we were more of a "mobile" country, everyone just about by then had a car in the family, so we could go to a specialist in the next town. They knew more about particular health problems, than our regular doctors. So, they were much more of a help, knew more about the "latest and greatest" whether medications, surgeries, tests, lab work. That specialist had been trained to be "specific" as to the needs of patients sent to him.  


In those first years of the "specialists" I feel most people were thankful for the change. Especially when it came to more of a "serious" illness such as heart issues, kidney, lung, stomach all of our vital organs, having someone that performed medicine on a daily basis of that one type just made sense. 
From there, and I'm not exactly sure why; but taking an "educated" guess we began to see more doctors going into a further very highly specialist part of the medical field were a couple of things. First of all, we had a larger population. Thus the more people, the more illnesses we began to see. People began to live longer, thus the "elderly" population living more years meant they were subject to becoming ill with other diseases, such as diabetes, arthritis and the like. The 2nd reason was due to the fact that a physician that went to college and through all of his studies in a much highly specialized field of medicine, meant they would be able to charge more, thus make more money. I'm sure that is not how we like to think about it, but of course it is true. The higher the specialty, the more money they are able to charge for having those talents and education. 

But, bringing it up to "this day and time", and doctors have just about "specialized" themselves to the place of being ridiculous! I know some of it again is more people, living longer, more research means we know about more illnesses and how to treat them. And again the "higher" up chain of speciality means the higher they can bill insurance and the patient. A great example of being to the point of almost ridiculous in specializing, is what I went through with the "double vision". 

I had it come up suddenly one night, and thought since it was late evening, watching television, and the fact I had not been sleeping well at all for weeks, I was just having problems from lack of sleep. So I let it ride about 2 weeks, and decided to have a visit with my opthamologist.  So, I went in to see them, they saw that I had "double vision" going on, put a "prism" in my glasses, and wanted me to see a "specialist" that in all honesty, I had never heard of. This was a "neuro-opthamologist." So, since I am already used to the fact with autoimmune arthritic illnesses along with my other ailments that are chronic in nature, no longer is it uncommon that I am sent to some type of a specialist. I go home, with the name of one, which turned out did not take my insurance. I began my own search online, along with my insurance information, and come to find out there were only 3 of these specialists in the state of TX & at the time 2 in the DALLAS AREA! So, I see one that looked promising online, etc. I call figuring it would be MONTHS before I would get it. this doctor could see me that week! My thought was that since he did something that high up on the "food chain" of sorts, he probably did not have a huge cliental. I go a few days later to his office in Dallas, and not only did he have a HUGE number of patients, his STAFF had to be something like 50 PEOPLE!!!! It was totally nuts!!!! To try and shorten this story, it came to pass yes he had MANY patients, because he was the ONLY specialist in Dallas that took these types of patients, other than one other one that took months to get an appointment with.

All in all, I went to the other doctor at Southwestern Medical University in Dallas, who was in my book a "REAL" doctor. That is why it takes months to get into him, and the other doctor first of all was a total "jackass", another story that I told right after that happened, but he also had this "trained" staff that did EVERYTHING!!! They did every part of the exam, put it all in the computer, and took you to put you in a dark little tiny room to see the doctor. Well, he never even touched me, examined me, nothing... all he did was look at what the results from ALL of the other people did, make a stupid remark, and say he wants to see you in a week! You can just imagine the shock and frankly horror I felt! My husband and I left there in total SHOCK that a doctor of his "magnitude" ran basically a "cattle farm". You were "herded from room to room, poked and prodded by his "staff", then sent onto listen to him saying nothing, but see you in a week! He put me on a bit highly dose of predisone, done blood work that he admitted would probably not be accurate due to the fact I am already on prednisone, and and when the blood work did come back with a very "slightly" raised level of inflammatory problems (well yes I have autoimmune illnesses) he decided to do a biopsy on my temporal artery. here is this doctor, who has not laid a hand on me basically, have had his staff run the same stinking eye tests on me for 3 visits, and now he wants to suddenly do a biopsy on the side of my head. I SHOULD HAVE LEFT THEN!!!! 

So, now this leads me to the MAIN SUBJECT I want to talk about. I realize that was a long route to get here, but I felt it necessary for me to mention just ONE of my situations with a doctor that I KNEW was not right. Yet, even with all of my research and due to it being "DOUBLE VISION" and if it were "Giant cell Temporal Arteritis" that meant without proper treatment I would eventually go blind. So, when you are faced with some that could be that potentially detrimental to your health, you tend to "disregard" your own feelings of RUN! I did actually go to my regular MD about it before having him "cut" the side of my head open a bit" and also take a slice of my temporal artery out, I needed another opinion. My MD just wanted to make sure I "followed the specialist" guidelines because in all honesty my PCP has not been in on this at first. I went directly to my eye specialist and from there was sent to another "specialist" so my PCP really did not even know about the double vision until just before the "biopsy". 
Against my own judgement, even after weighing it back and forth with my husband; we thought the doctor was a "quack" that was in such a specialized field he could do people this way, because he was about the only doctor in this entire area with this type of training. Other than that it meant going to Austin or Houston! 
I finally, still with much hesitation, went to allow him to do the biopsy. Now, that entire thing was such a horror story that morning, that I won't get back into it now. But, there is a post about the whole thing sometime about October of last year. I will look it up and post the link to it here after I finish my post... he did some thing that was SO TERRIBLY WRONG I filed a formal complaint against him to the Texas State Board of Physicians. Then they did take it so seriously that the investigated and even had a hearing about it. I could have went, but I chose to send a letter to the judge instead. It was in Austin, thus I felt I had given them enough information, along with the hospital it happened at, my presence was not necessary. 

This brings me to the "POINT" at hand. Do YOU as a PATIENT always take your doctors word as "GOSPEL?" So you feel that even though you may have a gut feeling that is different, or possibly you have researched all of the in's and out's of the "diagnosis", or symptoms, seen something that made more sense on Social Media, and so forth, you should NOT question your doctor's "authority"? If they tell you, you need a "certain" test, or even possibly surgery, do you just rely on the fact that he is the "expert" and whatever your physician (s) say is right? Do you think you have the right to question them about what they say? Can you tell them you don't agree possibly with all or part of what he or she tells you. Another thing, if you do research online and find what you feel maybe something such as a new medication, or more critical advice that certainly could pertain to you, do you print it and take it in? Do you take a list in of points you want to discuss? Do you feel YOUR time is as VALUABLE as your doctor's? Do you feel it is okay for them to say they will "charge you" if you are over 10 minutes etc late to see them, but they can make you sit for hours, while they are "chronically" late every time you go in? While we are on this subject, this also pertains to your pharmacist. So you think your pharmacist has the right to disagree with your doctor about a particular medication, treatment, etc? Plus do you think your pharmacist should have the right to sit down, discuss ALL of your medications with you, and be allowed to "change" something? Plus the "insurance" company you have "tells" your pharmacist they get paid for every patient they have a "consult" with!!!! 

Now I've opened several cans of worms. My hopes are to get YOU to thinking about your own situations as patients. For one for myself, I totally feel that it is OKAY for you NOT to feel your doctor is always right. They are "human", in fact usually overbooked and busy humans. Now I have noticed they do not even take a moment to glance at your chart. They barge in looking hurriedly at you, ask you a few questions, and if you do not stop them yourself (after you waited for HOURS to see him or her) they zoom right on out the door, the nurse hurries you out and down the hallway. The front office makes an appt. for a follow up if necessary, collects your co-pay if applicable, and out the door you go. This is before you had a chance to ask one question, after you've waited possibly hours for them, and it is always they had an "emergency". Now I agree any doctor for the most part can have some thing emergent. BUT, NOT ever time you go in for an appointment that ha been scheduled for 3 months or more! That has turned into the most ridiculous excuse, and very old. I half the time or  more do NOT believe that! What the have done, is booked 2 or 3 PATIENTS at the exact same TIME, thus he can't be in 3 rooms at once. Then if he has a patient that does stop him with a list of questions, and expects answers before he flies out the room, of course he has to answer and you are the one, that if you don't make him stay and answer questions that gets the raw end of the stick so to speak. So, you can believe when I go for a "follow up" visit that is one I should have my "time to speak" I take MY LIST and he does NOT leave that room, until I am satisfied that I've gotten the answers on the questions. If it taken 5 minutes or 30 minutes, mine probably dread seeing me come, because the they know me well enough to know if I have that yellow piece of paper in my hand, I do have a list. 

I have heard of a case of a lady here in the nation, that got more than tired of having her time taken up for hours and hours every time she went into her doctors office. So, after putting up with it for a long while. She kept up with just how late he was so she could prove it. Then she put together an "invoice" and mailed it to him with a note that it was for the "loss" of time she had due to his chronic tardiness. She had it just in detail about hours, days, etc. Now, I don't know what happened. I am sure she did not ever see a dime! BUT, she did get national media attention, which put it on his mind and other doctors that a patients time is just as important as theirs. We have lives, jobs, families and all that need our attention also, rather than sitting fir hours in a cold 6 by 6 foot room, waiting for he or she to show. 

What about thinking a doctor is "God"? And what he says has to be the "gospel" of being right as to what maybe wrong with you, what tests you need, if you need surgery and so forth?

WAKE UP FOLKS!!!! This is a NEW TYPE OF WORLD!!!! WE for the most part have the ability to find out information from all around the world, from the best specialists, the best colleges, researchers, and organizations that can give us all kinds of great information on why, what, how, when where and so on!!! With a few key strokes you can see what the FDA is doing on a new drug possibly coming out, new meds in the clinical trials that you may qualify to even be in. You can reach out to other physicians that do put their information online or are willing to try and answer some of your questions. You can virtually watch someone else have the exact same surgical procedure that maybe in your near future. From any type of medication, to any type of disease, illness, syndrome, lab work, MRI, CT, PET, and the many, many other types of tests... you can see them, read about them, and even talk about them if you chose. We are becoming a group of people that will be looking for a higher speciality in how we are being treated as a patient. So, I feel we, any and all of us have the right to question our doctors, decide if a 2nd opinion is in order, or maybe even a 3rd or 4th! If you have a "gut feeling" that tells you something is just not Kosher, then LISTEN to yourself! Often since we know our bodies better than anyone else, if we pay close attention it will "tell" you what is happening. Now, that does not mean we are always right either. But, taking a very good look, and listen to the grander situation, and also not only that gut feeling, but objectively. In other words, try and think about what is happening and what doctors maybe telling you about someone else and you are there as a care taker, so you can have a vision all the way around when it comes to decisions about your health. OUR HEALTH is the MOST IMPORTANT piece of our lives. If we are not in good health in some way whether it be acute and temporary, or chronic and long term, we cannot be who we want to be, and do the things in life that we want to do. 

So, listening to your own mind and heart about illness, medications, doctors, procedures, surgeries and so on, is vital for you to make a choice that you later can live with. I know the couple of times I allowed myself to be kind of "hornswoggled" into a medical situation before I had time to weigh it, I  wound up to regret it. 

Doctors are just humans, that yes have a great deal more education than many of us, in the medical field. For the most part, your doctors are probably giving you good advice and treatment. If they tell you something, then more than likely you can bank on it is necessary. But, anytime you have that feeling, no matter how large or small what it is you are questioning, do so.

You can FIRE YOUR DOCTOR! If you have a physician that is just not a "good fit" in any way, find another one to go to. I decided a long time ago, unless it was just a point that I could not for some reason see another doctor, I have several things, but two HUGE ones when it comes to staying with a particular physician. They MUST have a good "bedside manner"! Unless I may not see that doctor again for some reason it may not be that important. But if it is somebody I am going to have to see on a regular basis, they MUST have a good, preferably great bedside manner. The other is that they MUST not mind me looking things up online, or printing something to bring in and so forth. Now, I don't mean I am going to question everything, every time that happens. If I don't trust my MD that much,, then I would change doctors. What I mean is I don't want some grouch to tell me, oh you don't know what your'e talking about. Or just because you look something up online, you can really trust it... and so on... They need to be open minded to the fact we do have that capability and many online resources are very reputable. 

The fact of the matter for me is, I have been through so many physicians, of all different types of specialities, some maybe 3 or 4 of the same specialty...due to the chronic types of illnesses I have, I feel I have more than the right to research my own illnesses, my medications, treatments, and if something sounds "better", or not so good... or whatever I may find, I feel my doctors should absolutely listen to mat at the very least. If they agree, then that may mean I get a better treatment, and possibly it may help someone else along the way, or if it is something not for my situation, then I expect my doctor to take a moment to explain why they feel that way. 

As I had said in my original Facebook post at the top in regard to what I told my Mom. YOU don't have to DO or NOT DO any and everything a doctor tells you. They are not SUPER human, and even though they do know more than us in many ways, they can still "miss the mark" or just be wrong. You have to think for yourself... and go by what feels "right" for you.

I just went through it. I went to 2 of the PA's in my PCP office. I went and had a sonogram (of which I told the tech it does NOT show up when I lie down). Thus nothing showed on the sonogram. But I also knew that LUMP was not THERE BEFORE and SOMETHING WAS WRONG... and after I did enough research I knew more than likely it was a hernia, and not cancer or something like that. I also found out that hernia's usually do "disappear" and especially on women are hard to detect. So, I go to my Gynecologist, and again she has no clue. I go BACK, see our other PA, and she right away says it is a hernia, and the other knot the just began a couple of days just before on the right side is also a hernia. Plus I find out they are genetic in women! Thus my daughter is subject to the possibility she could also have one or two. Even the surgeon told me they are extremely had to detect in women... but it is there and at least the left one does have to be repaired) SO, again just a reminder even when you have been through that MANY "doctors" you can still come up and find they "missed it"... and you may "find it"....


I would LOVE TO HEAR your stories about this, and your thoughts...... 

New Strain of Swine Flu concern here in TX/Around the globe

It sounds like we are really in a spot of the unknown when it comes to this new strain of swine flu. It looks like it began in Mexico, but now has spread in TX, CA, NY, and around the globe to other foreign nations. I realize the CDC does not want panic, but they have raised the level to "4", which 6 is the highest alert as far as a pandemic.

I know I am certainly concerned. I live not far from Dallas, and there are many people living here that commute and work in Dallas. So, between people that have relatives in Mexico and have visited... even our neighbors were there not too long ago, to those who could carry it here from their work place or from shopping in the Dallas area... it does worry me. Due to the fact that it is actually killing "healthy" people, and those in the age range of about from 25 to 45... what does that mean for the elderly, the small children, and those like myself with compromised immune systems? Since I have several autoimmune illnesses, including Lupus, Sjogren's and Mixed Connective Tissue disorder... anyone with a less than healthy immune situation certainly I would think could be at higher risk of contracting this new strain, as well as having a more difficult time trying to get over it.

Lots of links and updated information coming in... take care... try and stay out of public places, away from those that are coughing and sneezing... wash hands frequently, try and not put your hands around your eyes, mouth and nose, especially when out and about in town... if symptoms arise that you feel could be flu in nature, contact your doctor or ER immediately, let them know they symptoms, so they can be more prepared to be extra cautious when someone who is possibly infected comes into the office or hospital.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28/swine.flu/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu_us_cases

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/dallas/stories/042809dnmetflulocal.3fde1ea.html


Take care and be extra cautious....

These incidences are beginning to be Epidemic it seems.

This issue of contaminated medical equipment and reusing equipment that is supposed to be thrown completely away has become an all out epidemic lately. From the latest, which is this one in South Dakota, which potentially put over 5,000 people in possible jeopardy of contracting HIV, Hepatitis and any other blood borne diseases, to VA hospitals, clinics in Vegas, just to name a few. Our nation is NOT some "3rd world" country, that is so poor that hospitals and clinics need to save instruments. Further more, even if it is a piece that is re-used, what ever happened to complete and thorough sanitation and the autoclave of them?

After personally undergoing more than 10 surgeries and procedures over the past two years, this terrifies me, and I am sure it terrifies others also. We go in with confidence that the hospital or clinic we visit, along with our doctors, nurses, and other staff that care for us should be using sterilized EVERYTHING! What are we going to do? Go into the operating room before surgery and check to see if all of the equipment is either disposable or clean? We have enough worry on our plates anytime we go in for a procedure or visit the doctor when some type of invasive tests will go on, about the risks, and our health, without having to add more stress on patients and their families that equipment is contaminated. Between this, and all of the hundreds of food, toys, animal food, and other things that continue to pile up with diseases, or possibly deadly additives, and now this every day announcement of yet another large group of people exposed to blood borne diseases, it makes me wonder what the heck the FDA is doing? What is going on with the board that certifies these health care places? I also in the back of my mind wonder if all of this is not just a coincidence, or is it possibly some type of "attack" on us as citizens of the US? I realize that may sound far fetched, but with these happenings being almost epidemic in proportion, I really wonder about a link to terrorism on our own soil again.

Here is a link to the latest :

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/17/south.dakota.urology.infection/index.html?eref=rss_health