November 14, 2005 by MrRi¢h.

Its more like month 3, but its week 3 or so since I’ve been seeing my new doctors. I had an appointment with them last Thursday afternoon. I gotta tell you it was one of the most interesting doctor’s appointments I ever had. See when I had been in the hospital late last month and had to discuss my health with everyone until I was sick of it, one of my Drs. decided to do something different, get to know me. Turns out we have some simliar interests and we had some interesting conversations. One was about pro wrestling which would carry over to this past visit. We both have old skool replica wrestling belts and he thought it would a fun thing to take pictures and show them off. I didn’t forget about it, neither did the good doctor. Though he didn’t bring his belt in. Ah well. In the middle of my appointment we stopped to take pictures and show off. It was fun, especially considering where we were. I do have the photos and will probably edit this post to include at least one.

Once the fun was over, it was back to business. While its great that my doctor can be a fun guy, its very reassuring to know when its time deal with his business, um me I know he’s serious. With that, my platelet count is making progress. (67,000. Normal is 140,000-150,000) Its not where they thought it would be by now. So they’re slowly weening me off my medicine. We discussed new treatments and what ifs long term. “What ifs” would be the worse case scenario and I pray I never have to think about it or ever come to those cliched bridges.

This Wednesday morning I’m suppose to begin my new treatment. Which I admit feels scary. Its brand new for me. Believe it or not its a type of chemo thearpy drug without the radiation. Unlike my current medicine there shouldn’t be any side effects, except for the acute ones. That’s where I guess I might be scared. The first couple of hours will be pretty important. The doctors and there staff will be monitoring me and doing what they can so I can avoid any acute side effects all together.

Now I’m not totally sure if I will have my first treatment this week. Unfortunately over the past two weeks both my parents caught colds. Being home and being on a drug that weakens your immunue system, I caught a little something too. This made my weekend suck as any plans I originally had and wanted to have pre mid-week treatment had to be postponed. Though If I feel better tomorrow I may try to get out. If you can believe it, I feel worse being sick with some common sinus cold then a blood disorder that could have killed me. If that’s not up there for irony, I’m not sure what is.

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November 8, 2005 by MrRi¢h.

A week ago was THE day FINALLY to see my hopeful new doctor. I had made it another week with no emergencies and all I had to do was wait until the afternoon to pick up an “approved” form and see the new doctor. Not so fast because that would be too easy.

My mom and I go down to the hospital and go to patient services/admitting. The same receptionists are there. I tell the same one who had no idea who I was (yet I had spoken to her previously) why I was there and whom I needed to speak to. Unfortunately my advisor I guess was at lunch. Fair enough, I was 20 minutes early. So mom and I waited…and waited. Supposedly the same receptionist was trying to get a hold of my er advisor. Now its almost 2:45 PM and my appointment with my new doctor is at 3:00. I’m about to make a plea when I see the advisor and almost with a quickness that would otherwise prove I’m not sick I go over to her. Turned out the WHOLE time all the receptionist had to do was go into the office, get my approved insurance paper and take my paper. I waited 45 min or so. When once I met up with my advisor, the whole ordeal took like 30 seconds. I told her, “this is why you have your job and she has hers.” I thanked her for all her help and we were on our way upstairs.

I didn’t have to wait too long in the waiting room. However I had to fill out what I would call the SATs of medical questionaires. Plus talk basically to a team of doctors. This was one reason I wanted to go to a group practice like this. You’re not always dependent on one doctor who only knows your case. I didn’t get to see my doctor until the end when we were trying to figure out “the plan.” Now I understand why. Part of it is that my doctor is the head of the department. Only the best for me!

Before I get into that as she and I are talking, I come to find out that their office staff never bothered to make a copy of my then, newest, low blood count. Otherwise this whole blog post would be different, well maybe. We, well basically she decided to admit me. I would have preferred not to have been, knowing my body and past treatments. While I didn’t like this, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be in the hospital long. Naturally my good attitude and humor came into play immediately.

That night I got my own private room (almost on par with a hotel room) and got situated. I was prepared to be there, at least for one night. My only real problem last week? Getting dinner after the kitchen closed. Someone was able to round up a passable turkey sandwhich, I still couldn’t wait until a real meal would come from home the next day.

At any rate I was giving a steroid I’ve been on before, except in a much high dosage. Blood tests were ordered and thank God, the low blood count had made a signigicant increase. It had better since I was admitted and the freakn medicine may have given me a low grade fever which made part of my night uncomfortable. If it wasn’t for such nice medical personnel and my loving, caring girlfriend, I’m not exactly sure how I would have got through it.

I was discharged the next day in the evening. You would have thought it would have been a longer day dealing with doctors, getting info, treatments, etc. It wasn’t that bad. The staff was friendly and both my doctors are great. One’s a guy who after having to talk to me about my health more times then he even wanted to, he began to get to know me. A welcome relief. Turns out we have some things in common and I think I might have made a new friend. After “hanging” out with the doc, my head doctor would come in the room to talk to my parents and I. She gave us more good news about my health improving and how we’ll proceed next. The doctor felt if I was feeling alright (interesting way to put it considering where I was) I could be treated as an outpatient.

So it began. Unlike back in August I’m in the right place and have the right doctors. For the most part the new, high dose of medicine has been working. Except for yesterday which was the worse for the side effects. Thankfully, that particular side effect has passed. I would never want that to come back.

I see my doctors on Thursday afternoon. So hopefully as it is a gradual process, I’ll begin to get off this steroid. And if works long term, no new medicines. Or if it doesn’t, they’ll continue to discuss new advances in ITP. With no side effects. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

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October 28, 2005 by MrRi¢h.

Healthcare, HA Hah! More then two weeks ago I had to make an appointment to see a new hematologist. For those who don’t know and are too lazy to Google it, a hematologist is a blood doctor. I need to have a regular one because of my blood disorder, ITP. That’s the short form of a long word that will have any spell checker freaking out. While I’d rather not get into the specifics of my illness, I will say these “specialized” doctors and insurance companies have caused me, a “sick” person more negative emotions then I need right now. And same goes to those who are close to me.

First it was a doctor who wouldn’t take my check and so wouldn’t see me. To be fair, it was his nurse who turned me away because I didn’t have cash. What kind of doctor doesn’t accept checks? Those close to me and I feel something is shady about that. When I am well its something I may look into more.

Thanks to him, I would have to “waste” time until I could see a new hematologist who works for a hematology center in a hospital. She only sees new patients on Tuesdays which in short brings me to this past week. When I made my original appointment about two weeks ago, I wasn’t aware I had to have my new, separate charity care before seeing this new doctor. Logically the one I already have should work since this hospital is owned by the same administration. That would be too easy. We know the government and insurance companies can never do anything the easy way.

My thinking wasn’t tuned to theirs and hopefully never will be. I arrive for my appointment early and I wait until I’m called. When it is, my time with a social worker? didn’t last more then ten minutes. Without approval on the new charity care I knew I’d get, I couldn’t be seen by the doctor. I had to explain how almost critical my health situation is. Either sympathizing or taking pity on me, she said she would speak to the doctor. While I’m explaining this to my parents for a few minutes, the social worker would return to tell me that without my “insurance” I’d have to reschedule my appointment. Which I have for next Tuesday afternoon. In the meantime the doctor will look over my new medical records. That’s the positive, because 3 days ago while I was at the hospital, there were no positive feelings. I really wish I had written this entry then. Because it would have been have one of the rare times you would see my dark side. lol

After rescheduling and while I was fuming I had to try to go see about applying for new charity care. Sounds easy right? Remember this is the government and the insurance companies we’re talking about. In order to even speak to someone about applying, you have to make an appointment. For some dumb, stupid (how kiddiesh of me) reason, you can’t have an appointment with patient services the same day you have a doctor’s appointment. Technically I no longer had an appointment. This doesn’t matter to them. I had to make an appointment with patient services for the following morning. Which again is stupid. I’m already there, why can’t I just settle this now? How busy can patient services be at 3:30 PM? Now I had to take my “sick” self back there.

Again, this is not racially motivated, a black receptionist, (I only said her skin color in this case because I think her thinking of my situation was stereotypical. Don’t give me that we’re all people, we’re all the same. We can all be Americans and still have different types of “cultures,” depending on our upbringing and at least where we’re from) is telling me step by step what I need to do when I come back and if I have an emergency step by step how they (the hospital) will take care of me. Even telling me at a mile a minute how they’ll get me a wheel chair. Shut up! Like I wasn’t nervous enough going to the hospital that day. That’s really what this part comes down to, how people I don’t need to comfort me are trying to.

The following day was a lot better given the situation. I returned to the hospital, met with someone from patient services, and was approved for my new charity care. The only thing I could have ranted about is how even though I’m approved, the way the document words it, I’m denied until my appointment day. This is when I’ll pick up another document (actually, just a carbon copy of the original) from the same person in patient services. Confused? Yeah me too.

Now we’re all hoping as of Tuesday, November 1, 2005 I’ll be able to be treated as an outpatient. My health (hopefully not the insurance stuff so much) is an ongoing “thing.” At this time it feels more like an inconvience then anything else. While it ain’t fun, reading about those around me (these outsiders) could be. Like crazy, blamed my mom for moving her stuff when my mom didn’t lady. This is why I gotta to try to write these posts on the same day as this crap happens.

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