Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Minivanessa]

9 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

You are clearly unaware of my emergency brown and bourbon supply. I would never run out of either. I would whip up a fresh batch of brownies and dig the spare bottle out of my secret stash. I am nothing if not prepared.

I really love you.

[ginger90]

My ex husband (we were married for 21 years) was admitted last night. He had been having abdominal pain, and is now jaundiced. What I was told is, he has a mass on his pancreas which appears to be pushing on his liver. Not sure that is exactly it. I’m thinking a mass that has spread to the liver, but I don’t know, this information was passed on by his girlfriend. 
He has been losing weight over time, and this  concern was brought to his attention when it first became noticeable. Being stubborn, he did not see a doctor.

I guess I just wanted to type it out. Two of my daughters are on the list for information to be given by hospital staff. While in the emergency room, his girlfriend could stay with him. Now that he’s in a room, there are no visitors allowed.

It’s an uneasy feeling, and I’m waiting to hear results of testing. So far this morning they have drawn blood, taken a urine sample, and an ultrasound is planned. 
I fear that him having put things off, is not going to lend itself to a good prognosis.

[Oldernowiser]

Aw, Ginger90, that’s got to be a stew of difficult emotions. I’m so sorry.

 

 

[andromeda331]

17 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

My ex husband (we were married for 21 years) was admitted last night. He had been having abdominal pain, and is now jaundiced. What I was told is, he has a mass on his pancreas which appears to be pushing on his liver. Not sure that is exactly it. I’m thinking a mass that has spread to the liver, but I don’t know, this information was passed on by his girlfriend. 
He has been losing weight over time, and this  concern was brought to his attention when it first became noticeable. Being stubborn, he did not see a doctor.

I guess I just wanted to type it out. Two of my daughters are on the list for information to be given by hospital staff. While in the emergency room, his girlfriend could stay with him. Now that he’s in a room, there are no visitors allowed.

It’s an uneasy feeling, and I’m waiting to hear results of testing. So far this morning they have drawn blood, taken a urine sample, and an ultrasound is planned. 
I fear that him having put things off, is not going to lend itself to a good prognosis.

I'm so sorry.

[iwantcookies]

@ginger90 I’m sorry! Best wishes and positive healing vibes.

[Turquoise]

13 hours ago, Happyfatchick said:

Is this intrauterine?  (Please, everyone pause and look at that big hair all of a word I just coughed up!). Isn’t this quite painful??

First off...I appreciate your big word! Four of them are, one is growing on the outer wall. Three of them are pendunculated (growing on a stalk...and how's that for a word?), including the big 'un. They can be painful, heavy, and there's other fun that goes along with them. They said I'm 4ish months "pregnant" at this point.

I've been infertile for 20 years and am a grandmother now, so as far as I'm concerned just yank it. I'm trying to be patient, because I know while this is a PITA for me, there are women facing far worse issues. I just know I'll have to wait a few weeks to get in for the consultation, then a while longer for any actual procedure. I'm an accountant, so there are calendar restraints for me to work around. I'll be fine, I'll just feel better when there is a plan in place. I'd like to get the ball rolling.

Also, thanks everyone for their kind words! 🙂

@ginger90 I'm sorry. I hope there are answers soon.

[GeeGolly]

The medical system - so simple, yet so complicated. Hope good news comes to all of you, very soonly. 

[Ohiopirate02]

9 hours ago, Zella said:

Still enjoying Lark Rise but between this and Downton, I have to ask, does Brendan Coyle (whom I'm sure is otherwise a perfectly lovely person IRL) have some sort of clause in his contract that insists he must be cast as whiny professional martyrs in period dramas? I couldn't stand him in Downton Abbey, and I don't like him in this either. I was talking to my grandma about the show (she's watching it with me), and as soon as I mentioned him, she had a similar eruption about how much she disliked him in both shows, which cracked me up because she tends to get wound up much less about fictional characters than I do. 🤣

Have you ever seen the BBCs version of Elizabeth Gaskill's North and South?  Brendan Coyle plays a  factory worker who tries to unionize his fellow workers.  He actually has a bit of fire in him instead of the mopey Mr. Bates.  I didn't make it past the second episode of Downton, and I have read enough episode synopses to know the show is not for me.  I never got over how jarring the tone difference between the pilot and the episode where Mary is slut-shamed for wanting a bit of action.  

[Zella]

2 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Have you ever seen the BBCs version of Elizabeth Gaskill's North and South?  Brendan Coyle plays a  factory worker who tries to unionize his fellow workers.  He actually has a bit of fire in him instead of the mopey Mr. Bates.  I didn't make it past the second episode of Downton, and I have read enough episode synopses to know the show is not for me.  I never got over how jarring the tone difference between the pilot and the episode where Mary is slut-shamed for wanting a bit of action.  

Thanka! I haven't seen North and South, but I actually did read the book for a Victorian lit class. (Actually first watched scenes from Cranford in the same class since that was part of the reading too.) I'll have to check it out!

My thing with these Coyle characters is they will make decisions, knowing full well the consequences, and other people will have a completely logical reason for saying, but it doesn't have to be that way! And he insists it still does for absolutely no coherent reason but then he also wants to pout because the world is against him. I have no sympathy for people who do that in fiction or in real life. 

[iwantcookies]

I just made an appointment to see a doctor on Thursday. Front desk women don’t know anything. They don’t even know if my ct scan was sent to the office. No one even called me. Now I’m going to wait until Thursday. I find it very hard to wait and NOT know. 

Very disappointed how disorganized they are. Feel like they don’t know their head from their rear end.

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by iwantcookies

[Ohiopirate02]

13 minutes ago, Zella said:

Thanka! I haven't seen North and South, but I actually did read the book for a Victorian lit class. (Actually first watched scenes from Cranford in the same class since that was part of the reading too.) I'll have to check it out!

My thing with these Coyle characters is they will make decisions, knowing full well the consequences, and other people will have a completely logical reason for saying, but it doesn't have to be that way! And he insists it still does for absolutely no coherent reason but then he also wants to pout because the world is against him. I have no sympathy for people who do that in fiction or in real life. 

North and South is one of my favorite historical miniseries if not the favorite.  Richard Armitage is so swoon-worthy as Mr. Thornton and he and the actress playing Margaret have insane chemistry.  Coyle plays Nicholas Higgins, the union organizer and factory worker who has enough sense to know when to fight and when to back down and is open to change.  

[Oldernowiser]

22 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

I just made an appointment to see a doctor on Thursday. Front desk women don’t know anything. They don’t even know if my ct scan was sent to the office. No one even called me. Now I’m going to wait until Thursday. I find it very hard to wait and NOT know. 

Very disappointed how disorganized they are. Feel like they don’t know their head from their rear end.

 

Can you call the place where you had the scan done and ask them if it’s been read and sent to your doctor? Or do I have this backwards...

I am now a devotee of the Relentless Polite Phone Call/Email/Everything School of dealing with any monolithic and overly powerful organization. I called the vet’s office four times yesterday. I finally got answers and my boy is there having surgery as we speak 😱😬😱

My brother-in-law also relies on the polite but firm, “please transfer me to your manager” method. Sadly, I suspect that works better for men. 

Just keep calling. If they say they don’t know, ask who you can call to find out. 
Boneheads.

[ozziemom]

50 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

North and South is one of my favorite historical miniseries if not the favorite.  Richard Armitage is so swoon-worthy as Mr. Thornton and he and the actress playing Margaret have insane chemistry.  Coyle plays Nicholas Higgins, the union organizer and factory worker who has enough sense to know when to fight and when to back down and is open to change.  

North and South is one of my favorite miniseries too. I was surprised how different the Brendon Coyle character was from the whiny Mr. Bates.  It’s fun to watch the different British shows and recognize the actors. Currently watching Vera (mystery series) and there’s always someone from another show. It may be due to most shows in UK only having 4-6 episodes per season.

[Zella]

6 minutes ago, ozziemom said:

North and South is one of my favorite miniseries too. I was surprised how different the Brendon Coyle character was from the whiny Mr. Bates.  It’s fun to watch the different British shows and recognize the actors. Currently watching Vera (mystery series) and there’s always someone from another show. It may be due to most shows in UK only having 4-6 episodes per season.

The Guardian had a pearl-clutching meltdown about this several years ago, and I laugh every time I think about it. (I'm with you--I think all the familiar faces are a big part of the fun.)

Quasi-spoilers for The Fall and Game of Thrones in the article. I watched both of these but hadn't realized that they were airing at the same time, and the same actor was the source of a lot of misery and shock plot twists for both shows on the same weekend. LOL

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jun/13/shortage-tv-actors

Edited September 22, 2020 by Zella

[iwantcookies]

@Oldernowiser please let us know how your dog is doing. Hope he is okay! 

Edited September 22, 2020 by iwantcookies

[ozziemom]

8 minutes ago, Zella said:

The Guardian had a pearl-clutching meltdown about this several years ago, and I laugh every time I think about it. (I'm with you--I think all the familiar faces are a big part of the fun.)

Quasi-spoilers for The Fall and Game of Thrones in the article. I watched both of these but hadn't realized that they were airing at the same time, and the same actor was the source of a lot of misery and shock plot twists for both shows on the same weekend. LOL

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jun/13/shortage-tv-actors

Thanks for that link. Seems like the author was particularly disappointed in British actors on American shows, lol. I will have to check out The Fall, always looking for good shows. I’m one of those who don’t actually watch Counting On, but love the snark here.

[Absolom]

1 hour ago, iwantcookies said:

I just made an appointment to see a doctor on Thursday. Front desk women don’t know anything. They don’t even know if my ct scan was sent to the office. No one even called me. Now I’m going to wait until Thursday. I find it very hard to wait and NOT know.

I'm sorry they are taking so long to tell you.  Some years back I saw doctors in a practice where that was the standard answer by reception.  The doctors didn't want them giving out any information at all.  I didn't last long with them.  

[iwantcookies]

4 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

You are clearly unaware of my emergency brown and bourbon supply. I would never run out of either. I would whip up a fresh batch of brownies and dig the spare bottle out of my secret stash. I am nothing if not prepared.

I got snacks to last me a month. Even bought booze to celebrate or commiserate lol. Twinsies!

[Zella]

3 minutes ago, ozziemom said:

Thanks for that link. Seems like the author was particularly disappointed in British actors on American shows, lol. I will have to check out The Fall, always looking for good shows. I’m one of those who don’t actually watch Counting On, but love the snark here.

I just finished The Fall and really enjoyed it (other than the occasional too-convenient plot twist). I generally don't like serial killer stuff (perhaps ironic how much I otherwise enjoy true crime) because I dislike the way they get fetishized in pop culture, but I didn't feel like that show did that. It is pretty dark and grim, though. Probably a good thing that I stumbled into Lark Rise for a lighter show after. 🙂 

Edited September 22, 2020 by Zella

[Oldernowiser]

Thanks, IWC...you’re sweet to ask. It’s relatively minor...he’s having some lumps removed and you’d think, since I was once a vet tech, that I would be calm about this. Oh No. I’ve been awake since 2 a.m. fretting. He’s an utter spoiled goober, has me completely wrapped around his paw, and did I mention I AM FRETTING.

[GeeGolly]

5 minutes ago, Oldernowiser said:

Thanks, IWC...you’re sweet to ask. It’s relatively minor...he’s having some lumps removed and you’d think, since I was once a vet tech, that I would be calm about this. Oh No. I’ve been awake since 2 a.m. fretting. He’s an utter spoiled goober, has me completely wrapped around his paw, and did I mention I AM FRETTING.

Know the feeling and "my" dog is actually my granddog. Hope he's done soon and home where you can spoil him.

[DangerousMinds]

1 hour ago, Oldernowiser said:

Can you call the place where you had the scan done and ask them if it’s been read and sent to your doctor? Or do I have this backwards...

I am now a devotee of the Relentless Polite Phone Call/Email/Everything School of dealing with any monolithic and overly powerful organization. I called the vet’s office four times yesterday. I finally got answers and my boy is there having surgery as we speak 😱😬😱

My brother-in-law also relies on the polite but firm, “please transfer me to your manager” method. Sadly, I suspect that works better for men. 

Just keep calling. If they say they don’t know, ask who you can call to find out. 
Boneheads.

My doctors’ offices would always at least take a message and the doctors would call me later to let me know important test results. Mine were also available online.

[emma675]

My dog is staying at the happy house (that's what we call the kennel at the vet's office) while I'm at the beach. I miss her like crazy but it's good for her to interact with other dogs and she's getting her annual check up and shots. We'll have a slobbery reunion on Friday and she'll sleep the whole weekend.

[Happyfatchick]

3 hours ago, Turquoise said:

pendunculated

SHEBAMMMMM!  You WIN!!

I’ve been keeping my sons kids (5and 3) during fall break, plus my DILs nephew, also 5.  (they have custody).  

everything hurts.  My back, my feet, my eyeballs, my feelings.  I’m pretty sure I’ve developed an allergy to children.  I love these babies.  I love to see them leave at the end of the day...

I fear I am pendunculated in a posterior, perpidicular position.  That is a $64,000 word, and if we play scrabble, I want to be your partner.  

I had a propensity (check that out!!!  Did I spell it correctly?) for fibroids.  I probably didn’t have a mammo or a Pap smear for 30 years without the call back.  First couple of times I was scared - after that, I was always trying to explain to the professionals I don’t NEED that deep tissue follow up, I have fibroids.  I’m lumpy.  It never worked.
 

@Jeeves a variation:  what’s the difference between Baptists and Methodists?  Methodists will speak to one another in the liquor store

[crazycatlady58]

Old joke. Its back in the days when no one had a.c. the local  Baptist and Methodist churches are right next door to each other. It is hot so both churches have their windows open. The Baptist pastor starts his fire and brimstone sermon about the evils of drinking and ends it with the statement " Come Monday morning we are all going down to the salon take all the liquor and throw it in the river." The Methodists then stand and ding their closing hymn "Shall we gather at the river."

[Turquoise]

Thanks to everyone who put good thoughts and juju out there...my surgical consult is scheduled for mid-October. At least I feel like the ball is teetering on the edge & ready to roll now.

[Oldernowiser]

Sad drooling stoned dog is home, although I’m not sure he’s awake enough to know.

Poor baby...his back looks like flying over Nebraska after the corn harvest...SEVERE owner guilt right now.

[lookeyloo]

Wishing everyone (pets included) good results from all tests and full recoveries.  Sweet son told me today that at the moment he felt "7 out of 10".  I told him to enjoy the moment.  The way it has been going, we get a moment of hope and then it goes back down again.   

Today was a beautiful weather day.

[Happyfatchick]

1 hour ago, lookeyloo said:

Wishing everyone (pets included) good results from all tests and full recoveries.  Sweet son told me today that at the moment he felt "7 out of 10".  I told him to enjoy the moment.  The way it has been going, we get a moment of hope and then it goes back down again.   

Today was a beautiful weather day.

It was GORGEOUS today.  We get about five of these per year, so we used up one tosay.  I’m glad Sweet Son felt good; I hope he got to walk outside and breathe in the moment. ❤️

[lookeyloo]

3 minutes ago, Happyfatchick said:

It was GORGEOUS today.  We get about five of these per year, so we used up one tosay.  I’m glad Sweet Son felt good; I hope he got to walk outside and breathe in the moment. ❤️

Up here we get a lot more than 5 of these days. When we lived in Baton Rouge we only had a couple of these days in spring and a couple in fall.  Sweet son got out to go to the outpatient to have his abdomen drained for the third time.  I guess that counts?  

[Happyfatchick]

There’s a Sleeping Beauty under all those pillows, and the 2 fives had a BLAST entombing me.  It was a hoot and a holler.  Every now and then I’d stick out an arm and grab one of them (Carrie!).  One time I had the boy of the two move a pillow from my face and acted like I was throwing up on him.  Hilarious!

i should learn to knit and do jigsaw puzzles

I love pillows!!!  They brought every pillow in the entire house in there.  You know that commercial (some kind of insurance) where the man is giving people pointers how “not” to be their parents... and the one lady is just SICKENED by the way he throws all the pillows off the couch  and points out you could actually SIT there now.  My husband paused that commercial, had me come in and watch it, and called it an intervention.  
 

I got new pillows a couple months ago.  I said “did you notice the new pillows?”  He screws his face all up and says “we have 497 pillows in this house!!!!  How in the HELLLLLLLL am I supposed to notice 2 new ones???”  

although seriously, I’m pretty sure he’s happy they’re not cats.

can Someone tell me why my posted pics all come out sideways?  They aren’t sideways before I post 

also:  on shortness.  This isn’t an extra long couch, just run of the mill.  There’s me, under allllllllllll those pillows and still a dog asleep between my feet and the arm of the couch.  A giant in my own mind!8

[zoomama]

hello everyone. just returned from seeing my grands in texas. it was so worth it. twins 1 and 2 both told me privately that its time for me to move there.  teenager just simply said 'thanks noni. i really needed you to come see me' as he snuggled his 14 year old head into my neck. btw, the child who i took to texas last year in size 12 slims boys pants is now in a 28 inch mens size waist and is taller than i am! 

i found a wonderful house to buy in a new neighborhood but with this dang tumor undecided, the timing is wrong to buy. i have had the biopsy as you all know but no call with a report yet -- its been 13 calendar days since it was done. i hope they let me know the diagnosis soon. 

off to watch the episode this week that i missed. 

[doodlebug]

On 9/22/2020 at 12:47 PM, Absolom said:

I'm sorry they are taking so long to tell you.  Some years back I saw doctors in a practice where that was the standard answer by reception.  The doctors didn't want them giving out any information at all.  I didn't last long with them.  

HIPPAA is a  very big deal.  The people that answer the phones have no legal right to give a patient any medical information at all.  The best they can do is offer the option of talking to a nurse (who is also not legally allowed to make a diagnosis and so is not going to interpret test results either.  What they can and should do is take a message and guarantee that they will personally make sure that the doctor or practitioner sees it and knows you are waiting for a message.

It seems very strange that a doctor's office that was so quick to order a CT scan, which usually has to be pre-certified by insurance which is time consuming, doesn't have a better system for conveying results to patients which is not so time consuming.  I was surprised that the doctor didn't do an exam before ordering the test.  Part of getting the test approved is sending the patient's office exam records indicating the findings requiring further evaluation.  That this office would expedite a CT getting done in just a day or two (also unusual, a week or more for outpatient scans is typical) without an office visit and exam but then refuse to provide timely results is weird, to say the least.  

Also, the current legal requirements for Electronic Medical Records (EMR) generally require a computer interface be available to all patients.  My patients can register for the service anytime and then access everything in their chart, all notes, all results, any correspondence, all medications (including when and to what pharmacy they were sent).  I often get calls from patients wanting interpretation of ultrasound reports and such that they've seen in their charts which were released to me simultaneously and I hadn't gotten to them, yet.  One patient called and was upset that the result had been released an hour earlier and she hadn't been notified yet.  I'm pretty quick, but not that quick and it was a routine test that was normal, not something that needed immediate attention.  Once again, I am really surprised that a doctor's office in NYC is so behind the times.

Edited September 24, 2020 by doodlebug

[iwantcookies]

There is a health portal. I just signed up and looked. Nothing except that I got an appointment tomorrow and my referral for ct scan. For a second I thought I could read the results there. 
 

Reason for ct scan :

intra abdominal and pelvic swelling , mass and lump, unspecified site

doesn’t sound good 😞 

[Absolom]

The time I was discussing was pre-HIPPAA so that wasn't relevant as I said years ago.  However, even now, my just retired doctor's nurse would tell me if results were in or not after verifying identity and assure me that he would call me back as soon as he could if they were in or she'd start the process of tracking them down.   

I agree though that if they think something is CT worthy, usually you hear with a day or two of the results coming in.  It's definitely worth a discussion of exactly what happened and what they'll do to improve it for the future or a thought for finding a different office. 

I had to start seeing a new specialist a couple of years ago and I had seen the second opinion before I saw the specialist I was given as a referral! It took me three weeks to even get to schedule an appointment.   For the second opinion I had an hour long explanation of the problem and potential solutions and the two doctors made very clear to us that it was my choice on the path we would take, but they made absolutely sure I had all the facts I needed to make the decision.  The referral specialist gave me a really short yes we verified what I told you in the hospital, this is what we'll do, and that was it.  I had to ask about any test or scan results.  Oddly enough his path wasn't even one of the options offered by the second opinion people.  Needless to say, I'm still seeing the second opinion people.  The point of the story is you need to be comfortable and confident in who you are seeing and that you're getting the care you need.  

Every office has the occasional mistake so that's why discuss what happened and why and what they plan to do to make sure it doesn't happen to you again.  

Edited September 24, 2020 by Absolom

[doodlebug]

9 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

There is a health portal. I just signed up and looked. Nothing except that I got an appointment tomorrow and my referral for ct scan. For a second I thought I could read the results there. 
 

Reason for ct scan :

intra abdominal and pelvic swelling , mass and lump, unspecified site

doesn’t sound good 😞 

Your insurance company wouldn't approve the scan without an indication and that is all that is; a list of symptoms that might require a CT to assess. It doesn't sound bad, either.  It sounds like your doctor examined you.  What did he or she say?  Where did they think the mass originated?  What was their impression as to the most likely diagnosis?  All of those things are far more important than how the order was coded.

In Gyn, the most common 'intrabdominal mass or swelling' would be a uterine fibroid.  About a third of all women have them, they are usually asymptomatic, they can grow really big, but only a fraction of 1% are malignant,  Most of the time, women are able to peacefully co-exist with their fibroids right through menopause and, if they aren't, they can be treated in a variety of ways including surgery,

Actually, most abdominal masses are benign stuff like hernias and such,  It is fairly uncommon for an abdominal cancer to present as a mass.

[emma675]

44 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

Reason for ct scan :

intra abdominal and pelvic swelling , mass and lump, unspecified site

doesn’t sound good 😞 

Those are just patient complaints they list as reasons for why the scan was ordered, it's not results or a diagnosis. 

ETA, or what doodlebug said.

Edited September 24, 2020 by emma675d

[Love2dance]

9 hours ago, Happyfatchick said:

There’s a Sleeping Beauty under all those pillows, and the 2 fives had a BLAST entombing me.  It was a hoot and a holler.  Every now and then I’d stick out an arm and grab one of them (Carrie!).  One time I had the boy of the two move a pillow from my face and acted like I was throwing up on him.  Hilarious!

 

8

I think we have twin couches. This is the shorter of my two.

[DangerousMinds]

11 hours ago, doodlebug said:

HIPPAA is a  very big deal.  The people that answer the phones have no legal right to give a patient any medical information at all.  The best they can do is offer the option of talking to a nurse (who is also not legally allowed to make a diagnosis and so is not going to interpret test results either.  What they can and should do is take a message and guarantee that they will personally make sure that the doctor or practitioner sees it and knows you are waiting for a message.

It seems very strange that a doctor's office that was so quick to order a CT scan, which usually has to be pre-certified by insurance which is time consuming, doesn't have a better system for conveying results to patients which is not so time consuming.  I was surprised that the doctor didn't do an exam before ordering the test.  Part of getting the test approved is sending the patient's office exam records indicating the findings requiring further evaluation.  That this office would expedite a CT getting done in just a day or two (also unusual, a week or more for outpatient scans is typical) without an office visit and exam but then refuse to provide timely results is weird, to say the least.  

Also, the current legal requirements for Electronic Medical Records (EMR) generally require a computer interface be available to all patients.  My patients can register for the service anytime and then access everything in their chart, all notes, all results, any correspondence, all medications (including when and to what pharmacy they were sent).  I often get calls from patients wanting interpretation of ultrasound reports and such that they've seen in their charts which were released to me simultaneously and I hadn't gotten to them, yet.  One patient called and was upset that the result had been released an hour earlier and she hadn't been notified yet.  I'm pretty quick, but not that quick and it was a routine test that was normal, not something that needed immediate attention.  Once again, I am really surprised that a doctor's office in NYC is so behind the times.

Yes, I had every test imaginable before my hysterectomy 5 years ago, and the doctors always called me with the results soon after (or I had an appointment to see them). My results were also available to me online. 

[SunnyBeBe]

Is there any good reason that a person who is not vision impaired needs a companion in the ophthalmologist office lobby? With covid, a driver should wait outside or in the car. I'm in Duke Eye center lobby and almost every patient has a companion!  I suppose some could be having procedures, but their driver could be texted when they are needed. I'm disappointed. Other precautions are being taken, but still. 

Edited September 24, 2020 by SunnyBeBe

[Jynnan tonnix]

Speaking of results, my daughter is in the throes of more panic...and while it's still pretty easy to pass everything off as being rooted in anxiety, the fact that now there are random muscle twitches, numbness, and general feeling of overwhelming fatigue added in to the cough and feeling of not being able to breathe has her doctor passing her off to a neurologist to rule out some other things - and, typically, she has decided that the worst-case scenario is "the only thing that makes sense". which would  be ALS. Now, while I'm still 99% certain that will not turn out to be the case, it's still about the worst sort of diagnosis I can think of, so I can't help but worry. She has an MRI scheduled for later today, but can't get in to see the neurologist until mid-November, though she's on a waiting list in case of cancellations. Hopefully at least the MRI results will help put her mind at ease a bit, though I'm not sure what they can actually determine based on that alone. In any case, keep fingers crossed that all her tests continue to come back negative, and that hopefully she will eventually decide that she is not dying after all.

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Is there any good reason that a person who is not vision impaired needs a companion in the ophthalmologist office lobby? With covid, a driver should wait outside or in the car. I'm in Duke Eye center lobby and almost every patient has a companion!  I suppose some could be having procedures, but their driver could be texted when they are needed. I'm disappointed. Other precautions are being taken, but still. 

If the individual is hearing impaired, needs help with walking, is developmentally disabled, is under 18, or is getting their eyes dilated; I suppose they might need a companion.  Duke should have signs posted as to the rules on people accompanying patients.

Where I work, it is still no companions except in cases like above.  The only exception is for obstetric ultrasound where a patient can bring one person with them.

North Carolina has generally been a bit lax about the social distancing and masking though, so maybe Duke is, too.

[ozziemom]

2 minutes ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

Speaking of results, my daughter is in the throes of more panic...and while it's still pretty easy to pass everything off as being rooted in anxiety, the fact that now there are random muscle twitches, numbness, and general feeling of overwhelming fatigue added in to the cough and feeling of not being able to breathe has her doctor passing her off to a neurologist to rule out some other things - and, typically, she has decided that the worst-case scenario is "the only thing that makes sense". which would  be ALS. Now, while I'm still 99% certain that will not turn out to be the case, it's still about the worst sort of diagnosis I can think of, so I can't help but worry. She has an MRI scheduled for later today, but can't get in to see the neurologist until mid-November, though she's on a waiting list in case of cancellations. Hopefully at least the MRI results will help put her mind at ease a bit, though I'm not sure what they can actually determine based on that alone. In any case, keep fingers crossed that all her tests continue to come back negative, and that hopefully she will eventually decide that she is not dying after all.

Ozziedad has anxiety issues too, especially related to health problems so I feel your pain. He decided recently he has ALS based on numbness in his hand, and it is almost impossible to talk him down from that. So sorry your daughter is going through this.

[Zella]

My grandfather is terribly hard of hearing and will not replace his now broken hearing aids, so my grandmother accompanies him for doctor's appointments even now during the pandemic. I think given the choice between trying to talk to a patient who will literally mishear everything that is said to him and having someone else in the waiting room, both masked, that the medical professionals would rather deal with the latter. 

[emma675]

Jynnan, it may sound random, but has your daughter had her thyroid levels tested recently? Some of her symptoms are ones I have when my levels are off (it sounds crazy but thyroid problems can cause weird, random issues). It might be something to look into, if everything else is ruled out. I hope she gets some definitive answers soon.

[Jynnan tonnix]

16 minutes ago, emma675 said:

Jynnan, it may sound random, but has your daughter had her thyroid levels tested recently? Some of her symptoms are ones I have when my levels are off (it sounds crazy but thyroid problems can cause weird, random issues). It might be something to look into, if everything else is ruled out. I hope she gets some definitive answers soon.

She's had two or three pretty comprehensive blood panel workups over the past few months, but exactly what those entail, I don't know. I would think that thyroid function would fall in there somewhere, no? My son-in-law is concerned about her diet, since she is a vegetarian, and never gets around to taking supplements, though she agrees that she probably should. He says she gets very little protein overall. I do know that she eats a good amount of eggs and cheese, as well, as things like beans quinoa, and probably pays more attention to it all than he thinks she does, but she is quite concerned over watching her weight, so she really doesn't eat a whole lot overall. Still, again, I'd think the blood tests could identify any significant deficiencies.

[GeeGolly]

Medical tests ruling in (or out) anxiety include EKGs/Holter Monitor, EEGs, thyroid function tests, glucose tests, lung function tests, full panel bloods tests, including vitamin deficiencies and perimenopause/menopause testing (if female).

Edited September 24, 2020 by GeeGolly

[DangerousMinds]

4 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Is there any good reason that a person who is not vision impaired needs a companion in the ophthalmologist office lobby? With covid, a driver should wait outside or in the car. I'm in Duke Eye center lobby and almost every patient has a companion!  I suppose some could be having procedures, but their driver could be texted when they are needed. I'm disappointed. Other precautions are being taken, but still. 

No. I just got back from the ophthalmologist myself, and companions were not allowed . I had 2 eye surgeries over the summer and a TON of follow up appointments and that has always been the case. My ride waits in the car.

[catwonc]

When I had my colonoscopy in July, my husband had to wait in the car.  Any companions were not allowed in the surgery center at all.  Same with normal MD appts.  No companions allowed.  This is in North Carolina.  

[Jynnan tonnix]

1 hour ago, catwonc said:

When I had my colonoscopy in July, my husband had to wait in the car.  Any companions were not allowed in the surgery center at all.  Same with normal MD appts.  No companions allowed.  This is in North Carolina.  

Same when I had my colonoscopy. But when I had my hernia surgery the following week, they did allow him into the waiting room, and even in the pre-op room until I went in for the surgery. The colonoscopy was not done at the same facility as the surgery, though - it was done in a branch of a local medical group, while the surgery was in the hospital, so I'm not sure what the actual rules are, or whether it's just that there is a certain amount of flexibility around the guidelines, and some places choose to be stricter than others. 

By the way, my daughter just got results for her MRI, saying that everything looked normal, and that if there had been anything really debilitating going on, something would almost certainly have shown up. So hopefully she can relax a little bit until she finally gets to see the neurologist. It's actually her 9th wedding anniversary today, and they are going to be going away with grandJynlet for the weekend, so it's great that they were quick with the results!

Edited September 24, 2020 by Jynnan tonnix