Rainy Wednesday

[Colliemom]

Good morning all. Glad to see that we are back up and running again thanks to Beth. I was trying to get on last night and there was nothing there. Thought maybe my iPad had a glitch or something. I could just hear the panic spreading across the land

We have rain moving in here today which will help melt the snow laying around and get the frost to come out of the ground. Been beautiful the last few days. But I know darn well that winter has not had a last hurrah.

Shirl, me out with all your running around yesterday. You are a busy lady. Sorry to hear that you got locked out though. I’ve done that her too. Fortunately I have a key with my neighbor so I just need to go across the street and get it. I keep my house key on my car keys so I have it with me all the time. I am going to get one of those keypad locks put on my door so I don’t need the key. But I will still carry one with me for that lock in case the battery fails. I’ll make it easier to for others who need access to my house like my cousins, so I don’t have to pass keys out to everybody. You can code in the last four digits of their cell phone number or something and if It gets. get to a point that they don’t need access to the house anymore you can take it out. Y

Since it’s going to rain this is going to be a good day to clean house. And then I will go back to working on my scrapbook as I am almost done. Then I will start working on some wood crafts that I have in my basement. Not getting into any major projects anymore this spring. Don’t want to aggravate that loose IOL on my eye although the doctors never said I couldn’t do anything.

Have a nice nice day everyone.

[Shirlv]

Good Morning All, Sue, sat in the sunshine yesterday afternoon and it helped. To get in the apartment I use a fob for building entrance door, key for apartment door and key for mailbox. Fob is a little delicate so don’t think it would be a good idea to attach with car key. Since the pandemic I have tried to do several things for every trip outdoors. Guess yesterday was more than my crowded brain could handle. Just a bump in the road. Number 1 daughter is taking off work tomorrow to work in her yard so I will go visit. The first in a year so will be fun. After first vaccine I’m some protected and we will be outside in the sunshine. Life’s simple pleasure. Be safe

[OregonLuvr]

Made it to Medford yesterday by 1pm. Lois and I went out to have Mexican food, it sure was good. She has had both vaccine shots and I get my second one on the 26th. Drove over to my former park and there is lots of heavy machinery working to clear the lots. They are not too far into it yet but I did see my lot is cleared and leveled. Only 150 left to go LOL It is going to cost quite a bit to even move another home into that park or any of the other parks they are rehabbing. Around $100+ for the new mobile home depending on size and features. Then you have to buy the park package $40-60,000. For them hooking it up, cement work for patios and carports, awnings, shed etc Then you have to wait 9 months or more to get your home built and delivered. Then there is the landscaping etc. Will be about $200,000 to move back in. No thanks, I am pretty content where I am, not my first choice but totally affordable for me.

Still cleaning out the storage and will take a few tubs of Motorhome supplies over to the new owners. I drove by their RV park (they are living in a fifth wheel right now that they will sell) and have the Motorhome in the storage area for now. They leave for Tennessee in June. Slides were out, Mike was working inside, familiarizing himself and making it their own his wife said. So I will go over there this afternoon and see what stuff he wants to keep or give away.

Meeting another former neighbor for lunch today at Olive Garden. She is one that has bought a home and will be moving it back to the park when she can. She is 89 and in a retirement home right now but still planning on moving back. Her health is good but I sure wouldnt want to tackle that at her age, heck I dont want to at my age LOL

Well time to take the dog out and get a shower. I have a grooming appointment for her this morning, then take my taxes over to CPA so that will be done. Then eye doc appts Thurs and Friday morning, then will head home to pay my tree service men that hopefully will still be working when I get there. Pretty sure they will find me as I havent paid anything yet.

[Redetotry]

It is cloudy this morning but is supposed to be 69 today. I finally feel my energy level has returned after my second vaccine! I saw this morning that the Johnson and Johnson one is being offered through today at a couple of places in town and it is open to Illinois residents, not just this county.
The kids across the street had a bake sale yesterday and they did a booming business. Their cookies were terrific and they were very careful to have their masks in the right position and only touched the cookies with a napkin. Their Mom is from New Zealand and the cookies are called Anzac Biscuit, a crunchy cookie named after the WW1-era Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). One of the key ingredients is a British ingredient called Golden Syrup. I hope they decide to have another sale, the little boy is saving for a weather radio!

I guess this could be called a modified rant but... does anyone else feel like it is almost impossible to find a good doctor? I don’t think my expectations are unreasonable but, I would like to speak to the doctor instead of his profile or his back while they read what the nurse has entered into the computer about why I am there and my questions. My ‘exam' Monday consisted of him listening to my heart for about two seconds in each spot. This time he didn’t look in my ears and neither time has he asked me to open my mouth. He added another blood pressure medication based only on the numbers the nurse entered which was 154/82. I have the white coat thing and it is always high at the doctors office. He didn’t ask me if I monitored my pressure at home. All of my labs are very good except my vitamin D. I took my BP a couple of hours after I came home and it was 120/ 70. Seems to me like he also should have consulted with my cardiologist. I’m not going to start the additional medication and monitor myself for a few days. The doctor I switched from did about the same type of ‘exam”. The one I had gone to for sometime is the one who totally lost it and screamed at me over and over, when I called about a test result, that I was old and going to die because I refused to do all the shots like the pneumonia, shingles and other tests she recommended. It took me about 10 minutes to get her to tell me the test results and she did another 5 minutes of yelling at me after that. I was too stunned to hang up! Seems as though everyone I talk to here is dissatisfied with their health provider.

Nest Tuesday will be the end of my two week wait for the vaccine to be working and I’m so ready!! I think these two weeks have been the hardest.

[Cudedog]

I guess this could be called a modified rant but... does anyone else feel like it is almost impossible to find a good doctor? I don’t think my expectations are unreasonable but, I would like to speak to the doctor instead of his profile or his back while they read what the nurse has entered into the computer about why I am there and my questions. My ‘exam' Monday consisted of him listening to my heart for about two seconds in each spot. This time he didn’t look in my ears and neither time has he asked me to open my mouth. He added another blood pressure medication based only on the numbers the nurse entered which was 154/82. I have the white coat thing and it is always high at the doctors office. He didn’t ask me if I monitored my pressure at home. All of my labs are very good except my vitamin D. I took my BP a couple of hours after I came home and it was 120/ 70. Seems to me like he also should have consulted with my cardiologist. I’m not going to start the additional medication and monitor myself for a few days. The doctor I switched from did about the same type of ‘exam”. The one I had gone to for sometime is the one who totally lost it and screamed at me over and over, when I called about a test result, that I was old and going to die because I refused to do all the shots like the pneumonia, shingles and other tests she recommended. It took me about 10 minutes to get her to tell me the test results and she did another 5 minutes of yelling at me after that. I was too stunned to hang up! Seems as though everyone I talk to here is dissatisfied with their health provider.

OMG, BJ. I also have a 'tale to tell' but don't have the time at the moment to write it out, so am bookmarking this page.

Thank you for posting this. I think this topic deserves it's own thread. I will try to get to it later today.

Short version: You are NOT alone.

Anne

[Shirlv]

I no longer have a doctor (they both have left the practice) I have a nurse practitioner. The visit you described is typical nowadays. We will have to rely on ourselves to stay healthy so stay informed. The place I retired from is no longer a hospital it’s a corporation. The treatment for five emergency visits to the hospital in November was shots of morphine and sent home. No one seemed interested in finding how to stop the pain. I must have 25 vials of medication which did not help. Thankfully I had experience with physical therapy and called for an appointment. Was taken right away, the only medical facility that seem to care I was hurting and that I wasn’t a brainless twit. Now, do you want to know what I really feel.

[BirdbyBird]

BJ, once I found my Nurse Practitioner I haven't looked back. Even when I go in just for 6 month check up and a blood draw for monitoring the meds I take, she is thorough. She usually always does a brief neuro examine which at our ages isn't a bad idea and she does look in all the usual places. She has recommended and sent me out several times when she noticed things unusual. They have turned out to be nothing but I trust her to know what she doesn't know. She also disagrees with me sometimes but puts up with my decisions.

I just got back from my second Chiropractor appointment. I saw the lumbar x-rays on Monday, At least I know why my back has been bothering me. This spine of mine is not normal. I reminded her today that I have very little muscle tone anywhere and no core strength..... and it took me almost three months to tolerate sitting up in a chair for over ten minutes. I am going for a massage this afternoon. I think this is going to take some work to get me back on my legs and walking comfortably.

Jane's dog show adventure was good. She went Best of Breed three out of the six shows and earned two Second place Group wins. Credit goes to Cindy, her breeder, who drove down to help me on Friday. After the first show I conceded the leash to Cindy. Cindy then decided to drive back down to the show both Saturday and Sunday. I was humbled by my body and admitted that I had over estimated my body's ability to tolerate the days. I let Cindy show her the rest of the weekend.

This recovery process is a long work in progress........ until next time, wishing everyone can stay healthy and stay safe. 71 degrees expected here in SW Ohio.

[OregonLuvr]

Shirl I love nurse practitioners if you get a good one. They take time, are thorough and if they find anything abnormal they consult with the almighty doc. Being in the medical field it is really hard to find good caring docs anymore. Not all is their fault, because they indeed are often owned by the "corporations". They are alotted a certain amt of time for each patient. And we all know some take longer than others. When I visit my Rheumy (required because of the med I am on) he gives a very "brief" exam. Listens to my heart for like 2 seconds so all he can say is YES I have one. He does a little longer on my lungs ha ha Checks my swelling then we bitch about corporate America (he is in a private practice with 3 other docs that change frequently). I love him, I have had him since he moved here from back east. He went to Yale, wrote a book on Fibromyalgia, gives talks around town. He is fairly young so hope he outlasts me LOL

[Shirlv]

Karen, I wasn’t knocking nurse practitioners, my point was there was no doctor. Many hospitals have switched to the Epic documenting system. When they switched nurses, medical clerks could no longer enter information for doctors, they had to do it. One young doctor said she had no life, she spent all her time on the computer. She also said if she recommended a colonoscopy for a patient and the patient failed to get the procedure it was a black mark against the doctor. Who needs that kind of hassle. No wonder there is a shortage of doctors.

[Bethers]

I really didn't like the physicians assistant I had in SD. He argued about everything. So when I knew I'd be coming here (Arizona regularly) I decided to find a doctor here. First I needed someone who was taking new patients. I found a couple and don't know how I selected the one I did. He is a doctor, always took time with me, discussed options, etc. I was thrilled. Then early last fall I got a letter from Benson Hospital that he was no longer a part of their family practice office. I did call the office for an annual appt and was assigned a nurse practitioner, but with no real changes in my health and not wanting to go anywhere unnecessary during this time, I cancelled. I searched the internet and found the doctor I really liked joined a practice in Tucson. When I come back next year I'll have to make a decision. I'm not against a np, but really liked this doctor. As I'm adding, I'm not sure want to drive to Tucson to keep him. Maybe going to the np first, then decide. I just don't know. It's frustrating.

Hope everyone has a good day. I'm just getting myself in motion. Later than even normal for me.

[JudyJB]

Morning all! I have solved my bad doctor problem by having only female doctors as Internists for the last 20+ years! I find they take more time and are more sympathetic. I am also happy to see a nurse practitioner, but I try not to see a "family" doctor who sees a lot of kids (aka "germ factories").

One of the best/worst doctors I ever had was the orthopedic surgeon who replaced my knees. He had absolutely no charm and certainly no good bedside manner, plus he diagnosed the acute pancreatitis I had immediately after my first knee surgery as "constipation." In fact, he almost killed me. When I went to his office, I got to see three other people but he barely stuck his head in the examining room. However, he did an excellent job with my knees, and I would go back to him in a flash if I ever needed a revision and would even highly recommend him for knee replacement.

However, for a regular doctor, I want someone who is much more personable and willing to listen.

Got a bunch of stuff to do today, including going out to dump my tanks. I would like to go for a walk down to the lake I am at, but for the last two days it has been really windy and I don't like walking in a sandstorm in the desert. Will be here until Sunday, so lots of time, and i have a lot to do indoors.

[BarbaraRose]

I had a wonderful doctor back in MN. She spent as much time with me as needed and asked me lots of questions, even about my personal life (out of interest, not just medical). I haven't been super impressed with any doctors I have had out here yet. They all seem very rushed. When I have complained about my menopause symptoms, they tell me I am "at that age", like I am just supposed to accept my fate with it. I am so glad I took it upon myself to do research and am now getting treated for it by a specialist. I feel a ton better now!

And when I was sent for PT up in Vista, all they did was bring me into a room, hand me some papers with exercises to do at home, and I had to ask the guy to show me how to do them. Then I was sent home after the 10 minute "session" and $20 copay. I am so super impressed with the PT I am getting now! They really work me over good there and I am there for a good half hour or more each time. I feel I am making good progress already!

Tina, you might look into doing yoga or pilates. Those are good for building up your core in a gentle way and it would be tailored to your needs. (I could use that myself! If I could figure out how to run my DVD player, I would do it at home).

It is another very windy day here. Woke up to blue skies and sunshine but I see clouds finally rolling in. Yesterday there were big thunderheads coming over the mountains and it looked like a lot of rain coming out of them. Not sure where it all went but not here! Was watching a car chase on the news in LA yesterday and it was clear blue skies there too. Will see what happens later today.

I was up until 2am so I slept in today, until 11:30 . My shoulder is sore from PT yesterday. I did order a TENS unit to do at home. I asked at PT if I should have one and they said it wouldn't be a bad idea.

I will bring the canopy package to a Fed Ex location and do a "return to sender" since I haven't opened it yet. I ordered a patio umbrella so will see how well that works. Most are 9 feet wide but that is too big for that space so I found a 7 1/2 foot one. Hope that works better. I ordered a teal color so am hoping it is the right shade of teal. Hard to tell on-line. I need a greenish teal, rather than a blue teal.

Got all my empty boxes in my porch cut up and just need to bring them to the dumpster today. Hopefully, can get a load or two of laundry done too. Mostly bedding and blankets this time.

I better get started before it gets too cloudy out so I don't lose my energy and motivation! I seem to only run on solar energy lately! I have a solar bobblehead bear on my dashboard that only dances when the sun in shining. That is me too!

Have a good day!

edit...just took the cardboard to the dumpster and just about got blown off my feet! Cardboard flying everywhere! A guy stopped to help me pick it up before it when all over the park! It is like a hurricane out there!! I think I am done going outside for the day! Don't want my dirty clothes blowing around the park on the way to the laundry room!! I feel dust and sand in my mouth! The air is just brown with dust, dirt, and sand blowing across the area!

[monik7]

I agree with Judy. Since graduating from college, I’ve had Kaiser for my medical care. In the last 30 years I’ve made it a point to have only female doctors from primary care to specialists whenever possible. They just do a better job because they’ve had to overcome so much bias beginning in their early years. I’m sure there are exceptions, but I’ve been very lucky to have some great female doctors. I haven’t had the same luck, however, with nurse practitioners and PAs which is why I steer clear of them if possible.
Sandi

[chalet05]

Good afternoon,

When we were on the road, I found a female NP in Port Angeles to visit in the summers and then after Steven died. She was someone I knew and had some connections with. I was really impressed until my cholesterol was high. I was told via a note that if I had been on medication, I should start taking it again. Then I was not impressed as I had been seeing her for 4 years so where would I have gotten medication. That was the end for her.

Back on the road I had a female doctor in Kansas who was fantastic! She always asked about travels, etc. I told her about the Slingshot one day. She pulled out her phone and showed me a photo of it! Her son and his friend had seen it at Wal Mart. She moved to Colorado.

I found another female doctor here that I like very much. Unknowingly, my daughter made an appointment with her and liked her as well. I've been pretty lucky, but I also, knock on wood, haven't had any medical issues.

Shirl, I just came in from sitting in the sun! Still a little chilly, but it felt good. My itty bitty news is that I picked up my own grocery delivery yesterday! Woohoo! Had a nice visit with the young maintenance man here - yes, the Sling is what started it. BFF called last night - we talked for 2 1/2 hours. That's a lot of socializing for me in one day.

Sue, I have a key pad lock on the camper. It gives me fair warning when the batteries are getting low.

Be well!

[JudyJB]

Barbie, last time I went for a walk in a sand storm, I got sand in my hair and in my teeth, plus every other body crevice. Had to brush my teeth and take a shower when I got back because I did not want to sit in my recliner all sandy! There was even sand in the shower when i got out!

And, in regards to female doctors, when you consider how hard it was for them to get through medical school and internships and putting up with all the grief from male professors and other doctors, I figure they are also smarter than their male counterparts!!!