Saturday, January 20, 2007

Incompetent

As I am sure many of you have noticed, there are many people out there who are incompetent. I don't want to be negative, but I feel the need to share what happened to me yesterday. Similar things happen often. I am just posting about this because it is time for a new post and I may as well share about this.

I had my physical yesterday. They told me weeks ago, to fast for a blood test. Said don't eat anything after 9:30 the night before (I remember thinking that is an odd time, usually it is nine, ten, or maybe midnight or something) and only drink tea or water if I couldn't stand it. I also thought it odd since they just checked my blood back in the fall for a re-check on my thyroid, etc. I had not fasted then, but I assumed they had more things to check at a physical.

So I did not go to Curves yesterday morning because I always eat an egg or some of a protein bar or something before I go. The appointment was at 9 a.m. so I thought I would be alright and could eat around 10. Didn't think it would take too long.

So I get in there and tell them I am hungry since I had to fast for the blood draw. I get sympathy clicks of the tongue from a few people. Pats on the shoulder from the Dr. herself, saying she is sorry, we will get tests done as fast as we can and I can go eat.

I have been having shortness of breath, chest tightness and burning and my heart often jumps around and gets out of rhythm. I am sick of it. Very annoying and freaky. The breathing thing started three or four months ago and happens many times a day and the heart jumping thing is just here and there. Heart problems run on my Dad's side. My Dad has a pace-maker, one of my brothers just went through some tests etc. So she ordered an EKG.

I went over for that and was calling Stud to tell him what was happening and asking if Clown was doing the school work I set out for him and letting Stud get work done. Right when he answered, the tech guy called me over. I basically hung up on Stud. The Tech could see I was flustered and was trying to get Stud to know that I had to go. So I hang up and the guy goes, "Is your insurance information still the same?? Same home address??"

I said yes and he said ok, that's all.

*sigh* Why didn't he just ask me quickly, or let me know I did not need to hang up on my husband for that.

So my Doc had said I could come back after the EKG and get results or go and eat since I was hungry and she would call me. I said I would see how I felt after the blood tests and EKG.

I had the EKG and was asking people at the lab about my blood tests. They said they had no orders to take any blood. So someone went back and asked my Doc. After a while they came out and said she is not sure who told me that, but they didn't need blood today.

WHAT!?!??? I skipped Curves and starved myself for nothing!!?!?!?!?


Then why did she pat my shoulder and say, "I understand" when I told her I may not come back and would go get some food??

So I decided I wanted to know the results. They also did a breathing test on me that they always do with my kids for their asthma. I don't have asthma, but I feel like I do when this dumb chest junk happens. The nurse said to go and get some food somewhere and come back in ten minutes.

So I went to a nearby Starbucks. I asked that my drink be 140 degrees instead of 160. I wanted to be able to drink it soon, and not wait for it to cool down, since I was pressed for time.

I always get sugar-free vanilla in it. More often than not, they try and charge me for something added on, instead of just a substitution, which is what it really is, of course. I have to watch closely and draw their attention to it. So I watched the little screen and it said "SUB Sugar-Free". Ok, I was feeling better about that and not worried. I noticed later, as I drove away with my HOT drink that I put a nice burn on my tongue, that I was charged 30 cents for sugar free vanilla!!! ARG! So great, I get starved, then have to pay extra just to burn my tongue and have them squirt syrup out of a different bottle. *sigh*

So I go back and wait a long time. The doc finally comes in and says that the EKG was fine, the breathing thing was fine. I am having panic attacks!?!?!?!?

I remember during one time driving and the breathing (or struggling for breathe) thing happened. I was thinking how I heard people who have panic attacks comment on that being one of the symptoms. I dismissed that as silly since I was not upset about anything. I reasoned that when I HAVE been upset, nothing like that has happened.


So when she said that, I was taken aback. She said something about neuro-chemical and how it just something amiss with the chemicals in my brain and the only way to manage it is to take medication for a while.


Good times.


She tried putting me on anti-depressants about a year ago, but I refused to take them. To me, all that would do is mask the problems. I need to learn to deal with the stuff and not just take meds. Slowly, I have gotten better. Stud and I's marriage improving (by us now communicating and me not feeling so alone in everything) has been a huge part of that, I am sure.

I asked her about my MRI results from this past fall. When I had that MRI on Princess's birthday, the Dr. office told me to go to a neurologist. I finally got in in November and she said she saw something on the MRI to indicate that I am prone to strokes?? All the horrible head aches, the few migraines and the weird vision things are from constricted blood vessels in my brain. She said to take aspirin every day to thin my blood and go for an annual MRI so they can keep an eye on this.

I was thinking of getting a second opinion and my mum said something about her health that caused me to wonder about the aspirin. So I was talking to one of my brothers a few months back and he reprimanded me for not taking the aspirin yet. He said Mum told him that I was being stubborn and not listening to the neurologist. I have just been busy and wanted a second opinion.

Anyway, my doc was reading me yesterday the results from what the neurologist said about the MRI and something about not "just" the white spots that are common in migraine. There is something that concerns them more. So I need to ask some more questions I guess. Kind of freaky. I have always been afeared of aneurysm and my kids finding me dead somewhere and being all helpless and unable to get help and being traumatized for life by something like that. Now every time I get these stupid stabbing, shooting pains in my head, I am scared of a stroke. But I don't think you get warning signs with that.

So I will try this stupid medicine for these "attacks" and take aspirin. Kind of weird. I have never had any health issues, except with my pregnancy with Cryptic, there was some stuff near the end there. Other than that, nothing. Oh, besides mild low thyroid and having to take meds every morning for that.

So this will take some getting used to.

Alrighty, a post about last weekend will be here shortly. I started this earlier this morning and had quite a day!! It is almost midnight and we have to get up and go to church.

Hope all is well with everyone out there!!!!

5 comments:

Jude said...

Wow, that was definitely incompetence!! I have to have blood tests done yearly where I fast beforehand, for cholesterol. I HATE fasting, I always feel dizzy and get headaches.

So the doc thinks anxiety attacks huh? I was treated for those years back, they're sure not fun. Good luck sweetie, let us know how it goes okay?

Lowa said...

Jude- Yeah, I get very light headed. In my late teens and early twenties I had low blood sugar and actually passed out various times. No fun!

My Mum had anxiety attacks and was treated also. This was about 40 years ago. So I guess it is my turn?? I just don't feel scared, or upset, so it is really odd.

C-Yes, all very good points you make. I know it! I wanna call you all the time, we are just always running everywhere, eh?? *sigh* One day! Thankfully I will spend some quality time with you this summer, I can't wait. Miss you a lot! Thanks for the hugs:)

sydwynd said...

Stupid doctors! I'd be pissed if they made me wait that long to eat for nothing!

Lowa said...

Vince-I know! I was NOT impressed:)

Library Mama said...

It's been so long since I've had a chance to come by. I'm sorry about your frustrating day.

One thing you wrote caught my eye. I also am on meds for hypo-thyroidism. I've been on Eltroxin/Synthroid since I was expecting #1. I see my doctor and go for a blood test every three months. Not a fasting blood test, I hasten to add.