Moving: Pros & Cons of My Dream Place

[rolerbe]

R.e. lawyers at a doctors office, FWIW:

We had to have a meeting with the staff from a hospice several years back. They wanted to kick my father-in-law out as he was 'not dying fast enough' (hospice gets paid a certain rate based on an average length of stay).

We had been getting nothing but run around and wanted to make sure we spoke with the Director, not just the nurses. So I dressed up in full suit and tie and brought a nice leather bound legal pad with me. They knew daughters 1 and 2. When they asked me who I was, I said "I'm just here to represent them" (the daughters).

Within minutes we were talking to the Director and established that there were no hard stay limits, just their averages for reimbursement. No more problems after that.

 

[Moonbear]

Moonbear, you said to Evo, “I think you need to start bringing a lawyer with you on your doctor's visits.” I’m curious, how many lawyers do you know that do that? How much do they charge the client? I’ve never known a lawyer to escort a patient to a doctor’s office nor have I ever heard a doctor mention that a patient was escorted by a lawyer to his/her office.

Evo's known me long enough to understand my sense of humor. You might too and just be ribbing me back, but I don't know for certain, so in case it wasn't clear, it was my way of telling her that she doesn't seem to be getting good medical care from either her primary care physician or this second one, enough so that from at least what she tells us here, it raises questions of malpractice.

I would NOT choose a physician who is laid back and doesn't follow up. When their nurse tells you "this is serious" and goes behind the physician's back to tell you that, red flags should be raising up all over the place. This tells me that the nurse is aware the proper standards of care are not being followed and is speaking up out of her own ethical obligations to watch out for the best interests of the patients.

And, regardless of the role of the second physician, if he actually holds an M.D. degree and is licensed to practice, he should know the difference between high blood pressure that requires a referral to a regular physician and dangerously high blood pressure that is an emergent situation.

Evo, you've had such a plethora of health concerns that I really do think you need to find a new primary care physician who pays attention to all of them. I'm concerned there is something underlying all of them that is being missed. Maybe you can call the doc who saw you in the ER when your potassium plummeted dangerously low, and ask him or her for a referral to a primary care physician who is more competent since you landed in the ER because your current physician wasn't paying much attention.

 

[rolerbe]

Ditto what Moonbear said. IMHO, your tales, Evo, for both doc's are not even borderline malpractice, they are way over the line. It's an easter-egg hunt and a PIA to find the right MD for you, but its a critical investment in the future.

 

[rewebster]

After 3 hours and constant setbacks, I am proud to have achieved a major milestone in assembling my shelves, all four posts are upright.

Unfortunately the little plastic brackets are too small to snap around the posts, and as a result they won't fit into the holes in the corners of the shelf, so if a fly lands on it, it will topple over again.

[PLAIN]http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8371/017qa.jpg[/QUOTE]

it looks like it should be turned 180 degrees (it looks backward)---the long vertical looks like it should be against the wall---

then maybe you could put a screw through a couple of the vertical posts' holes to attach it to the wall

 

[Evo]

it looks like it should be turned 180 degrees (it looks backward)---the long vertical looks like it should be against the wall---

then maybe you could put a screw through a couple of the vertical posts' holes to attach it to the wall

The posts are leaning because it's missing the other 3 shelves.

It has been decided that it will take 3 people to assemble the shelves. I know how to assemble them, but don't have 5 arms and Evo Child and her BF aren't mechanically inclined, so they will function as supports for the heavy metal poles and shelves. We are waiting until all three of us are available at the same time.

 

[Evo]

Evo, you've had such a plethora of health concerns that I really do think you need to find a new primary care physician who pays attention to all of them. I'm concerned there is something underlying all of them that is being missed.

That's what I'm thinking, each time they find something, they go "that's it!" and they stop looking. After the treatment fails I have to push very hard for them to start over.

 

[Evo]

The move is unending, I just had to pay for another week of rent on the old place because we still haven't moved all of my stuff out.

This is the new place, what a mess! The kitchen counter is covered with stuff as boxes are emptied and can't figure out where to put any of it.

I seriously don't know where we're going to put any of this, we've run out of room. We're going to have to sift through and decide what we can't live without and put the rest into the garage, which I am using as a storage space.

 

[rolerbe]

Of course the cows have to stay...that's a given.

 

[Evo]

Of course the cows have to stay...that's a given.

NO ONE touches my cows! And I have several more boxes of cows and hippos (cows are kitchen, hippos are bedroom).

Lacy asked for a picture from the new place. You can see the creek below and this is my flat squirrel. He had me worried because he drags himself around like this, but I saw him stand up the other day, so he's ok, just weird.

 

[Astronuc]

We have the same wooden chairs.

 

[dlgoff]

... and this is my flat squirrel. He had me worried because he drags himself around like this, but I saw him stand up the other day, so he's ok, just weird.

Dang. I don't know what the deal is but I had to reload this page four time go get the full view of the squirrel.

Okay. I think I understand why his behavior. Either he's trying to sun himself or he actually has some reptile in him.

 

[lisab]

Dang. I don't know what the deal is but I had to reload this page four time go get the full view of the squirrel.

Okay. I think I understand why his behavior. Either he's trying to sun himself or he actually has some reptile in him.

Maybe his belly is itchy.

 

[Monique]

We have the same wooden chairs.

Guess, what: I have those chairs as well

 

[rewebster]

NO ONE touches my cows! And I have several more boxes of cows and hippos (cows are kitchen, hippos are bedroom).

Lacy asked for a picture from the new place. You can see the creek below and this is my flat squirrel. He had me worried because he drags himself around like this, but I saw him stand up the other day, so he's ok, just weird.

he's a male squirrel---males like to lay like that...

 

[Borg]

We have the same wooden chairs.

Guess, what: I have those chairs as well

Add me to the list also.

 

[Evo]

Add me to the list also.

That's a very popular and practical style of chair.

It took three of us, but the shelves are up. I'll post a picture later.

 

[Evo]

My blood pressure is down today, 159/117. I did buy a BP home monitor.

 

[Monique]

Ai, that is still way too high. It would be good to make a chart of how your bp varies during the day, now that you have a home meter. Please follow Moonbear her advice and find a good doc, we care about you!

 

[Astronuc]

My blood pressure is down today, 159/117. I did buy a BP home monitor.

That's down?!?

 

[Evo]

That's down?!?

It was 215/135. I'm supposed to be in the hospital right now. I had quite a fight today with my doctor's nurses. He want's me admitted for a week. I can't do it.

Ack, now it's 179/109.

 

[Monique]

It was 215/135. I'm supposed to be in the hospital right now. I had quite a fight today with my doctor's nurses. He want's me admitted for a week. I can't do it.

Ack, now it's 179/109.

You should place nothing above your health, you have your daughters who can take care of things while you are at the hospital. Seriously, consider it. Bring wireless internet with you so that you can surf the net while you're there.

How is it that we have people dropping these messages that their health is in danger, but they don't want to visit a doctor/ the hospital?

 

[TubbaBlubba]

It was 215/135. I'm supposed to be in the hospital right now. I had quite a fight today with my doctor's nurses. He want's me admitted for a week. I can't do it.

Ack, now it's 179/109.

... Get into a freaking hospital NOW.

 

[rolerbe]

It was 215/135. I'm supposed to be in the hospital right now. I had quite a fight today with my doctor's nurses. He want's me admitted for a week. I can't do it.

Ack, now it's 179/109.

I'm sorry to say that if you keep on as you are, you may not have to go into the hospital, or finish the move, or anything else.

You are seriously freaking us out here. Please, please (please) get the medical attention you need.

 

[Evo]

I have a dr's appointment this afternoon. The last time I was in the hospital (last summer) my doctor agreed to discharge me 2 days early due to the incompetant nursing staff. I was better off at home, so I have no desire to go to the hospital. I definitely will never return to that hospital.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

Walking around with a blood pressure like that WILL beyond a shadow of a doubt cause heart failure in the long-term (not to mention the risk of internal bleeding), so I sure hope you get to deal with it. Please, please take care of yourself.

 

[Astronuc]

I have a dr's appointment this afternoon. The last time I was in the hospital (last summer) my doctor agreed to discharge me 2 days early due to the incompetant nursing staff. I was better off at home, so I have no desire to go to the hospital. I definitely will never return to that hospital.

Um - find a different hospital. Is that possible out there? How about across the river?

With something like 179/109, my sister went to the ER.

With 215/135 - one could end up in the morgue.

 

[Evo]

Um - find a different hospital. Is that possible out there? How about across the river?

With something like 179/109, my sister went to the ER.

With 215/135 - one could end up in the morgue.

It was 205/109last night. 199/117 after waking up from a nap. I'm hoping it's down when I go to the doctor, last time it was much lower and they didn't want to let me leave the office. Which is the wrong thing to do. It just stressed me out more.

 

[Astronuc]

It was 205/109last night. 199/117 after waking up from a nap. I'm hoping it's down when I go to the doctor, last time it was much lower and they didn't want to let me leave the office. Which is the wrong thing to do. It just stressed me out more.

Have EC or someone drive you to the docs. 199/117 is still too high. One should not be driving with such high bp.

At most it should be 120/80 and ideally 110/70 or thereabouts.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

Have EC or someone drive you to the docs. 199/117 is still too high. One should not be driving with such high bp.

At most it should be 120/80 and ideally 110/70 or thereabouts.

It's hard to say how much is "too much", I've got 145/75 (on rather high medication), for instance. While the diastolic pressure is high, it's not really dangerous since the systolic is still low, which means it doesn't really wear too much on the heart (and it's expected to go down once I get off venlafaxine anyway). The mechanics are quite complicated.

 

[Evo]

It's hard to say how much is "too much", I've got 145/75 (on rather high medication), for instance. While the diastolic pressure is high, it's not really dangerous since the systolic is still low, which means it doesn't really wear too much on the heart (and it's expected to go down once I get off venlafaxine anyway). The mechanics are quite complicated.

That's high for your age.

 

[rolerbe]

It was 205/109last night. 199/117 after waking up from a nap. I'm hoping it's down when I go to the doctor, last time it was much lower and they didn't want to let me leave the office. Which is the wrong thing to do. It just stressed me out more.

Evo, I do understand your feelings re the medical establishment and hospital stays, etc. I really do (trust me).

I hope you have a good visit with the MD today, but if they tell you to go to the Hx, do not pass go, do not collect $200, (and I can't really see them NOT saying that...) please take them up on it. The risk of stroke or organ failure in the near term, and heart disease in the long(er) term is just way too high for you at these levels.

 

[Evo]

Evo, I do understand your feelings re the medical establishment and hospital stays, etc. I really do (trust me).

I hope you have a good visit with the MD today, but if they tell you to go to the Hx, do not pass go, do not collect $200, (and I can't really see them NOT saying that...) please take them up on it. The risk of stroke or organ failure in the near term, and heart disease in the long(er) term is just way too high for you at these levels.

My last stay at the hospital (and I paid extra to have a private room) was so bad, it made my BP skyrocket, too much noise and constant interruptions, so I couldn't sleep, an insane nurses aid, I reported her to the head nurse and as it turned out, that was her (the head nurse) last day there because she had tried to bring up this insane woman and the practices there to no avail. She gave me complaint forms and said she was only sharing what she knew because she already had another position elsewhere. I agreed not to name her specifically in my complaint. The nurses would hide out in my room in order to catch up on their record keeping (there were computer stations in every room). It was unbelievable.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Evo's report was one of the positive ones.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

That's high for your age.

Perhaps I should clarify; I eat 10mgs of enalapril (ACE inhibitor) and felodipin (calcium channel blocker) daily for my blood pressure; it's up in the 180ies without them. Medicated it used to be around 130/70 but has gone up, probably due to my usage of Venlafaxine (SNRI and SSRI), which I plan to replace (for blood pressure reasons) once I've adjusted my lithium dosage.

It's pretty absurd to have a blood pressure that high at the age of 18 - well, I was 16 when I started medicating it, - but my heart and kidneys are fine, so it's just some stupid genetic mix that can be medically treated, my father has high blood pressure as well but he didn't get it until his fourties.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I just had a c___scopy. You know, where they take a camera (presumably with a flash) and stick it where the sun don't shine. A few quick snaps and they're done. They found a polyp, removed it, and sent it off to the FBI for investigation. I hope they waterboard the sucker. The doctor says that these are usually benign, but if it turns out otherwise then he just cured me of cancer. Apparently removing it solves the problem. I'll find out soon which it was. Anyway the clinic was a model of efficiency. They put something in my IV that made my eyelids very heavy. Just as I made my mind up to fight it, I was waking up. From the time I entered the door to when I exited was no more than two hours. Not enough time for that crazy nurse to cause any trouble.