Year 2 - Day 341 - November 28

What's more fun to do on a Monday morning than medical tests?!? I love that my doctor calls on the same day with the results as long as I get them done early in the morning. I'm on the fence about today's results. Two things came out wonky. On one hand, the bad numbers could explain everything that is going on these days. On the other hand, they could signify something I don't want to have in my head. But then back on the first hand, if a pill could solve the problem, sign me up! Days like today are the good and bad reasons that I've been to Pituitary Education day so many times. Good because I know pills can solve a lot of problems but bad because I'm done having things wrong with me!! I think if I was going to be a doctor, being an endocrinologist would be fascinating. It's really the actual biology that's going on inside of you and I think it's all so interesting. (As long as it's someone else's body.) ;)

Year 2 - Day 10 - January 10

I had a test today (There's nothing wrong with me!) at a radiology place I had never been to before.  This was hanging all over the place - their "mission statement," I suppose.  The title changed depending on where I was (The check in place said "Admissions Guiding Principle," for example.)

I can honestly say that every single person I encountered embodied these principles.  The person who checked me in, the person who walked me to the room, the people who did the test - even random people walking in the hallways.  Everyone was friendly, personable, and reassuring.  I had a lot of time to think about this sign (Notice - "You will be seen promptly" is not a principle of courtesy!) this afternoon.  Would I pick courtesy over good medical care? No. However, I can assume that all the doctors and hospitals nearby are picking qualified doctors and nurses, so all qualifications and medical skills being equal, I'd prefer the courtesy.

SUCH a difference from the people I encountered in December!  The person running the trainings and the people in charge of making sure it continues to happen are all doing a good job.

Do I show all these traits daily?  Probably not.  If this sign was hanging everywhere I turned would I think more about it? Maybe.  If this sign was hanging everywhere I turned *and* I was working with adults who could read the sign would I think about it? Most likely. What about you?

Day 357 - December 23

Dunno what all those numbers mean, but they're mine! :)

The test itself was less annoying than the prep.  I was asleep thanks to a lovely dose of (properly administered) Propfol.  (My doctors > M.J.'s doctors) ;)  Mike confiscated my phone so that I couldn't "Drunk Dial" my mom & Sarah like after my bladder procedure earlier in the year.  He didn't have to worry though - that stuff wore off much quicker and didn't make me sick.  Woohoo!  Good news is that there's nothing wrong with me!!  Bad news is that we still don't know what is causing the pain.  But hey, I ruled out a bunch of stuff that I didn't want to have, so that is good. :)

I liked the Doc, the anesteologist, and one of the nurses.  Everyone else there was very much in the mentality of assembly line.  2 different people - a receptionist & the nurse who did my IV had conversations with me without making eye contact.  The receptionist was talking to the other receptionists about who was bringing cookies & coffee.  Both times she needed me to sign something she swiveled around in her chair, said something quick and curt, "This is the HIPA paper. Sign here." (Point) and then go back to talking to the other girls.  I jokingly told Mike that I hoped I had the right procedure done because I honestly don't think she looked at me once.  She didn't ask for ID or my insurance card and instead used a photocopy from my office visit (at a different location) a month ago.  Granted, who is going to show up and request this test for fun?  But still.

Then the IV nurse was chit chatting with the laundry delivery guys and with her face toward THEM pointed at my medication sheet and said "this is where he'll write what he'll want you to take, this is where he'll write what meds he wants you to stop." 

Thankfully, then another nurse showed up.  I did hear nurse nasty dealing with other patients the same way...just not cool.  I am well versed in the medical care available in this town and today's office failed my test.

Luckily I don't have to go back for 19 years. ;)

Day 356 - December 22

On the first day of Christmas, my vacation brought to me ....

a gallon of some horrid tasting stuff called Golytely.  In the quest to find out the cause of my abdominal pain that has been coming and going for the last 13 months, I gave in and went to a GI doc.  I've been making the rounds of all the docs that treat body parts in the abdomen, but left the GI guy til last.  As I suspected, he spent 30 seconds with me before prescribing "the test." 

I was a little annoyed because he didn't even touch me at my initial appointment.  We sat in chairs, he read my paperwork, and said he wanted to do the test.  If there is anything I've learned in the past year, it's that most doctors are quick to jump to testing.  Are they scared of getting sued if they don't find something?  I just feel like he could have at least tapped on my stomach or something before sending me down this path.  My urologist was quick to put me through some lousy invasive tests too.

Getting the stuff down was hard.  The original prescription was a smaller amt of liquid, but I realized last night that it had nutrasweet/aspartame as a sweetening ingredient.  The dr on the overnight number didn't know which prep to tell me to take, and told me to do some research and figure it out and talk to the pharmacist in the morning.  Luckily, my awesome pharmacist recently made that serendipitious re-entry into my life, and he figured out a backup plan!  The result was a whole lot of liquid.  You have to drink this stuff that pretty much tastes like ocean water...8 ounces every 10 minutes for almost 3 hours.  Wow.  Even if you LIKE the taste of something, that's a lot of liquid!

Day 18 - January 18th

This afternoon I'm having a CT scan with contrast which means no food for many many hours. Soooooo, my awesome husband made me this complete breakfast. It's even quasi (my phone keeps wanting to make that word Quasimodo!) healthy cause it was turkey sausage and mostly egg whites.


Blogging about food when I'm hungry? Not the brightest idea. :)