Quality versus quantity. It's a heated debate that many have been engaging in for years. Maybe centuries but I'm not too familiar with that history and I believe that it's become a vital issue in the past few years with the development in technology. Anyway, quality versus quantity. Consumer goods, education, medical services. Now a days, it seems that we can get a lot of something, let it be a shirt, an educational experience or a diagnosis but it's not going to be the quality service my grandparents would have received. Our generation is all about go. If you are too slow, you are often discarded to the side. There is little patience for the quality of the job.
I understand that times are different which means that we need to change how we have done things. There are more people in our world that all have basic human needs. But there area few things that the naive aspect of me expects.
Number one is common courtesy and proper quality when I seek medical treatment. I'm not part of a conveyor belt. Tell me what's wrong with me and actually seeing me instead of countless five second phone calls to inform me what the blood work says.
It's crazy. The doctor I have not cared for is the doctor who seems to provide quality work when trying to find out what is wrong with me. The reason I'm not a fan of his is because his work and words goes completely over my head. He has not been able to dumb it down enough that I understand exactly what he says. However, he is the only doctor who seems proactive to treat me and be a vitally important in this treatment. I have a second appointment with him tomorrow. He calls. He does follow up calls. And he gives me options on what I can do for my treatment. According to dad, he has even explained what each course of treatment will do. Not understanding him completely put to the side, this type of treatment is not normal.
I do not mean to upset people with this post but you must understand I have dealt with many doctors, nurses, techs, and specialists these past two months. I had a doctor who made me feel awesome as a person but has failed to tell me why my blood clots have grown, not shrunk even though I did exactly what I was told for a month. I do not consider myself an expert, but I have my opinions, which I suppose are ever changing, especially when you read this on a regular basis.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Been Up Since 4:30
After many requests to what is going on in my life, I have decided to be productive this morning by making a wonderful little post for those people that still check this thing on a regular basis. I promise I will post again later this afternoon because I have a few ideas of posts, especially things I need to vent about, but for now it's just something to do because I have been up since 4:30 and I can not fall asleep for a few more hours before work. I already win for the most epic day of the week.
Last week I went in for a CT scan and I'm not sure if I had posted anything about that. I think I did a blog right after, but nothing about the results. My doctor told us the change from the first to the second really did not happen, the swelling was still the same. I was under the impression that this scan was going to tell us a little more but it didn't. However, it did allow the doctor to give us some options on treatment. The first option was to continue just the pills that has taken away the pain in my stomach, which would not treat it exactly but would keep the pain away. After a month if nothing changed, then I would have been prescribed steroids which the doctor felt would actually treat and hopefully reduce the swelling and make everything better. He also gave us the option to take the steroids now, which is what we chose because we want this to be treated as soon as possible. I mean a month and a half is a long time to have to deal with this. It's going to be almost two months of the whole stomach thing in about less then 10 days. Crazy to believe huh?
I have been on steroids since Monday. In addition to the steroids, I take the stomach pain medicine and my blood thinners for my blood clot. Basically I am taking a ton of medication in hopes that everything gets better.
Unfortunately I can not say that my spirits are always so high. I seem to always break down on Sunday nights, crying to my dad about either embarrassments from the weekend, no change in my health or just being overtired or whatever, but I have been crying every Sunday for the past few weeks now. It's not to say that I have not been enjoying my life, because I had a very enjoyable night out with Meggie and Amy on Saturday to celebrate my dear dear Amy. But I'm just over not feeling one hundred percent and I seem to get that fed up point on Sunday nights.
I have been working a lot which I love because it keeps me from worrying about my insides, and seemingly doing better throughout the day. However, it is not doing well for my leg at all. I have been working later shifts, which means the swelling in my leg which was anticipated is happening. But because I'm working later shifts, I don't have as much time at night to elevate the leg and in the morning I can't elevate it because I have to get ready for work. Thank goodness that tomorrow I only have to work five hours after a busy day of blood work and a doctor appointment. Then I have two days off to make sure that my leg is able to recover a bit, or at least I hope to not do a whole lot with it but rest it.
It's seven o'clock and I'm sitting listening to the radio, after seeing a lovely coyote in the backyard. If the coyote messes with my dogs though, it's going down. I already warned it through the window.
I'm expecting to crash by two. I'm also hoping to get out a little early. One could wish for some luck change soon.
Last week I went in for a CT scan and I'm not sure if I had posted anything about that. I think I did a blog right after, but nothing about the results. My doctor told us the change from the first to the second really did not happen, the swelling was still the same. I was under the impression that this scan was going to tell us a little more but it didn't. However, it did allow the doctor to give us some options on treatment. The first option was to continue just the pills that has taken away the pain in my stomach, which would not treat it exactly but would keep the pain away. After a month if nothing changed, then I would have been prescribed steroids which the doctor felt would actually treat and hopefully reduce the swelling and make everything better. He also gave us the option to take the steroids now, which is what we chose because we want this to be treated as soon as possible. I mean a month and a half is a long time to have to deal with this. It's going to be almost two months of the whole stomach thing in about less then 10 days. Crazy to believe huh?
I have been on steroids since Monday. In addition to the steroids, I take the stomach pain medicine and my blood thinners for my blood clot. Basically I am taking a ton of medication in hopes that everything gets better.
Unfortunately I can not say that my spirits are always so high. I seem to always break down on Sunday nights, crying to my dad about either embarrassments from the weekend, no change in my health or just being overtired or whatever, but I have been crying every Sunday for the past few weeks now. It's not to say that I have not been enjoying my life, because I had a very enjoyable night out with Meggie and Amy on Saturday to celebrate my dear dear Amy. But I'm just over not feeling one hundred percent and I seem to get that fed up point on Sunday nights.
I have been working a lot which I love because it keeps me from worrying about my insides, and seemingly doing better throughout the day. However, it is not doing well for my leg at all. I have been working later shifts, which means the swelling in my leg which was anticipated is happening. But because I'm working later shifts, I don't have as much time at night to elevate the leg and in the morning I can't elevate it because I have to get ready for work. Thank goodness that tomorrow I only have to work five hours after a busy day of blood work and a doctor appointment. Then I have two days off to make sure that my leg is able to recover a bit, or at least I hope to not do a whole lot with it but rest it.
It's seven o'clock and I'm sitting listening to the radio, after seeing a lovely coyote in the backyard. If the coyote messes with my dogs though, it's going down. I already warned it through the window.
I'm expecting to crash by two. I'm also hoping to get out a little early. One could wish for some luck change soon.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Funfetti....Trying to Make the Day a Little Better
This weekend I realized that when I don't take the medicine for my insides at regular intervals, then I'm in pain. Case in point, Saturday night when I was out, I was in pain when we left because I had waited like six hours before I took my other pill. Smooth Jen but like I told my dad, it's trail and error with this medicine and figuring out the proper time to take them so I never have to be in pain. I can't help but concern myself with the fact that there is aspirin in the pill which I'm not supposed to take with the blood clot. The blood work on Thursday will hopefully inform me if I have any reason to worry.
Dad told me that I need to stop worrying because he thinks that it causes my insides to flair up. I'm sure that is part of the case, but I just want medicine to fix it all. This morning I woke up at six to extremely itchy hands. Yes, this seems like a weird thing, and yes, it's probably nothing. But it seemed to last forever and it was so annoying that I told my dad who gave me some anti-itch lotion. Unfortunately, this did nothing for my hands which continued to itch. Luckily I was able to fall back asleep and woke up to get ready for my CT Scan! Aren't I a lucky girl?
The CT scan was a whole lot of waiting around drinking even more disgusting drink then the last time. They told me I had to finish three types of tubes but I was unable to, only 2 and a half. It was a struggle to drink because it tasted so disgusting. Plus my insides started to hurt, a lot, right before I was summoned for my scan. In the waiting room, of course I cried because of the pain in my side. The lack of medicine throughout the day because of my fast before of the test put me in more pain then I was comfortable with. And now, for the rest of the day I have been uncomfortable and on and off with the pain. Wonderful, the scan is supposed to tell me what's wrong with me and yet it put me in an uncomfortable position for the rest of the day, unable to enjoy any of the food I have eaten.
The actual scan wasn't too bad. The IV with the warm sensations sucked and the tape they put over the gauze hurts to take off. But that's a pretty standard issue that most people have to deal with. The part about taking bandaids off hurting, not the warm sensation from the IV because I do not want anyone reading this to have to deal with that. The lady told me that the scan should be ready for the doctor to deal with tomorrow so I'm crossing my fingers that when I come home from work tomorrow we have a different plan of action on how to fix me.
So here I am sitting in my room eating my funfetti cake trying to look on the bright side of everything. Funfetti pretty much makes that possible though. I'm also crossing my fingers that tonight I'm not up every hour, or that I wake up with my hands itching like crazy. I hope that my leg doesn't swell up on me after being at work for hours and hours tomorrow and that I don't push myself too much, or have my boss hate all the breaks I may have to take if my stomach stays like this. (Thanks so much for that contrast because I've come to terms that it's your fault.) Mom is taking my wheelchair back to work so we have some sort of progress I suppose but I will miss that wheelchair, even if I have barely used it the past few weeks.
Small steps towards recovery, I suppose? Next up, my insides. :)
Dad told me that I need to stop worrying because he thinks that it causes my insides to flair up. I'm sure that is part of the case, but I just want medicine to fix it all. This morning I woke up at six to extremely itchy hands. Yes, this seems like a weird thing, and yes, it's probably nothing. But it seemed to last forever and it was so annoying that I told my dad who gave me some anti-itch lotion. Unfortunately, this did nothing for my hands which continued to itch. Luckily I was able to fall back asleep and woke up to get ready for my CT Scan! Aren't I a lucky girl?
The CT scan was a whole lot of waiting around drinking even more disgusting drink then the last time. They told me I had to finish three types of tubes but I was unable to, only 2 and a half. It was a struggle to drink because it tasted so disgusting. Plus my insides started to hurt, a lot, right before I was summoned for my scan. In the waiting room, of course I cried because of the pain in my side. The lack of medicine throughout the day because of my fast before of the test put me in more pain then I was comfortable with. And now, for the rest of the day I have been uncomfortable and on and off with the pain. Wonderful, the scan is supposed to tell me what's wrong with me and yet it put me in an uncomfortable position for the rest of the day, unable to enjoy any of the food I have eaten.
The actual scan wasn't too bad. The IV with the warm sensations sucked and the tape they put over the gauze hurts to take off. But that's a pretty standard issue that most people have to deal with. The part about taking bandaids off hurting, not the warm sensation from the IV because I do not want anyone reading this to have to deal with that. The lady told me that the scan should be ready for the doctor to deal with tomorrow so I'm crossing my fingers that when I come home from work tomorrow we have a different plan of action on how to fix me.
So here I am sitting in my room eating my funfetti cake trying to look on the bright side of everything. Funfetti pretty much makes that possible though. I'm also crossing my fingers that tonight I'm not up every hour, or that I wake up with my hands itching like crazy. I hope that my leg doesn't swell up on me after being at work for hours and hours tomorrow and that I don't push myself too much, or have my boss hate all the breaks I may have to take if my stomach stays like this. (Thanks so much for that contrast because I've come to terms that it's your fault.) Mom is taking my wheelchair back to work so we have some sort of progress I suppose but I will miss that wheelchair, even if I have barely used it the past few weeks.
Small steps towards recovery, I suppose? Next up, my insides. :)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
I feel better when I write; I always have. My emotions are never sorted out until I put it down into words which for many doesn't make sense but for me it's a true reality.
An appearance by the mean blood work lady from the first time occurred when I went in on Thursday. The whole drawing though took five seconds so I guess I can't complain. Her charm was still lacking but I wonder if that's due to years of working with people or if she just isn't a very nice person. I just hope from now on Helen is always there when I get my blood drawn.
I returned to work on Thursday but the real return was on Friday. 12-7 I worked yesterday which is a miserable shift to begin with but I did it. I was with my amazing coworkers again and had a beautiful cake waiting for me. I have pictures on my phone, but I have not sent them to my computer so I will show the cake later. Mare made it for me and it had my most favorite funfetti cake plus chocolate.
For anyone who is curious, bowling is not a good thing with a recovering blood clot leg.
And I'm beyond bummed this is the first time in four? years that I have not spent my best friend, other half birthday with her. I wish I was in Boston like I could not explain. I really hope she is enjoying herself
An appearance by the mean blood work lady from the first time occurred when I went in on Thursday. The whole drawing though took five seconds so I guess I can't complain. Her charm was still lacking but I wonder if that's due to years of working with people or if she just isn't a very nice person. I just hope from now on Helen is always there when I get my blood drawn.
I returned to work on Thursday but the real return was on Friday. 12-7 I worked yesterday which is a miserable shift to begin with but I did it. I was with my amazing coworkers again and had a beautiful cake waiting for me. I have pictures on my phone, but I have not sent them to my computer so I will show the cake later. Mare made it for me and it had my most favorite funfetti cake plus chocolate.
For anyone who is curious, bowling is not a good thing with a recovering blood clot leg.
And I'm beyond bummed this is the first time in four? years that I have not spent my best friend, other half birthday with her. I wish I was in Boston like I could not explain. I really hope she is enjoying herself
Thursday, February 3, 2011
My tummy hurts. Or more importantly the place where I believe my colon is hurts. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop.
Other words work was good. I wasn't in pain other then my leg kind of bothering me but that's totally fine. I mean I guess four hour shift is nothing so I shouldn't think of it as a huge accomplishment but part of it is. Plus I got to see all the people I have missed ever so much.
Bring on the CT scan to make me feel better and tell the doctor exactly what's wrong with me.
Jersey time now. And Ronnie just did Pfft. Love it.
Other words work was good. I wasn't in pain other then my leg kind of bothering me but that's totally fine. I mean I guess four hour shift is nothing so I shouldn't think of it as a huge accomplishment but part of it is. Plus I got to see all the people I have missed ever so much.
Bring on the CT scan to make me feel better and tell the doctor exactly what's wrong with me.
Jersey time now. And Ronnie just did Pfft. Love it.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Boooo to Pain
Today, I uttered the words I never thought I would ever say in my life. I told my dad I was afraid of eating.
Now for those who know me....I have never said those words in my entire life. My love for food is bigger then most people's love for it. I could probably win an eating contest versus most of my friends. I look at menus because I go to restaurants to see what different options I have for my meal. I even look at menus for places I have never been to or plan on going to because my friends mention it. I'm a food fanatic.
The past month though I have not been able to enjoy my love of food like I want to. This week I have been trying to have a "bland" diet of things that would not upset my stomach. Although that has not helped my symptoms at all. I get a terrible pain in my side a few minutes after I eat which sometimes brings tears to my eyes. I just don't get why I have not gotten better or why the doctor didn't think to give me medicine after that first visit to try to treat the problem even if we don't really know what the problem is. Now, he's beginning to do that, but I'm nervous about taking the medicine and it not working.
To be positive though, they will find what exactly is wrong with me and give me medicines to fix me. He says he is pretty sure what it is, colitis. Fabulous. But I'm not really worried about that because Brendan has it, and I watch him on a regular basis eat things like Buffalo wings. If having colitis means I can't have any more alcohol, I mean that will suck, but I will deal with it. As long as I get my food back soon, that's all I'm truly concerned with.
I do not want to be afraid of food anymore.
And once again I have to laugh about how most of my posts seem to be about food. It reminds me of the Woodmont family and how food makes our world go round.
Off to watch the ever exciting Syracuse and Uconn game. Let's go Huskies
Now for those who know me....I have never said those words in my entire life. My love for food is bigger then most people's love for it. I could probably win an eating contest versus most of my friends. I look at menus because I go to restaurants to see what different options I have for my meal. I even look at menus for places I have never been to or plan on going to because my friends mention it. I'm a food fanatic.
The past month though I have not been able to enjoy my love of food like I want to. This week I have been trying to have a "bland" diet of things that would not upset my stomach. Although that has not helped my symptoms at all. I get a terrible pain in my side a few minutes after I eat which sometimes brings tears to my eyes. I just don't get why I have not gotten better or why the doctor didn't think to give me medicine after that first visit to try to treat the problem even if we don't really know what the problem is. Now, he's beginning to do that, but I'm nervous about taking the medicine and it not working.
To be positive though, they will find what exactly is wrong with me and give me medicines to fix me. He says he is pretty sure what it is, colitis. Fabulous. But I'm not really worried about that because Brendan has it, and I watch him on a regular basis eat things like Buffalo wings. If having colitis means I can't have any more alcohol, I mean that will suck, but I will deal with it. As long as I get my food back soon, that's all I'm truly concerned with.
I do not want to be afraid of food anymore.
And once again I have to laugh about how most of my posts seem to be about food. It reminds me of the Woodmont family and how food makes our world go round.
Off to watch the ever exciting Syracuse and Uconn game. Let's go Huskies
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Let's Do the Time Warp Again
I miss food a whole lot. I miss being able to eat whatever I want. I just miss food.
On that note, Dad talked to the doctor I'm not a huge fan of about how to fix my insides. Dad and I agreed that he likes to talk and gives probably way too much information during a simple phone conversation. But I'm going to be taking another medicine to hopefully start to fix my insides. I'm also in for another CT scan which I am not looking forward to because of that awful IV from last time. But I'm getting another CT scan to check out my small intestine I believe my dad said. And if the medicine doesn't work and if they can see something else, steriods were mentioned. I'm still not sure how I will be jumping to the steroids but that is another option that my doctor mentioned.
Today I did nothing at all and was exhausted for most of the day which makes no sense but maybe it means I get to go to bed early. One of the supervisors from work called me today to tell me that truck was not tomorrow which means I'm not needed. Part of me is excited because I just have not been having a good few days. But at the same time he was saying how I could come in Thursday. I'm sorry but I have blood work and a doctor's appointment to go to which I have told my boss multiple times when I got my schedule so I told him that I could possibly come in after all those things. I was so looking forward to work tomorrow. Booo to it not working out.
I hope everyone has a safe next few days because the snow/ice storm is coming.
On that note, Dad talked to the doctor I'm not a huge fan of about how to fix my insides. Dad and I agreed that he likes to talk and gives probably way too much information during a simple phone conversation. But I'm going to be taking another medicine to hopefully start to fix my insides. I'm also in for another CT scan which I am not looking forward to because of that awful IV from last time. But I'm getting another CT scan to check out my small intestine I believe my dad said. And if the medicine doesn't work and if they can see something else, steriods were mentioned. I'm still not sure how I will be jumping to the steroids but that is another option that my doctor mentioned.
Today I did nothing at all and was exhausted for most of the day which makes no sense but maybe it means I get to go to bed early. One of the supervisors from work called me today to tell me that truck was not tomorrow which means I'm not needed. Part of me is excited because I just have not been having a good few days. But at the same time he was saying how I could come in Thursday. I'm sorry but I have blood work and a doctor's appointment to go to which I have told my boss multiple times when I got my schedule so I told him that I could possibly come in after all those things. I was so looking forward to work tomorrow. Booo to it not working out.
I hope everyone has a safe next few days because the snow/ice storm is coming.
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