So much for us not having water in our basement. When I got up this morning there was water in the basement. I should have kept my mouth shut last night!!!
Check out the photography tab for some photos that I took today of the flooding at my Pap's house along the Susquehanna River.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursdays' Thunder
Well, I guess we really didn't have thunder today just the rain. I'm thankful that we don't live near any bodies of water and that our basement is dry. I feel bad for the ones out there where that is not the case.
Nothing exciting happened today. It was just a weary, dreary rainy day. I did get some good news from work. My boss emailed me and told me that once my FMLA runs out that I will then be put on extended medical leave. Hopefully I don't get to that point, but it is a little load off my shoulders.
Now I just have to wait to hear from Temple as to whether or not the insurance approves the tests and procedures. They will call and let me know and if approved we can then schedule the appointments.
As of now my next GI appointment is at Geisinger at the end of the month. It's with my primary doctor I had been dealing with before going to Temple. I don't really care for him anyways, but I'm just concerned that what he may want to do or try (not like he does anyways) will interfere with the Temple doc. In my opinion Temple is calling the shots now and I know last appointment he was mentioning some different tests to run just because. Oh well, time will tell. Hopefully I will have heard back from Temple by then and it won't be an issue
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Temple Appointment!!
Here is the update with how the appointment went yesterday. After all the traveling and everything I was really tired and wore out when I finally got home thus no update yesterday. Lets just say I definitely am not looking forward to traveling there all the time. Traffic in Philadelphia is not very fun. On the way home to travel 15 minutes down took 1.5 hours on the way home. It took us 1.5 hours to get 10 miles from the hospital. Not fun!!!
Yesterday I had my appointment at Temple. The doctor is a lot older than the picture on the Temple website looked. Based on the picture I thought he was a younger doctor. Overall, the appointment went fairly well. I didn't walk out disgusted like I have with some other GI doctor appointments. I do have to say he is a little forgetful. I was in his office with him for over an hour just going through my chart and asking a bunch of questions. That is all that happened at the appointment. A bunch of questions and reviewing my chart he had to get the whole story on what's been going on for the past 5 years. I may have been on the exam table for 1 min, not quite sure if it was that long. At least he realizes how things are and thinks that things need done. I'm hopeful that good things will come out of seeing him and going to Temple.
He wants to do lots of blood work which I can get done at Geisinger or through my home health nurses. He wants to do a smart pill study which is where I swallow two pills and then I wear a receiver which tracks and records what the pills do for the next 5 days. After 5 days I go back and they will do an x-ray and then they want to do an anorectal manometry. That test I don't think will be too fun since its involving enemas - enough said. He also wants an EGD, esophageal manometry and Botox injection. Those can all be done in one procedure during the EGD. I'm sure your wondering what the botox injection is for and what it does. They inject botox into the valve between the bottom of your stomach and the small intestines. The botox keeps the valve partway open with hopes that it will allow the stomach to drain. All of the tests besides the blood work are pending approval of insurance which they said will take probably 2-3 weeks yet and then they can schedule the appointments if they are approved. I definitely don't have much faith when it comes to the insurance approving all of this especially since the botox injection is still experimental. He did say I would be a good candidate for the pacemaker except the fact that I am so young. If that is the only option left though he would do it. He did tell me though that there may be nothing that he does or tries that will help me.
I guess I will be on TPN awhile longer until we can figure something out or unless one of these procedures work. When he first met me and started going through my story he did ask me if there was one thing he could fix what would it be. None of my other doctor have asked that before.
I was hoping to soon be able to get back to work but I guess it is a little unrealistic right now, especially for the work I do. Maybe they will be able to work with me and have paperwork or something like that I could do for a couple hours a week. I'm just worried about using all my FMLA time and losing my job which would result in losing insurance and I don't even want to go there or think about that yet.
I just have to remember that all things work together for our good!!!
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Yesterday I had my appointment at Temple. The doctor is a lot older than the picture on the Temple website looked. Based on the picture I thought he was a younger doctor. Overall, the appointment went fairly well. I didn't walk out disgusted like I have with some other GI doctor appointments. I do have to say he is a little forgetful. I was in his office with him for over an hour just going through my chart and asking a bunch of questions. That is all that happened at the appointment. A bunch of questions and reviewing my chart he had to get the whole story on what's been going on for the past 5 years. I may have been on the exam table for 1 min, not quite sure if it was that long. At least he realizes how things are and thinks that things need done. I'm hopeful that good things will come out of seeing him and going to Temple.
He wants to do lots of blood work which I can get done at Geisinger or through my home health nurses. He wants to do a smart pill study which is where I swallow two pills and then I wear a receiver which tracks and records what the pills do for the next 5 days. After 5 days I go back and they will do an x-ray and then they want to do an anorectal manometry. That test I don't think will be too fun since its involving enemas - enough said. He also wants an EGD, esophageal manometry and Botox injection. Those can all be done in one procedure during the EGD. I'm sure your wondering what the botox injection is for and what it does. They inject botox into the valve between the bottom of your stomach and the small intestines. The botox keeps the valve partway open with hopes that it will allow the stomach to drain. All of the tests besides the blood work are pending approval of insurance which they said will take probably 2-3 weeks yet and then they can schedule the appointments if they are approved. I definitely don't have much faith when it comes to the insurance approving all of this especially since the botox injection is still experimental. He did say I would be a good candidate for the pacemaker except the fact that I am so young. If that is the only option left though he would do it. He did tell me though that there may be nothing that he does or tries that will help me.
I guess I will be on TPN awhile longer until we can figure something out or unless one of these procedures work. When he first met me and started going through my story he did ask me if there was one thing he could fix what would it be. None of my other doctor have asked that before.
I was hoping to soon be able to get back to work but I guess it is a little unrealistic right now, especially for the work I do. Maybe they will be able to work with me and have paperwork or something like that I could do for a couple hours a week. I'm just worried about using all my FMLA time and losing my job which would result in losing insurance and I don't even want to go there or think about that yet.
I just have to remember that all things work together for our good!!!
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Temple Appointment Almost Here!!!
I had a post written for yesterday and had posted it and then I deleted it. It was a real personal post and I didn't feel brave enough to share it yet. Maybe someday I will, maybe I never will - who knows.
This is going to be an exciting week, hopefully in a good way! Hoping to get the ball rolling come Tuesday to see what can be done and what needs to be done. I have started writing a list of questions to ask the doctor, so I'm prepared. I even asked Mom to come up with some questions that she would like answered. I haven't decided if I'm having her go into the room with me yet or not. I tend to not be assertive and let that up to her when she is in and then it seems like I hardly talk then. It's not her problem, it's mine. I just have a harder time talking when she is there. So, I want to be prepared either way. If I have her questions and I decide to do it on my own I can still get her questions and worries answered too. At least she is going along to provide support. If the appointment goes horrible I will have somebody to listen to me rant and rave about how awful the doctor was and how frustrated I am. She is used to that :)
A part of me is hopeful but another part of me is scared that it is going to be the same thing I have experienced other places. I'm praying that this won't happen and that it will go well.
Tomorrow is the day for blood draws and dressing changes again. The same nurse that has been coming is back again. Yay!!!
Today is not such a good day. Mom always does a nice homecooked meal on Sunday and her dad and brother come over. I tried some mashed potatoes and it didn't go so well. So I'm regretting that decision now. Stomach already protested and now I'm just dealing with the lingering nausea and pain. Oh well, hoping that will soon change with help from Temple.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
This is going to be an exciting week, hopefully in a good way! Hoping to get the ball rolling come Tuesday to see what can be done and what needs to be done. I have started writing a list of questions to ask the doctor, so I'm prepared. I even asked Mom to come up with some questions that she would like answered. I haven't decided if I'm having her go into the room with me yet or not. I tend to not be assertive and let that up to her when she is in and then it seems like I hardly talk then. It's not her problem, it's mine. I just have a harder time talking when she is there. So, I want to be prepared either way. If I have her questions and I decide to do it on my own I can still get her questions and worries answered too. At least she is going along to provide support. If the appointment goes horrible I will have somebody to listen to me rant and rave about how awful the doctor was and how frustrated I am. She is used to that :)
A part of me is hopeful but another part of me is scared that it is going to be the same thing I have experienced other places. I'm praying that this won't happen and that it will go well.
Tomorrow is the day for blood draws and dressing changes again. The same nurse that has been coming is back again. Yay!!!
Today is not such a good day. Mom always does a nice homecooked meal on Sunday and her dad and brother come over. I tried some mashed potatoes and it didn't go so well. So I'm regretting that decision now. Stomach already protested and now I'm just dealing with the lingering nausea and pain. Oh well, hoping that will soon change with help from Temple.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Friday, March 04, 2011
Flu, Flareup, or Both? - 3/4/2011
Sleep was horrible again last night. I might have gotten one hour between midnight and two and then I was up the rest of the night until 7:30 when I was able to get maybe 2 or 3 more hours of sleep. I was able to take a nap today though. The lack of sleep will probably soon catch up to me if it hasn't already.
Things took a downhill turn today. I'm not sure if I'm coming down with something or if this is just a flareup or both. It's one thing to eat and get nauseous and vomit, but it's a different thing when you don't eat or drink anything and are still nauseous and vomiting. So annoying and miserable. My body isn't even processing the acid/bile it's making. It's just sitting in my stomach making me nauseous until it builds up so much I get sick. I am thankful for the G-tube to drain the stomach so I'm not vomiting quite as much. When the nausea gets bad I can drain my stomach through the G-tube to try and prevent the vomiting, but then you just get the dry heaves.
Temple appointment is in 4 days. I am 30% excited, 60% nervous, 20% don't know what to think. I'm just hoping things work out and that I don't fall through the cracks as I have at other places. Answers and a treatment that helps would be fine with me. I know there is no cure but there are things to make it more manageable and tolerable.
Taking it one day at a time and hoping for a better day tomorrow!!!
Thursday, March 03, 2011
3/3/2011
I'm sure these posts have been getting fairly boring lately because there isn't too much to report. I still am on TPN everyday, so nothing new there. I had no appointments this week, so nothing to report there. I haven't gotten worse which is a good thing. I'm still by no means running any kind of marathon. I'm still just relaxing and taking it easy.
As I sign most of my posts, I'm just taking it one day at a time. That's really all I can do at this point. I can't spend all my efforts and energy worrying about the future because I can't change it anyways. I just need to use it to face the day ahead and just take one step at a time. So right now, I'm just waiting on the next step to come whatever it may be.
One a sunny and brighter note, I can't wait for warmer weather and for spring to get here. I like the warmer weather and the sun rays to soak up. I would have to say winter is my least favorite season but I do love the beautiful snow when it lays on the trees though.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Wednesday Whims!!!
I called Temple today and they hadn't received any paperwork yet, so I had to call Geisinger to make sure they send it. I had to fax them an authorization to even send the paperwork. I'm hoping it gets there, so the doctor has a chance to take a look at my notes and reports. So I don't get there and he is just finding everything out right then, and reading the chart while I am sitting right there in his office. Hoping he has a chance to review my chart and start thinking of some ideas.
I also recently had to renew my nursing license. They nursing office at work has been emailing me to send them a copy so I faxed that to them today. Stupid me though forgot to sign the license so I have to fax it again today.
I was up again half the night, as you can tell by what time I posted the poem early this morning. As soon as I do settle down and either just about asleep or having just fell asleep, our two dogs start barking. That makes it really hard to go to sleep then. I'm hoping for a better night sleep tonight.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
I also recently had to renew my nursing license. They nursing office at work has been emailing me to send them a copy so I faxed that to them today. Stupid me though forgot to sign the license so I have to fax it again today.
I was up again half the night, as you can tell by what time I posted the poem early this morning. As soon as I do settle down and either just about asleep or having just fell asleep, our two dogs start barking. That makes it really hard to go to sleep then. I'm hoping for a better night sleep tonight.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
God's Big Plan
It's been a long time since I have wrote a poem. I thought since I was having trouble sleeping tonight I would write one. I was thinking about people from my GP support group while I wrote this - so this is for them!
God's Big Plan
As round and round in circles we swirl
It is back and forth from here to there
It is back and forth from here to there
The feeling it brings makes us want to hurl
Our bodies been through too much wear and tear
Tired of fighting day in and day out
The more we struggle the more we doubt
Just wondering what this is all about
It makes us want to just shout
After wrestling this through the months and the years
Our body so weak we can barely just stand
We may not be able to see through our tears
Having no idea what is God’s big plan
We need to hold on to any hope we have left
As we struggle to make it through this test
We need to let go and just take a rest
For God only knows what truly is best
We need to see beauty in the little things
So we can see what tomorrow and the future brings
- Brenda P. (March 2, 2011)
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Thoughts for Tuesday - 3/1/2011
I didn't sleep good last night. I spend half the night tossing and turning trying to get to sleep. When I did finally fall asleep it seemed like I would still wake up every hour. It's so annoying. I'm not quite sure why it is. Maybe it is a combination of being nauseous and uncomfortable and not being able to get up and do a lot during the day.
I received a call from the GI doctors office that they had made copies of some of my paperwork to take down to Temple with me. So I ventured out to Geisinger to pick them up. Made for a tiring day, so I'm hoping I can sleep good tonight.
It was a fairly nice day out so I decided to get my nice car out of hiding a take it for a spin to go pick up the paperwork. It was nice being able to get out of the house for a little bit and enjoy some sunshine.
Something about Geisinger that doesn't quite make sense. Geisinger is a hospital which means that is where sick people go, right? Well then, why do they make the parking so far away? If your sick you probably aren't going to be able to walk that far to even get in the hospital let alone once you are in it. It just doesn't quite make sense to me. If you do make it inside the hospital, then you have another mile to go to get to your destination.
Tomorrow I will be making some phone calls to Temple to check and see if they received any paperwork from Geisinger, and to see what all I need to do if they didn't. I started today and Geisinger acted like they haven't sent anything and weren't planning on it. So I need to see what is going on with that tomorrow.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
I received a call from the GI doctors office that they had made copies of some of my paperwork to take down to Temple with me. So I ventured out to Geisinger to pick them up. Made for a tiring day, so I'm hoping I can sleep good tonight.
It was a fairly nice day out so I decided to get my nice car out of hiding a take it for a spin to go pick up the paperwork. It was nice being able to get out of the house for a little bit and enjoy some sunshine.
Something about Geisinger that doesn't quite make sense. Geisinger is a hospital which means that is where sick people go, right? Well then, why do they make the parking so far away? If your sick you probably aren't going to be able to walk that far to even get in the hospital let alone once you are in it. It just doesn't quite make sense to me. If you do make it inside the hospital, then you have another mile to go to get to your destination.
Tomorrow I will be making some phone calls to Temple to check and see if they received any paperwork from Geisinger, and to see what all I need to do if they didn't. I started today and Geisinger acted like they haven't sent anything and weren't planning on it. So I need to see what is going on with that tomorrow.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
New Address!!
For those of you who haven't noticed this blog has a new address. Some of you may have to change it in your readers to continue getting updates. The new address is: www.snippetsandsnapshots.com
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday Meditations - 2/28/2011
Home health nurse was here this morning and did blood work and she also changed my dressing so that now they will just have to come once a week and do everything. So the nurses won't be back until next Monday when they will do more blood work and change my dressing.
A week from tomorrow I'm going to Temple. I really hope something good comes out of it. I joined a support group and have been able to talk with a couple different people who have went to Temple. Some have had positive things to say and some were not so positive. Sometimes it's hard for me to be positive because I don't want to get my hopes up and be really disappointed especially the way things have been going. From what I've heard, it will just be a visit where he goes over my chart and my history and orders a couple tests to be done. Some say they may do some blood work while I am there, but the other tests sound like they will be outpatient and that it takes a couple weeks sometime to get them scheduled. I was hoping we could get things moving a little faster.
As humans we want things done now. I don't want to just keep sitting at home on TPN for weeks/months to come. I need to get better so I can get back to work. I have already used up 1 of my 3 months I get for FMLA. So I am hoping it won't take too long to at least get the ball rolling toward answers and treatment.
I know that God's timing is the best so I will try my hardest to rest in that fact and let things happen as He allows them to.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
A week from tomorrow I'm going to Temple. I really hope something good comes out of it. I joined a support group and have been able to talk with a couple different people who have went to Temple. Some have had positive things to say and some were not so positive. Sometimes it's hard for me to be positive because I don't want to get my hopes up and be really disappointed especially the way things have been going. From what I've heard, it will just be a visit where he goes over my chart and my history and orders a couple tests to be done. Some say they may do some blood work while I am there, but the other tests sound like they will be outpatient and that it takes a couple weeks sometime to get them scheduled. I was hoping we could get things moving a little faster.
As humans we want things done now. I don't want to just keep sitting at home on TPN for weeks/months to come. I need to get better so I can get back to work. I have already used up 1 of my 3 months I get for FMLA. So I am hoping it won't take too long to at least get the ball rolling toward answers and treatment.
I know that God's timing is the best so I will try my hardest to rest in that fact and let things happen as He allows them to.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
2/27/2011
Not much to post about tonight. Today wasn't a very good day. Struggled with nausea and pain more than my norm most of the day. Hoping tomorrow will be a better day.
Nurses are coming tomorrow to do blood work. Hopefully everything will be within normal limits. I'm pretty sure the same nurse is coming tomorrow that was here on Thursday. That's a good thing.
Taking it one day at a time.
Nurses are coming tomorrow to do blood work. Hopefully everything will be within normal limits. I'm pretty sure the same nurse is coming tomorrow that was here on Thursday. That's a good thing.
Taking it one day at a time.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Snippets from Saturday
Another day almost over. I was up half the night last night but then I was able to get some sleep towards morning. I'm not sure why I have been having so much trouble sleeping. It does get really annoying though. Hoping for a better nights sleep tonight.
I decided last night that I would take a stool softener to see if that helped move things along better. The doctors have a liquid prescribed that I can either put through my J-tube or take orally. I thought I would just try to take it orally. I didn't realize this until after the fact, but you are supposed to dilute it in 6-8 ounces of water. I decided to just take a swig or two and be done with it. That was a bad mistake. I took one little sip, and I couldn't breathe. Literally, I couldn't breathe in or out. It was horrible. I was gasping away and when I started to be able to breathe the tiniest bit I was only able to breath in, I couldn't breathe out. I thought it must have just went down the wrong tube but then when I read the bottle I realized that it didn't. There is a warning to dilute the med or it can cause severe throat irritation. It literally took my breath away and I couldn't breathe for a good little while. Needless to say, it made me quite sick after that and I won't go into details there.
Today was an alright day. It could have been better but definitely could have been worse. Basically as long as I am alive I have to realize that things could be worse and to be thankful that I am alive. I would not pick to be where I am right now, but it is where God sees fit for me to be and I have to accept that. I may not like it, but in reality there is nothing I can do about it anyways so I might as well try to make the best of it. Easier said than done, but I need to try and find the positives in it.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
I decided last night that I would take a stool softener to see if that helped move things along better. The doctors have a liquid prescribed that I can either put through my J-tube or take orally. I thought I would just try to take it orally. I didn't realize this until after the fact, but you are supposed to dilute it in 6-8 ounces of water. I decided to just take a swig or two and be done with it. That was a bad mistake. I took one little sip, and I couldn't breathe. Literally, I couldn't breathe in or out. It was horrible. I was gasping away and when I started to be able to breathe the tiniest bit I was only able to breath in, I couldn't breathe out. I thought it must have just went down the wrong tube but then when I read the bottle I realized that it didn't. There is a warning to dilute the med or it can cause severe throat irritation. It literally took my breath away and I couldn't breathe for a good little while. Needless to say, it made me quite sick after that and I won't go into details there.
Today was an alright day. It could have been better but definitely could have been worse. Basically as long as I am alive I have to realize that things could be worse and to be thankful that I am alive. I would not pick to be where I am right now, but it is where God sees fit for me to be and I have to accept that. I may not like it, but in reality there is nothing I can do about it anyways so I might as well try to make the best of it. Easier said than done, but I need to try and find the positives in it.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Feelings for Friday
Can you believe we are already at the end of February. It seems like this year just started and we are soon to began the third month already. Where has the time gone?
Nothing exciting happened today. Just taking it easy and relaxing, since that's all I really feel like doing. I may have to drag myself out of the house tonight to get some errands ran and to pick some things up. I'm dreading it though just thinking about it, which is so unlike me. Usually I'm wanting to do anything to get out of the house for a little bit. I usually don't like being stuck at home with nothing to do.
No more doctors appointment now until my appointment at Temple in March.
Praying things work out at Temple. It get discouraging sometimes when you look back at when things started and where things are at today. Not much progress has been made when you actually think about it. There are really no new answers. I've heard plenty of maybe it's this, or maybe it's that, but the general consensus has always been the same. So hopefully Temple will be able to get things moving and get some definitive answers and treatments.
Taking it one day at a time and trusting in God that He sees the big picture!!!!
Nothing exciting happened today. Just taking it easy and relaxing, since that's all I really feel like doing. I may have to drag myself out of the house tonight to get some errands ran and to pick some things up. I'm dreading it though just thinking about it, which is so unlike me. Usually I'm wanting to do anything to get out of the house for a little bit. I usually don't like being stuck at home with nothing to do.
No more doctors appointment now until my appointment at Temple in March.
Praying things work out at Temple. It get discouraging sometimes when you look back at when things started and where things are at today. Not much progress has been made when you actually think about it. There are really no new answers. I've heard plenty of maybe it's this, or maybe it's that, but the general consensus has always been the same. So hopefully Temple will be able to get things moving and get some definitive answers and treatments.
Taking it one day at a time and trusting in God that He sees the big picture!!!!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
2/24/2011
Today's nutrition appointment went well. I felt it was not worth the hassle of even going. Basically he just looked at my vitals and glanced at me and said well everything looks like it should I don't need to see you again for a month. So than we just sat there in silence as he typed out his note about the visit. I guess you just have to have those appointment as long as you are on TPN. I have to go back now every month, so my next appointment is not until the end of March. So it looks like I will be on the TPN for at least another month or unless Temple wants to do something else in the meantime since I will be seeing them before my next nutrition appointment.
Home health visit went well. I really liked that nurse that came today. Since my mom had used to work for the agency that came I have known the nurse for a few years so it was nice having somebody come that I actually knew. She remembers from 5 years ago when I first started getting sick, so she knows what I have been going through and dealing with. She will be coming back on Monday to do my blood work.
I have been having horrible nights of not being able to sleep. I'm in bed now and if I start getting tired enough that I think I can sleep I'm going to take advantage of it even if it is early. At least I worked night shift so when I am up all night I at least can text or call friends from work which helps the nights go faster.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Home health visit went well. I really liked that nurse that came today. Since my mom had used to work for the agency that came I have known the nurse for a few years so it was nice having somebody come that I actually knew. She remembers from 5 years ago when I first started getting sick, so she knows what I have been going through and dealing with. She will be coming back on Monday to do my blood work.
I have been having horrible nights of not being able to sleep. I'm in bed now and if I start getting tired enough that I think I can sleep I'm going to take advantage of it even if it is early. At least I worked night shift so when I am up all night I at least can text or call friends from work which helps the nights go faster.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
One of Those Days!
Today was one of those days, you know, a 'blah' kind of day. I haven't been sleeping well at night and I didn't feel like doing anything so I just relaxed and was able to catch up on a little of my sleep, I think. I had some things I could have done, maybe even needed to do, but I just didn't feel like doing them. I've just been plain wore out lately. So, that was my day for today. Nothing new or exciting to post about today.
Since I have not been working I fear that in the time away I will either lose some skills or just become rusty on how I functioned and performed as a nurse. So, I thought I would try something new to keep "up-to-date" on current medical issues and the such. I started reading current research articles and new medical news and so far I have found it quite interesting. I figure since I am not working right now to learn by experience, which I think is the best way to learn, that I would try and do the best I could to stay current and in the loop so to speak. So far, I am enjoying what I have been reading and learning.
Tomorrow will be a more interesting and tiring day. I have a 9:30am appointment at Geisinger with the GI nutrition doctor. Around 1:00pm home health nurse is stopping by to do vitals and my PICC dressing change. It may not sound like a busy day to most of you, but for me I will probably be really tired by the end of the day.
Since I have not been working I fear that in the time away I will either lose some skills or just become rusty on how I functioned and performed as a nurse. So, I thought I would try something new to keep "up-to-date" on current medical issues and the such. I started reading current research articles and new medical news and so far I have found it quite interesting. I figure since I am not working right now to learn by experience, which I think is the best way to learn, that I would try and do the best I could to stay current and in the loop so to speak. So far, I am enjoying what I have been reading and learning.
Tomorrow will be a more interesting and tiring day. I have a 9:30am appointment at Geisinger with the GI nutrition doctor. Around 1:00pm home health nurse is stopping by to do vitals and my PICC dressing change. It may not sound like a busy day to most of you, but for me I will probably be really tired by the end of the day.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
2/22/2011
Today I had a GI doctor appointment. It was just a follow-up from my recent hospitalizations. I have never really cared for this GI doctor and after today, especially right now, I still don't care for him.
Good news is that the biopsy reports came back fine as far as we can tell.
Nothing else new to really report except my frustrations with this particular doctor. He hears what you tell him but he either doesn't understand or he actually isn't listening. He seems very skeptical of everything you are telling him about what is going on and your symptoms and what they told you your tests showed while in the hospital. Then he gets in your charts and ends up reading what you just told him aloud from the actual test results. So annoying. It's like since he can't figure it out it must not be really happening or true. It almost seems like he is stuck in a box and so we have to keep trying the same medications over and over again and the same everything that is in the box 20 times with the same results. If they didn't work the first or even the second time maybe it is time to look outside of the box. At least he did admit he wasn't following me as closely as he should have been. You can't keep track of how somebody is doing with their problems unless you see them and schedule return appointments. So don't wonder how things can get so bad if you haven't been seeing them at all. That's just a couple of the things that really got to me today when I saw him and built up from some past visits with him. I could go on yet for awhile but will leave it at this. Maybe another time and another post. We'll see.
I haven't been sleeping well at all and after the long day I had today I think I'm soon calling it a night. I get really wore out by just going to the doctors.
Looks like I have another appointment on Thursday with the GI/Nutrition doctors that were following me on the TPN in the hospital. Also, Home health is also coming on Thursday to do my PICC dressing change.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Good news is that the biopsy reports came back fine as far as we can tell.
Nothing else new to really report except my frustrations with this particular doctor. He hears what you tell him but he either doesn't understand or he actually isn't listening. He seems very skeptical of everything you are telling him about what is going on and your symptoms and what they told you your tests showed while in the hospital. Then he gets in your charts and ends up reading what you just told him aloud from the actual test results. So annoying. It's like since he can't figure it out it must not be really happening or true. It almost seems like he is stuck in a box and so we have to keep trying the same medications over and over again and the same everything that is in the box 20 times with the same results. If they didn't work the first or even the second time maybe it is time to look outside of the box. At least he did admit he wasn't following me as closely as he should have been. You can't keep track of how somebody is doing with their problems unless you see them and schedule return appointments. So don't wonder how things can get so bad if you haven't been seeing them at all. That's just a couple of the things that really got to me today when I saw him and built up from some past visits with him. I could go on yet for awhile but will leave it at this. Maybe another time and another post. We'll see.
I haven't been sleeping well at all and after the long day I had today I think I'm soon calling it a night. I get really wore out by just going to the doctors.
Looks like I have another appointment on Thursday with the GI/Nutrition doctors that were following me on the TPN in the hospital. Also, Home health is also coming on Thursday to do my PICC dressing change.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Let Me Vent!!!
This is a trial run of posts that I will call "Let me Vent" . These post are where I will vent once and awhile about things that are really bothering me. It can be about anything and please know that these posts are not pointed at any individuals specifically. So, here goes the first one!
Upon discharge from the hospital everybody assumes you are doing better. Why wouldn't they? I totally get it. I'm sure I would be assuming the same thing because that is how things work. You get sick, go to hospital, start getting better, go home. That's how things work. Well, not so much the case in my situation. I was discharged home because there was nothing else they could do for me, and what they were doing I'm able to do at home. So there is no point keeping me in the hospital when they can't do anything more for me. So therefore I was discharged home to be followed by nurses until I can get to Temple. To keep hanging in there till I get to Temple to see if there is anything they can do there. They offer different tests and surgeries that may be available. What they are doing for me right now is not necessarily going to help me get better or feel better, it is just to keep me from getting any worse. At this point I wouldn't be able to handle getting worse because I'm already not good.
I guess the point that is frustrating to me is that people assume things are better or getting better when they're not and I don't have the heart to tell them that things actually aren't really any better. (I'm such a sucker.) Instead I just either agree with them or answer some generic response that can be taken however they want it to!
Well now that this is off my mind, I'm going to bed. Good night all!!!
Upon discharge from the hospital everybody assumes you are doing better. Why wouldn't they? I totally get it. I'm sure I would be assuming the same thing because that is how things work. You get sick, go to hospital, start getting better, go home. That's how things work. Well, not so much the case in my situation. I was discharged home because there was nothing else they could do for me, and what they were doing I'm able to do at home. So there is no point keeping me in the hospital when they can't do anything more for me. So therefore I was discharged home to be followed by nurses until I can get to Temple. To keep hanging in there till I get to Temple to see if there is anything they can do there. They offer different tests and surgeries that may be available. What they are doing for me right now is not necessarily going to help me get better or feel better, it is just to keep me from getting any worse. At this point I wouldn't be able to handle getting worse because I'm already not good.
I guess the point that is frustrating to me is that people assume things are better or getting better when they're not and I don't have the heart to tell them that things actually aren't really any better. (I'm such a sucker.) Instead I just either agree with them or answer some generic response that can be taken however they want it to!
Well now that this is off my mind, I'm going to bed. Good night all!!!
2/21/2011
My family doctor appointment is over. It went fine. I basically just updated them briefly on what all had happened this last hospitalization and that I am now home with TPN and have nurses coming in. No more appointments with them are scheduled. She realizes that I'm really weak and not feeling good so she doesn't want to make me come in just for follow-ups. She wants me to call if I want/need to be seen. Other than that she knows I will be having lots of appointments coming up and knows it will get very overwhelming and she doesn't want to add to it anymore.
I did receive a call from the pharmacy that reviews my labs to see if the "ingredients" in the TPN need adjusted. I guess they may have been a little off so they are going to be making some adjustments. I should be getting a delivery of all my supplies tonight yet with the updated TPN.
A case manager from Geisinger called to check up and see how things are going. She will be checking up on some of my follow-ups that I think got lost in the discharge process. They will be calling every Monday morning for 4 weeks to keep checking up on me and make sure I am doing alright.
Update: Case Manager just called back and I now have an appointment tomorrow with GI. It was scheduled for the 28th from the first admission but when discharged this time they had wanted me to be seen in 3 days. I hadn't heard anything so I just figured I would still be going on the 28th even though it was over a week away. Well, I guess she looked into it and so now I go tomorrow.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
I did receive a call from the pharmacy that reviews my labs to see if the "ingredients" in the TPN need adjusted. I guess they may have been a little off so they are going to be making some adjustments. I should be getting a delivery of all my supplies tonight yet with the updated TPN.
A case manager from Geisinger called to check up and see how things are going. She will be checking up on some of my follow-ups that I think got lost in the discharge process. They will be calling every Monday morning for 4 weeks to keep checking up on me and make sure I am doing alright.
Update: Case Manager just called back and I now have an appointment tomorrow with GI. It was scheduled for the 28th from the first admission but when discharged this time they had wanted me to be seen in 3 days. I hadn't heard anything so I just figured I would still be going on the 28th even though it was over a week away. Well, I guess she looked into it and so now I go tomorrow.
Taking it one day at a time!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)