I have an appt with the dr in Nashville now. It's mid-July. She told me that I should plan to spend half the day up there. They will probably send me for a specialized MRI. That's what she referred to it as anyway. I have not had an MRI of my hip which is why I need an appt before they can say if surgery is an option or not. In my opinion, from what she said it may be a good thing I have had one because this MRI-thing sounds like a better type of thing and so forth.
I have not been taking my pain pills for quite a while. I just preferred not to take them. I haven't needed them since the injection but I had not taken them for a while before that. This week I decided maybe I should take them. I've been hurting more and it's just been so busy that it's been hard to slow down and rest. It has helped. It has helped me be able to get to sleep which is the biggest benefit. I think the steroid I've been on for my ear has added to my restlessness making it more difficult to settle down at night to get to sleep. Between the pain and restlessness it was often 1:00 in the morning before I would get to sleep. While I'm not thrilled that I need the help of the pain pills, I am thankful that they are helping.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Waiting Game
I got a call from the hip dr in Nashville today. They got my records. They were missing a report on some xrays but they are calling to get that from the dr. Then they will call me back to schedule an appt. They do not have enough information to go ahead and say that I'm a good candidate for surgery. So as soon as they can get that, they will call back. Right now appts are scheduling in July. She told me it was worth the wait. She was real nice and helpful. Not what I've been running across with other staff with drs offices. That was refreshing.
The ENT here called this morning to tell me that had set up an appt with a neurologist. He had told me he wanted to do that back when I saw him 2 weeks ago but I'd kinda forgotten. There wasn't really anything wrong, he just wanted to have something verified that was out of his range of expertise. I don't even remember what it was but I wasn't concerned when he explained it.
So I continue to wait...
The ENT here called this morning to tell me that had set up an appt with a neurologist. He had told me he wanted to do that back when I saw him 2 weeks ago but I'd kinda forgotten. There wasn't really anything wrong, he just wanted to have something verified that was out of his range of expertise. I don't even remember what it was but I wasn't concerned when he explained it.
So I continue to wait...
Friday, May 23, 2008
Updates, updates, updates
It's been a while, huh? Not sure what happened last week or if I just didn't have anything else to write. This week, well it's been rough. So even though I've had lots to say, I haven't felt like it or had time. Guess this is more of a ranting entry than a true updating entry...
Sunday and Monday were very hectic days with activities. Sun - church, make-up baseball game, choir meeting, church. Monday morning I hung out at a friend's house which was probably the only thing that kept my sanity. But Mon afternoon - pick up DS7 from school, stop at the house for 5 secs at most, got to Target to get gift card for birthday party, got to birthday party, go to "other" Hobby Lobby to look for frames needed for gifts, go through drive through for supper to throw at kids, go home for 10 mins at most to change for baseball and collect need things for that, and rush to baseball. The game goes long, long so then it's rush home to get the boys in bed. Tues was awful for me pain wise. Generally my hip is doing well from the injection but when I have to be really busy like that it takes a toll. Two days in a row really took a toll. I'm not fully recovered from that yet.
I called the ear dr to see what they said. Seems like I have to be more proactive to get any results... Anyway, they called back and said the MRI was fine and we are going to try a 15 day round of tapering steroids. I picked that up on Tues. Well - long story - but I picked up on Tues and Wed. The nurse messed up the Rx and only sent in a 9 day round so I had to make several phone calls to get that straightened out and done right so I didn't have to pay another copay for their screw-up. I've taken it for 3 days now but nothing really different except that I'm restless at night (could be some from the hip pain but also some a side effect of the steroid) and then of course that makes me really tired in the day.
I called the hip dr today to see if they had gotten all the records they needed to start my chart in the review process only to find out that they have gotten nothing. I last saw my dr here on April 30. I don't understand why they haven't sent anything so again, seems like I have to be more proactive to get any results. I called my dr here and played phone tag. They told me they had been waiting for some copies of things and that everything has now been sent. I wonder how long they've been waiting to be sent. I guess I'm going to have to call everyday until I know they've gotten the records.
I should not have to be dealing with all the extra stuff. I should not have to call and remind them to send them. Or call a dr to find out my results. Really makes you feel like you don't matter. Of course those things aren't the actual dr, those are his office staff failing to do their job properly. So frustrating.
Sunday and Monday were very hectic days with activities. Sun - church, make-up baseball game, choir meeting, church. Monday morning I hung out at a friend's house which was probably the only thing that kept my sanity. But Mon afternoon - pick up DS7 from school, stop at the house for 5 secs at most, got to Target to get gift card for birthday party, got to birthday party, go to "other" Hobby Lobby to look for frames needed for gifts, go through drive through for supper to throw at kids, go home for 10 mins at most to change for baseball and collect need things for that, and rush to baseball. The game goes long, long so then it's rush home to get the boys in bed. Tues was awful for me pain wise. Generally my hip is doing well from the injection but when I have to be really busy like that it takes a toll. Two days in a row really took a toll. I'm not fully recovered from that yet.
I called the ear dr to see what they said. Seems like I have to be more proactive to get any results... Anyway, they called back and said the MRI was fine and we are going to try a 15 day round of tapering steroids. I picked that up on Tues. Well - long story - but I picked up on Tues and Wed. The nurse messed up the Rx and only sent in a 9 day round so I had to make several phone calls to get that straightened out and done right so I didn't have to pay another copay for their screw-up. I've taken it for 3 days now but nothing really different except that I'm restless at night (could be some from the hip pain but also some a side effect of the steroid) and then of course that makes me really tired in the day.
I called the hip dr today to see if they had gotten all the records they needed to start my chart in the review process only to find out that they have gotten nothing. I last saw my dr here on April 30. I don't understand why they haven't sent anything so again, seems like I have to be more proactive to get any results. I called my dr here and played phone tag. They told me they had been waiting for some copies of things and that everything has now been sent. I wonder how long they've been waiting to be sent. I guess I'm going to have to call everyday until I know they've gotten the records.
I should not have to be dealing with all the extra stuff. I should not have to call and remind them to send them. Or call a dr to find out my results. Really makes you feel like you don't matter. Of course those things aren't the actual dr, those are his office staff failing to do their job properly. So frustrating.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Tube Removal Update
I had a 2 week re-check from having the tube taken out. My ear is healing fine. There is just a tiny, tiny pinpoint size hole left which shouldn't take much longer to heal. The extra "sounds" that I was hearing are gone. So in my opinion having the tube removed was a success since that was the main reason I wanted it out. The ear pain is still the same though.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
More Adventure
Adventure seems to be associated with my appts these days. I do sincerely hope this trend ends now!
The MRI for my ear was scheduled for this morning at the hospital. I made arrangements to drop DS4 off at church with our preschool minister (who is also a very dear friend) since it's very close. (Literally - less than 5 mins away) It seemed like the perfect solution to that. I get to the hospital and go to check-in and wait about 10 mins and then get called up to the desk only to find out that my appt isn't there, it's at their imaging center about 20-30 mins from there. Nobody told me that when they called to tell me about the appt. I was furious that nobody told me and furious that I had now driven into town for no reason. That imaging center is 10 mins or less from my house. So I called my friend and she was good with DS4 so off I go to my appt, now late. They called and told them I was coming. I get there and have to wait quite a while since I was late and the next appt was already there. They did hers first. Meanwhile, the threat of severe weather is moving in. They finally call me for my MRI an hour after the scheduled appt time. When I come out about 30 mins later I catch the tv screen in the waiting area just enough to see that schools are letting out early so that they don't have to be responsible for the kids and deal with getting out at the time that the worst of the storms was predicted to move through. Trouble was that I didn't have enough time to get back into town to get DS4 and get back to get DS7 from school. Obviously, neither my friend or DH could get ahold of me during the MRI so I was quickly on the phone with both as soon as I left. DH was just about to leave work to get DS7 from school since it's at least a 30 min drive for him. I decided to stop at the school and check him out early since I would have to go right by it anyway and then go into town to get DS4. I got everyone home but didn't get any of the errands done that I was planning to do while I was out. Who wants to take 2 kids out in the rain. The worse of the storms moved in but we were spared anything major. After all that adventure of the day, I was completely worn out!!!
Of course I don't know anything from the MRI yet. They will mail a CD of the images to the dr and they will contact me. Just wanted to share my adventure.
The MRI for my ear was scheduled for this morning at the hospital. I made arrangements to drop DS4 off at church with our preschool minister (who is also a very dear friend) since it's very close. (Literally - less than 5 mins away) It seemed like the perfect solution to that. I get to the hospital and go to check-in and wait about 10 mins and then get called up to the desk only to find out that my appt isn't there, it's at their imaging center about 20-30 mins from there. Nobody told me that when they called to tell me about the appt. I was furious that nobody told me and furious that I had now driven into town for no reason. That imaging center is 10 mins or less from my house. So I called my friend and she was good with DS4 so off I go to my appt, now late. They called and told them I was coming. I get there and have to wait quite a while since I was late and the next appt was already there. They did hers first. Meanwhile, the threat of severe weather is moving in. They finally call me for my MRI an hour after the scheduled appt time. When I come out about 30 mins later I catch the tv screen in the waiting area just enough to see that schools are letting out early so that they don't have to be responsible for the kids and deal with getting out at the time that the worst of the storms was predicted to move through. Trouble was that I didn't have enough time to get back into town to get DS4 and get back to get DS7 from school. Obviously, neither my friend or DH could get ahold of me during the MRI so I was quickly on the phone with both as soon as I left. DH was just about to leave work to get DS7 from school since it's at least a 30 min drive for him. I decided to stop at the school and check him out early since I would have to go right by it anyway and then go into town to get DS4. I got everyone home but didn't get any of the errands done that I was planning to do while I was out. Who wants to take 2 kids out in the rain. The worse of the storms moved in but we were spared anything major. After all that adventure of the day, I was completely worn out!!!
Of course I don't know anything from the MRI yet. They will mail a CD of the images to the dr and they will contact me. Just wanted to share my adventure.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Ear Appt Update
Well, it was an adventure just getting to B'ham today. I got close to one of the Cullman exits (exit 308) and came to a standstill. I called dad about getting over to Hwy 31 and he wasn't sure that I would be able to find it at that exit, apparently it's either not marked or not marked well. He said just wait it out. A couple of minutes later I realized they were directing traffic at the top of the exit and that traffic was coming up the on ramp to the interstate (the wrong way). I knew this was a bad sign so I called Daddy back about going back north and getting to 31 from exit 310. He said that would work and told me where I needed to go. I did that and was able to bypass the wreck. Where he had me come over (the Cullman/Good Hope exit) got me just past it. I'm so glad. I'd have been a basketcase sitting in the van with antsy boys for very long. And that route didn't put me too far behind timewise so that was good. I had built in an extra hour travel time just in case. So we were able to go in somewhere to eat lunch instead of just running through the drive thru and the boys were able to play for a few mins. Thankfully getting home was a breeze. We did end up staying at my parents house for a little bit and having an early supper before we drove home.
So my appt... I don't really know anything. I do know that it's not an inner ear problem. He ran an electrical stimulation test and ruled that out. We talked for awhile and I felt like he really wants to figure this out. It is going to be a process of ruling things out but at least he's not just guessing. He is ordering an MRI of my ear but I will be able to do that here and he will order them to send a CD of the images to him so that he can look at it himself instead of just relying on the person reading it. I feel good about this guy. And it seems like he will do what he can so that I don't have to drive down there too much.
So my appt... I don't really know anything. I do know that it's not an inner ear problem. He ran an electrical stimulation test and ruled that out. We talked for awhile and I felt like he really wants to figure this out. It is going to be a process of ruling things out but at least he's not just guessing. He is ordering an MRI of my ear but I will be able to do that here and he will order them to send a CD of the images to him so that he can look at it himself instead of just relying on the person reading it. I feel good about this guy. And it seems like he will do what he can so that I don't have to drive down there too much.
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