Sonograms!!?? Why have Doctors NOT already done these???

This just totally blew me away! I've fussed and griped for YEARS about how each and every time I've had to have a "joint surgery" and how badly I was in pain; plus do to my joint history, the, the DJD. the DDD, the RA, Lupus and the list goes on and on, when I go in with a joint hurting, it usually means we are destined for surgery, maybe even replacement. I recall when my left elbow gave me so much trouble, and not long after my left shoulder began to drive me insane with pain, loss of range of motion, stiffness, and the entire gamut. I went through all of the tests, the MRI's. the CT's, with and without "contrast", X-rays, medication and nothing usually worked.  I may have some relief from a corticosteroid injection into the joint, and that may last for a day, month and sometimes even a year. On my right shoulder, I had several rounds of injections, way before we did any type of arthroscopic surgery. Yet, even though all of those "expensive" tests, that were supposed to be the "gold standard" when it came to diagnosis, may show some damage, spurs and so on, BUT, when every surgeon that did my various surgeries actually got to "see" the massive amount of damage in the joint, they then understood why I was so adamant about NOT using those tests as much, as more "heavily weighing" from my long term symptoms, them actually getting worse than ever better, and that there much more damage in the joint than any type of scan, MRI, and so forth ever would show them. In fact, my orthopedic surgeon who did both my complete right reverse shoulder replacement and my 4 level cervical neck surgery, told me himself. The damage was so deep, and it was extremely bad, but there was no way it would have shown on any test. Sam thing with my neck, it was the same with my elbow on the left, my shoulder on the left, and both knees. It never failed that the doctors would always tell me that what they actually saw by doing the surgery, was far more worse, than any type of a scan, MRI and so would have ever shown.

I have also said that I felt that any "scan", MRI, X-ray and so forth is only as "good" as the person it with experience and knowledge to read them. I can just tell, from all I've heard about and read, that often things are NOT found, or they are far worse, than what the "radiologist that read them said.

It just stands to reason, if someone has the "education" yes, that is a huge part of it. But, when you are looking at something as complicated as the inside of a joint, or any organ for that matter, if you don't have not only the knowledge but experience to totally "see" all of that entire ordeal, then all too often, I felt things were ""missed" because of whomever read them, didn't have enough experience or possibly training, to not miss something. Again, this is not just joint related but any type of scan, and so forth, things could be missed, and could cause serious issues if they are not caught in the beginning.

Same way with "blood work"... they are coming to find with many diseases, that all too often that "blood work" again that is supposed to be another "gold standard" for diagnosis, MAT NOT BE accurate. It could have been not processed quickly enough, or no refrigerated in time, or blood work has been known to get "mixed up" and maybe what was read had nothing to do with you. Many may not realize it, but on some of the very complicated blood work that they do, it may be actually "shipped" even out of state to be processed. Some of these tests either take extremely high dollar equipment, time, and the person to make sure it is done accurately. Again, there can be a mix up, something not processed in time, left out too long, or any number of things could "go wrong" before the actual test is ran, and the outcome that is "right", could be wrong.

I know I am NOT the ONLY PERSON who has been through this very issue. Even when I had the double hernia's. I had 2 doctors, a sonogram tech, a PA, ALL miss the HERNIA"S!! I knew they were there. I even told them exactly how to locate them, and why they would not locate them if I lie down, they would kind of "settle" down into my abdomen, and then they were difficult to locate. Yet, I have one huge lump on the left, and the one on the right had just began to show. I finally went to a regular SURGEON. He "found" them immediately and said I needed to have them both repaired before they got worse. The one on the left was already getting fairly large and the right one was headed that way.

Yet, even with a sonogram, 2 doctors, and one PA all doing an exam, none of them found them whatsoever. Yet, I was persistent, that I would NOT take "no" for an answer. I had at least ONE hernia, and I planned on getting someone to freaking listen!

Well the week after seeing the surgeon, I went in and had a double hernia repair.


So, went it with my elbow, my knees, both shoulders.... no matter how many scans, tests, reports, experts, and all that are involved WE, KNOW our BODIES better than anyone else. And if YOU FEEL SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT, then do NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER! CONTINUE TO go onto other doctors until someone can give you an explanation that at the very least makes sense!!!

This day and age about "people" not being "educated" about medical problems, especially chronic ones, has far past us. The majority of this nation and around the globe, with the internet, and so many "reliable" web sites, doctors, specialists, documentation, everywhere can absolutely have a great deal of information about "possible" things that could be wrong, to others letting them know possibly how they dealt with a certain treatment, or surgery... and YES, there is also some BAD information out there too You must use you "brain and common sense" when it comes to weeding out the "good info" from the 'bad info"....

So, I totally understand doctors that get a bit annoyed with a patient that comes in and begins to tell them they know what is  wrong with them, because they read it online, they heard it on day time TV, or several of their online friends have the same issue.

I get their point. But, when I go in, I don't begin to "rattle off" what I've found online, I usually go in with a "list".... and I ask questions, about certain things I may have read online. Yet, I try not to put my foot down and say "I know what it is because I found out about all of it, here, there or yonder. But ALWAYS TAKE A LIST!!! I can guarantee even though you may have a photographic mind, and like myself I used to be able to do all kinds of things and multitask. Yet, now days, as soon as I walk into the doctors office, I've without a list I would forget have of what I went to ask about. Thus that list helps to keep YOU focused, and also let them know what kinds of things maybe going on with you, that can help them to make a better "guess-ta-ment" or find the answers to whatever is going on with you and your health.

So, now I get to the article below. Which talks ALL about the VERY thing I've been fussing and griping about!!! A very SIMPLE test, that is certainly NOT INVASIVE, and it MUCH CHEAPER than many of these other tests, that give the doctors, a much better look at what might really be going on, especially when it comes to joints, inflammation and on forth.

So, PLEASE take a moment, and read this below!!! Then PLEASE share it with your own friends and those who have been through hell and back, sometimes for YEARS trying to get a right and accurate diagnosis!

I have already got it where I can print it and take it to my own doctors!!! I think they all need a "wake up" call.

http://rawarrior.com/professionals-call-for-ultrasound-use-in-rheumatoid-arthritis/

(Edited AAI & Decisions of Life) "Murphy's Law... or more like Rhia tumbles once again down the hill..

Dammit!!! I am so Miffed and Ticked off! Something happened and an electrical transformer blew and shut everyone's electricity off!!!!So, when that happened EVEN with a surge protector! So, I am trying to use an very OLD laptop that sucks!!! We are in the process of ordering me a new one, so I am stuck with this for now. I wanted to let everyone know. PLEASE BARE/BEAR or (maybe I sound like a "grouchy old bear)...  with ME a couple of days. I have some of my files on this one, but I have lots on my external hard drive that this old lap top won't work with!!!!It takes what seems like hours to even post here!!!! I am just feeling like hell just opened up and swallowed me today!! Everything that could happen I think happened, I dropped all of some of my pills in the floor and on the cabinet. I went to the market, and dropped a few of my plastics (card) in the floor. You name it, it has happened. Then as I said all of a sudden the lights were gone, and I heard the "bang". And I was the one that called it in. We had no lights for about an hour. lights came in, everything great EXCEPT ME!!! I am not sure I will make another blog post until I get the new one. And I will post this there so anyone coming to my blog will understand. I sat in the floor and literally cried my yes out under my desk, I was SO UPSET!!! This is the LAST thing we needed, We are already strapped for the green stuff, and now I face this. And this is no "loaf of bread" to buy...

UPDATE to the DAY from Hades : 

I did get the new IMac ordered earlier this week. :) I also did get to finance it for UP TO 6 months and no interest charges. That is awesome! I hope to pay it off the first of January, but at least I have an option and do not have to fork over money to them for interest. I got the message this morning that it is on it's way via Fed Ex. It's coming from California. They say "estimated" to arrive by next Tuesday! Let's freaking hope it makes better times than that since Fed Ex has it now. I pray for tomorrow... LOL.. but I have a feeling it will not be delivered tomorrow even if it does arrive in Dallas by tonight or early morning. Although if I would have not stood around trying to decide which one I wanted it may have arrived today. Yes, I know, patience is a virtue... and all things that are good, are worth waiting for... and the days go by quickly, it is a weekend before a holiday, relax... you can do a few things on this "dinosaur" of a laptop. Actually I could do most of my stuff on my I-Pad, which is faster. Yet, the I-Pads' keyboard and myself do not see eye to eye. I have a difficult time doing a huge amount of keying in on it. I do recall that I could use  my wireless (and by the way solar powered) keyboard with it. Although by the time I go through all of that, my new IMac will arrive and it will be a mute point. Besides I have PLENTY I can FIND to do at home. From moving Winter clothes to the front of my "walk-in" (might as well say go in inside ways if your lucky) closet (we have to "invent" closets in this house when we bought it, there were NONE) and putting the Summer stuff at the back, if possible. PLus I can look around and see that as MUCH as I love "knick-knacks" , keepsakes from trips, and just in general vases, glassware and so forth that have some kind of sentimental value to them for me, I have TOO MUCH STUFF now! Our home is very small. And believe me, I've had to get in the "extreme" parts of decorating when we moved in. LOL, and in some ways not just "extreme" more like miraculous ways to make space for everything. I still love it, don't get me wrong, but with all of the problems with my hands these days not wanting to cooperate due to the RA, and the advanced damage in my thumbs especially, I just can't keep all of it washed frequently and/or dusted, and I am beginning to look around, feeling like I "pack rat" as we call those who save everything. 

I know my husband Jim, would say that my type of "rat packing" is more or less a great thing of sorts.  If I save it, then i have some way in the back of my mind I will re-use it. If not then it goes straight to the recycle bin. If it can't be recycled in this silly small town, then I take it either where it can, or give it to a place here in town called "Souls Harbor"... sounds like the name of a place to be "harbored" from being out in the cold or something! LOL! Actually that name has been with it ever since it opened I guess. I recall as a child my parents taking things there. Everyone in town says first thing if you are talking about getting rid of something, take it to Souls Harbor. Actually as crazy as it may sound... many things for instance like my "precious" old computer chairs, old vacuum cleaner, along with several items that either "need" a slight fix, or we decide we don't need that are larger items such as that, we put them in the front lawn out by the street, with a "free" sign. By the time you go inside and come back out in less than an hour it will all be gone!   There are a couple of men that collect scrap metal, old washers, dryers, and furniture... and take it where it can be recycled. As far as anything else, these new light bulbs, plastic bags (if I even have any, I use only reusable ones for the most part), in cartridges, old glasses and anything that can be recycled that I know about, I do so. 

Needless to say, part of this post is definitely about autoimmune illnesses and how they effect our daily lives. Things such as clothes now days with the closet so small, must be arranged as much as possible so I can reach them, or even get to them. I have two racks on one side, and the top one is almost impossible for me to reach up to now, thus my "current" season clothing is put on the lower racks so I can reach them. About the dusting all of "memorabilia" I have. That is another nightmare now days. I was able to do so fairly frequently. Now I do well to get the floor vacuumed, dusting around just where I need to, baking or cooking, doing laundry, and just the daily chores we have in life, much less making more work for myself by having to clean and dust intricate items, or just finding a spot t store them in.  It is about time for me to have a "throw out" party. Everything that I feel is in the way, is not in 6 to 9 months, has been not read (although I find it very hard to get rid of any books)... but magazines go to our local library, good clothing either to our local place that take clothes to help others, or again our Souls Harbor takes good used clothing in and sells it for pennies. 

I know many of you are thinking this post rings a bell with you. Women especially tend to be more sentimental about items such as that. We want to save them for a good memory, or to hand down to our kids, or thinking we just can't throw out something that could be useful for something someday! Then you are ran over by a Mack Truck of Autoimmune Arthritic illness/(es) ; only to discover we may have the "mindset" to keep those things, but our bodies have a totally different opinion!

        

The Mysterious "Lump" in my lower left Abdomen…

I have probably mentioned in posting that I've been dealing with a "lump" on the lower portion of my left abdomen. It was there about 2 months, and it seemed to be a bit larger and kind of "puffy". No pain, and I kind of blew it off at the time. But, not only did it remain, it was definitely getting larger. So, I showed my husband, and make an appointment, with PCP. Well, I saw one of his PA's. She did not seem like she could even find it at all. Even after I told her it "goes away" when I lie down, and it shows when I stand up… well she sent me for a sonogram in that area. The tech that morning I told him about the standing up, and that it I lie down, it may be difficult to find or even see. He aid me down anyway, mashed the hell out of my lower abdomen, and made me sore the next day. Yet they found "nothing"… well no way, it had to be SOMETHING!!! So, I went to my new Gynecologist last week. I asked her about it. She was kind of puzzled but she tried to see if there seemed to be anything that she may feel causing it. She did mention I had a lump, but she bought it could be an ovary that they left when I had the hysterectomy . Well, my understand was back then, they took the LEFT one OUT, and allowed the RIGHT one to remain… but that is 20 years ago and aback at that time I was not keeping my own personal medical records like I do now, thus I can't find anyone that can even remotely tell me where they are and how I would get that operative report. Anyway, still not being satisfied, I asked my heart doctor yesterday. She said she would definitely getting either back to my PCP or for another opinion. So, I called my PCP office, and I got in this morning… and as below… I was RIGHT!!! I said all along for one something is wrong and for number 2, I thought it was a hernia! Anyway, I am exhausted and my back is killing me. So, I will post more on this tomorrow a.m. :)



But, that is for ALL OF US! certainly not just myself… of course as I said partially but at least I am NOT CRAZY! A
after seeing 3 doctors that said they didn't have a clue about this lump on my left lower abdomen, I finally am RIGHT!!! There is something there. I have a damned hernia. Well, I am relieved to find out I'm not insane. But, I am not thrilled that surgery is the only thing to repair this. And get theism I have one of the right side starting. I told my doctor I though I felt a tiny one in the same place in the right, and she told me yes I have a small one that also should be fixed at the same time… so now I am waiting for a call from the surgeon's office, to set up an appt with him for consultation. Damned does it ever get BETTER???!!!!