Here's what got done(or didn't)in August......
* Pay Bills DONE Always paid in full on time or a little early.
* Go to 2 in-person DR appointments DONE Went to see the Orthopedic surgeon and the Interventional Pain Dr. Neither of which was very helpful. The orthopedist keeps putting up roadblocks to surgery and the interventional pain guy is a joke. He won't put me on anything for pain other than a weak muscle relaxer and half the dose of the prescription NSAID the ortho had me on while I was having PT for my back. Really? I might as well take an Aleve! I don't get why they make you sign something promising not to sell your drugs, drug test you and count how many pills you have left at each appt. when they won't even prescribe anything that helps with the pain. He tried to put me on half the dose of the anti-inflammatory med the ortho had me on. Walmart called and said a month of pills would cost $1,996.86! I was taking twice the dosage and it was costing me ZERO OOP. WTF? Then he tried to get a pre-authorization and my insurance company denied it. Eventually he kept me on the dosage the Ortho was prescribing. Insanity.....
When I get back from Ohio and surgery the interventional pain guy wants me to have an MRI of my back(Oh joy! Another MRI)before he'll do anything that will help me.
I also went to a third doctor, a dermatologist, to treat my HS. She was totally underwhelming and I have no confidence that she actually "treats" HS. She never even examined me! She certainly is not a specialist in it. This office is more interested in giving Botox injections, removing moles and selling overpriced skin care products in their waiting room.
So I have set up an appointment with a "real" dermatologist connected with the U of Mississippi(there are no HS specialist in LA)for early next year.
Ok, this screed is over for now. '-)
* Go to 9 PT appointments DONE I finished up the Physical Therapy for my lower back pain. I'll be going back there for PT on my knee after the joint replacement in October.
* Schedule TeleMedicine Appointment with Another Dr. DONE I had my Teledoc appt. later that same day I saw the local Orthopedic surgeon who kept gaslighting me. Ohio Doc green lighted me for a TKA and put me on his schedule for surgery. I feel much better in the hands of this surgeon than the local Ortho guy for numerous reasons.
* Submit all Paperwork to Surgeon DONE I got all the paperwork submitted(so far)through the 3rd party Healthcare Organization for the surgery. This month I have a few blood workups and an EKG locally and then need to have it faxed to Ohio and then the paperwork will all be done.
* Clean and Organize Stuff in House PASS Still figuring out how to organize the pantry and where to put some other stuff. I went through all my mom's jewelry and tchotchkes I inherited in August. I am in the midst of distributing some of it to kids and putting some things aside for my granddaughter when she is an adult.(It will be put in trust until then as I have no relationship with my son.)
I have also started and am adding to a "Goodwill" pile to donate. That's mostly clothes that are now too big for me and some odds and ends.
* Buy Stuff for House DONE The only thing(other than Hubs buying odds and ends to fix shit)we bought was a kitchen counter top. Still waiting for the handyman to work installing it and the new sink in the kitchen into his schedule. In the meantime, the 10 ft. section of counter top is living on the floor of my sewing room. Which is fine as I can't sew in my present state.
* Schedule MRI DONE That was not fun. ;-) Now to have my Neurologist let me know what it says.....3 weeks and waiting. grrr
* Clean out Inserts/Coupon Envie DONE I think I'll take this one off my To-Do List because as my shopping habits have changed(and we no longer to coupon inserts in the paper here)there isn't much to this.
* Edit More Photos DONE Grinding out more editing of photos so I can post about old trips.
* Post about Old Trips DONE Currently in August I posted about our trip out West from 2017. I posted 7 installments of that saga in August and I'm only about halfway through that month long trip.
* Work on Genealogy DONE I am always working on honing and adding to the genealogy trees. This is something I do when I have free time in between PT and Dr. visits and tests.
* Purchase a/c Unit for Bedroom FAIL We didn't end up needing one so it's falling off the list for now.
* Send letter for DRCHC CEO+ cc to 2 More State Medical Entities DONE Heard back from all the Medical Entities, sent a Complaint to the Federal Government about a HIIPA violation but decided, beyond that, not to pursue this clusterf**k any further. Stick a fork in me, I am done with their mismanaged clinic and am moving on.
* Move Video files to new computer FAIL This didn't happen in August. I am still slogging through files on my computer and getting them in better order and/or deleting stuff I no longer need or duplicates.
* Celebrate Anniversary DONE We celebrated 41 years married by going out to dinner at a pretentious/overpriced restaurant. Not great but I didn't let it put a harsh on our day.
* Wash Dogs DONE The puppies got bathed outside in their little kiddie pool. They smelled so much better but they need another bath as I am writing this. lol
What did you get accomplished in August? Let us all know....
Sluggy
I am so sorry you have so many difficult medical situations to deal. That is not fun by any means. I am glad you will be seeing some one connected with UMMC about your dermatology condition. The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson (where I live) is a teaching hospital with an extensive mdeical research department. They have connections all over the United States, so you will be in good hands.
ReplyDeleteI hope I'll be in good hands. Can't get much worse than what passes for dermatology here. lol
DeleteConsidering moving back to PA but in a different adjacent area near my Derm there where housing isn't so expensive. She was top notch.
Access to excellent health care was a priority in picking our relocation for retirement. Currently we are in NE Ohio & are fortunate to have the Cleveland Clinic right in our back yard. World-class physicians of all types. (OK, they could use some improvement in their "administrative" area - but the physicians/PA's, etc. are all excellent.) We are building a new home in the Raleigh, NC area & will have access to Duke Medical. Again, great medical care.
ReplyDeleteTruly was in the #3 requirements for relocation.
Hope this all works out for you - and it does stink that they are not doing enough to help you with your pain!
I know someone who moved out of the Raleigh area last year as the costs there have exploded(for housing)and it's getting crazy crowded he said.
DeleteI haven't had any medical professional take my level of pain seriously since about 2020. HS is a hidden disease and unless you've been afflicted you know nothing about the pain it can cause(and the fact that it comes and goes, doesn't help them recognize how bad it can be).
I hope your Raleigh home works for you. The good thing about that area was you could move a little ways out and still be rural and close to good healthcare.
Yours is a common tale viz. disappointment with pain management. They treat you like criminals and drug addicts and don't want to prescribe anything.
ReplyDeleteI blame the government....
DeleteI used to work at the University of Mississippi Medial Center on State Street in Jackson. Jackson has changed in the past 40 years, and is not very safe although I think the area around the Medical Center is still probably ok. Just be aware of your surroundings and if you have to get lunch in between medical appointments,
ReplyDeleteI suggest getting it at the hospital cafeteria. It used to be pretty good but again, that was 40 years ago… lol. I don’t know if you are coming to Jackson though Vicksburg or Hattiesburg but The HGTV Hometown TV show with Eric and Ben is filmed in Laurel, Mississippi, about 20 miles north of Hattiesburg and they probably have cute bed and breakfast places there. Otherwise, I would stay at a hotel somewhere in Rankin County just outside Jackson, not in Jackson. Hattiesburg is a college town and is pretty safe also, as well as Laurel which I already mentioned. Cindy in the South
My experience in Jackson MS last Fall involved the bus station there. Not a place I EVER want to go back! So I know Jackson a bit. Plus the dermatologist only sees pediatric patients at the hospital, she sees the adults at the outlying office in Ridgeland MS so I won't be dealing with downtown Jackson. Going via I-20, through Vicksburg into MS. Not going near Hattiesburg though I've had lunch there before at a buffet restaurant that specializes in Catfish a few years ago. 8-) Thanks for the tips
DeleteNot to belabor a point, but if your only experience in Jackson was the bus station, then you saw only a small part of the city. Northeast Jackson, where I live, is fine. This is the area to the east of UMMC. Ridegeland and Madison are small towns in Madison County just outside Jackson . There are nice hotels and restaurants in both places just off I-55 North.
ReplyDeleteI know there are nice areas in Jackson but the bus station is in the most urban, decayed inner city part with nothing but blight and trash and sketchy people. I liked Meridian when we stopped there on one of our visits down here for lunch. I know not to judge an entire city by the bus station(especially the BUS station!)but taking the bus through Jackson MS was a horrible experience.
DeleteWhat is it with dermatologists these days?! I took my youngest child years ago to get his eczema looked at and I joked I felt like I was in an episode of the Kardashians with all the plastic ladies trying to sell me botox vs look at my child. Then recently I took my pre-teen son to a different dermatologist, for scalp issues, but again they were more interested in trying to sell me lip injections!! I ended up walking out. So sorry for all your medical woes, unfortunately I can relate!
ReplyDeleteSorry you had a bad dermatology experience too. Seems like too many dr. get their licenses and go after the low hanging fruit(the quick and easy and expensive treatments), most that are only cosmetic and don't want to treat the serious conditions and diseases.
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