Donna in Hollywoodland

Blood and Lunch

I take a long lunch break for a trip to a Lab-or-a-tory....
Dr. My-Guy, has given me paperwork to get lots of blood drawn.
(Cue house organ playing vampire music.)
Its not so scary though, because the lab is across the street from the Beverly Center
in beautiful Beverly Hills.

I stop and park in the Beverly Connection .
Then I walk the three city blocks to the lab.
There is only one little elderly woman in there, with her personal nurse.
Soon the Lab Tech is processing my paperwork, and leading me to that special blood-drawing chair.

She doesn't mess around.... After trying to find a vein in my arm, I tell her "Its useless, just take the blood from the top of my hand."
She does - and it is very painful. Even with the baby butterfly needle.
Even more painful when she pulls the needle out and I yelp.
She says "See I didn't want to take it from your hand, because I know that hurts."
I reply "Yes, it hurts - but its the only way you can get the blood."
I look down and there are Four vials of my blood on the table.

I am all done, and I remember that I parked three city blocks away. Not a good idea since I just lost all that blood.
I walk very slowly and take my time, as I head back to the Beverly Connection.

Soon I am at the Souplantation , having a wonderful lunch.
And replenishing my blood supply and glucose level with a big healthy salad - and a tuna pasta salad.

I sat and read Carl Sagan's book The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God .
A very interesting viewpoint on God and the Creation of the Universe. I thought a book like this would be difficult to understand because its scientific. But I found it a very easy book to follow.

My mid-day trip to get my blood drawn, actually turns out to be pretty relaxing as I have lunch.
If you check out the Beverly Connection website, you will get some information on the remodeling they are doing to the mall.
What I saw in the Parking area as you drive up, looked really nice. It looks like it will end up being very up to date.

Once lunch was over, I head back to work ...

UPDATE: Blood Tests all normal. Cancer Tumor Marker Test 29.27 .. all normal !

Labels: beverlyhills, books, doctor, health, restaurants

The Nice Oncologist

Not my favorite place to go - but I told my Doctor that I would see his buddy, an Oncologist.
They don't think there is anything wrong with me.
But my general family doctor said that he felt it would be a good idea to get check-ups from an oncologist as well.
And so he asked me "Why don't you just go and talk to My Guy, he has over 30 years experience, and I think you will like him."
It was the friendly approach.

I made an appointment with "His Guy" about a month ago, and somehow the appointment got all screwed up and I ended up with the wrong oncologist ,a man I had interview back in 2005 and did not like or trust.

Click on the link above, because I am sick of talking about Dr. Psycho.

Anyway, it took me another month to find the time - and the bravery - to try to make another appointment with Dr. My-Guy.
This was preceded by a phone call from the nurse trying to figure out Why, if I was a patient of Dr. Psycho's - was I making an appointment with Dr. My-Guy ?
I had to explain the long long painful story to her so it didn't get screwed up again.

Dr. My-Guy was in Downtown Los Angeles, and I had an afternoon appointment.
I arrive in the waiting room, and I waited.
There were a few patients there, some who were obviously having chemotherapy.
But the place seemed rather homey - and I thought "Gee I'm getting a good vibe from this place".

Soon, I was in the Examination room in one of those little paper outfits that barely covered everything.
And I was sliding of the examination table.

Dr. My-Guy walked in, and he was very nice. Very well-educated. And most of all, open-minded and understanding.
30 years of experience had taught him alot.

He asked me more questions about my health than most doctors ever do. And he seemed interested in everything that affected me - not only the breast cancer, but my hypoglycemia, and recent bladder infection - even my heartburn.
He wrote everything down.

Then we discussed the Chemotherapy.
I made it clear that I had already talked to two doctors about it. And I pretty much understood what it did, and that I really don't want it.
He said "Well, it really is, 100% your decision", with a kind smile.
(I guess he had read the complaint letter I sent to the Medical Group about Dr. Psycho, his associate, who screamed at me that I was going to DIE if I didn't have chemo.)

We talked about my one and only kidney...(one was removed as a child).
I held my hands out like two balancing scales to my side.
I said "On one side is my one and only kidney - on the other side is chemotherapy for cancer."
And I moved my hand up and down, like I was balancing something.
"If you can guarantee nothing will happen to my kidney while I go through chemo" - I moved my hands up and down...
"But you can't - and as I see it, the small percentage of improvement that chemo will make, is not worth the risk of my one and only kidney."

I told him I realized that for what I had, my risk was a 30% chance of getting cancer somewhere in my body again.
But if I got the chemo, it was only reduced to 22%.
And that was at the risk of my one kidney.

He said "Those percentage sound about right."

I moved my hands up and down some more "Now I'm weighing things here, so if you can totally cure me of cancer with the chemo, then I might decide that risking my kidney is worth it."

He shook his head. And wrote it down.

Then he said "You have to realize, you have a 30% chance of getting cancer again. But that means that you have a 70% chance of not getting cancer."
And he started throwing out articles published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This is basically what he said:
That of the women who got chemo... there was a percentage of them where cancer was never going to comeback no matter what they did, so they didn't need the chemo to begin with.
And there was a percentage of them where the cancer was definitely going to come back in spite of the chemo or whatever they did. So they got a treatment that didn't work.
So taking all that into consideration, only 15% of women who received chemo actually were cured by the chemo.
It was something like that.
So thats 85% of woman who got chemo didn't need it.

I wish I had the actual print out of this medical report. If you know a link, please email it to me.
He was tossing out percentages and figures, and my brain was trying to keep up.

I was really impressed with the fact that he said this to me.
I told my friends "I am sure this was his Pep Talk for the patients who refuse chemo."
And he probably has an entire different Pep Talk planned for patients who decide to go through the chemo, stating the facts and figures as to why it will help them.

But just the fact that he was really supportive of me, made me feel good.
I was feeling so much better, and had alot more Faith in what was going to happen.
And speaking of studies - alot of studies show that your attitude and mental outlook have a big effect on your physical health.
So it was wonderful that this doctor was encouraging me.

He gave me a thorough once-over. Feeling all my lymph nodes. Tapping on my bones and my back. Listening to my lungs. Squeezing my liver.
"Well, your liver feels healthy, its definitely not inflamed" he said.
Ouch.

Then we started to talk out Nutrition, Exercise and Supplements.
On an Oncologists office?
Wow, I am impressed.
Lose weight, Exercise - yeah yeah I know.
He quoted another study from a medical journal. That cancer survivors who exercised a half hour every day, had a 50% less chance of the cancer reoccurring.
And he said "Exercising an half hour a day - will actually do more for you than the chemotherapy."
He actually said that.

Make sure I am getting enough Vitamin D.
Q10 - studies haven't really proved it works for cancer, but its good for your heart. The problem is that the pill form is difficult for the body to absorb. He actually has a Colleague in his office who is working on a clinical trial with a Q10 Cream, that you rub into your skin so it gets absorbed.

I told him about the Antioxidants that I take...Curcumin Extract, Mushroom Extract, Grapeseed Extract, Quercetin.
He said, yes the antioxidants are okay - they haven't really been proven. Just make sure that I am taking a high-grade brand, that states the amount of the product in the pill. And try to take antioxidants where the bottle gives you the ORAC Certification .
This will actually tell you how much antioxidant your are getting in the pill.

The website is Orac Watch , but it is alittle to technical, more for the vitamin manufacturers.
And another link on Wikipedia

I will have to read more about this ORAC Certification. It sounds very interesting, and I am glad there is finally a way that you can tell if the product you are buying is good or nore.

Also, here are some of my favorite websites:
Breast Cancer Choices
Annie Appleseed Project
Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety

Labels: cancer, doctor, health

Stress !!!

I had to make a Doctors Appointment today to talk about ... Stress !!!!
I can't even write about my Stress!!! without adding the explanation points at the end.

I was very concerned because on two occasions I have had slight heart palpitations when thinking about my stressful situations.
And about four times I have had insomnia. And I have never had insomnia in my entire life.

He recommended a Behavioral Therapist ... okay, like I can find the Time to go !!!
(More explanation points.)

He said "I can give you a prescription for something to help you sleep, but most of those can be addicting."
He recommended Tylenol PM for the insomnia.
But, as he said it "Now, I know you don't like to take any Medications, so you might want to try Melatonin or Valerian Root for the insomnia. These are both natural things you can try."

I LUV my doctor !!! He actually recommends holistic alternatives.

Here's the thing... Most nights I can fall asleep fine. But I do need something to make me sleepy some of the time.
But usually by the time I realize I am not falling asleep, it is way beyond that 8 hour period that is recommended before you use the sleep products.

What I need is this: a pill where I will feel like I have had a full 8 hours of sleep - but only within 4 hours of actually sleeping.

Whoever invents that will make a fortune.

Labels: doctor, health

New Eye Glasses

Well, I am still getting older. And it is time to get new reading glasses - again!
The little muscles aged again, and the computer screen is getting slightly blurry.
This time I decided on a dark blue frame. I can hardly wait- I really like the frame.

My first set of frames I liked, because they were a weird octagon-like shape, and a brownish tortoise shell look.

The second set of glasses I hated. They were just a plain gold frame. I think I had to pay the second time. My insurance didn't cover it, so I got the cheapest frames.

Now, my insurance is covering it this time. And I am getting lovely dark blue frames.
For me, just the idea that they are blue - even though a dark blue - somehow feels really artistic and colorful....

Labels: doctor, health

Ear Nose And Throat Doctor

First, this is a new doctor - way down in Downtown Los Angeles where I have never been before.
Since I have no idea where I am going - I end up running late.

I arrive into the office with the huge envelope with the CT scan xrays.

The ENT doctor was a very nice lady.
We went over my medical history.
She handed me a kleenex tissue.

"Why are you handing me a tissue?" I ask

"Oh, I am just going to put some spray up you nose to numb it", she replies.

"Why are you going to numb my nose?"

She says "So I can put an instrument up there at look at your sinus."

"No,no - we aren't doing that. Nothing up my nose." I say.

"Well, I can't give you a thorough medical exam without looking up your nose." she says

"Thats fine, just look at the CT scan" is my reply

"Oooh, You're going to let me look at your CT scan" she says with alittle tone in her voice.

We talk. She points out the deviated septum. She circles two cysts in my sinus.

I tell her I will not take the sinus sprays because they have steroids, and I have had breast cancer in the past.
She tells me that really the only other thing that can be done is Surgery.
Surgery ???!!!!!
No.....

I'm not in any pain. And I just got over having surgery in 2005.
No, no - I can not deal with that idea.

I ask her "Are these cysts anything having to do with cancer?"

"No, these are not cancer related at all". Was her reply.
She can tell I have suddenly become very skittish and nervous.

"Ok, I am just going to take a wait and see approach, since the cysts aren't causing me any pain."
And I start to pack up.
She gives me a nasal wash.
And I am out the door like lightening...

Labels: doctor, health, losangeles

Xrays

I have to go see an ENT - Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor - later this week.
It turns out that when they did the CT scan of my sinus - it showed that I have a slight deviated septum, and some cysts in my left sinus.

I have to go and pick up my Xrays today, so I can bring them to the ENT doctor with me.
So today I drive from Hollywood into downtown Los Angeles, to the office of my medical group where they actually took the CT Scan.

The woman at the Xray Reception informs me that because my Old Doctor used to be in Glendale, my patient number begins with a Glendale ID number - and they have shipped the Xrays to Glendale.

"But I have changed Doctors to my new doctor here in Downtown Los Angeles. I have seen him twice. My old doctor in Glendale left the group. So I am coming here to the Downtown LA office now. The Doctor here in Los Angeles is the one who order the CT scan anyway."

It doesn't matter. It all depends on that Number on my chart.
I fill out a form to have my number changed in their computer system.
For the future.
Today, my records are on the other side of town

So I decide I am just going to have to drive over to Glendale and get this done. Today.
Once in Glendale, I am given the huge folder with the Sinus CT scan in a matter of minutes.

I spent way to much time driving to try to get this simple task accomplished.
I waste far to much time on crazy doctor things.

Labels: doctor, glendale, health, losangeles

Weird Oncologists

This a really Weird Doctor's Appointment story .. so I will give some historical background in this post.

I only went to see an Oncologist today because the doctor I had for 6 years left the Group, my new doctor asked me to follow-up with "his guy", an oncologist with 15 years experience, named Dr. G.
Doctor New told me he knew I didn't want chemotherapy for the breast cancer in had in 2005, but there would be no harm in just going to talk to Dr. G because he was "a really good guy".
So I said okay, and the office made an appointment for me with Dr. G.

Now... go back to 2005 to when I was diagnosed. My Breast Cancer Surgeon made me 2 appointments with two different oncologists... one was Dr. S, - but I will call him Dr. Psycho .... 2 years ago, after I had my wacky consultation with him, he kept calling me and having his staff call me.
His staff would call me and say "We are calling to confirm you appointment." - and I had no appointment.
He kept calling me at my office, and it got to the point we were yelling at eachother. He would call, and I would tell him not to call again - and he would. I told him point blank that even if I was going to have the Chemo, he would not be giving it to me... and I would never have him be my doctor. Then one day he called and we were screaming at eachother... and my coworkers overheard it and were very worried... and he was yelling at me "You are going to DIE ! You are going to DIE if you don't have chemotherapy!"

So I sent him a Fax ... and I told him that if he continued to call me, or have his staff call me, I was going to get a Restraining Order against him.
After that, he didn't call me.

One of the reasons why I wanted nothing to do with Dr. Psycho was that he was a very good lier.
I was concerned about getting Chemotherapy because I have had only one kidney since childhood.
His reply was "Well, what will happen if the breast cancer spreads to your kidney - then you will really have problems."
When I told my regular doctor and my breast surgeon what he said .. they were both very honest.
Breast Cancer can't spread to your kidney. It can spread to your brain, lungs, liver or bones. Those are some how all related, and its to scientific so I can't explain it. But they both said if I were to ever end up with Kidney cancer,
it would an entirely different cancer, and not related to the Breast Cancer at all.

So there I was in 2005, weighting Pros and Cons on a Scale, trying to figure out what to do with my health and all the cancer treatments the doctors were telling me about....
And Dr. Psycho tries a scare tactic, and lies to me.
So forget him.

Not to mention he turned out to be a real Psycho, and gave me all sorts of weird phone calls.

So now Today, Thursday morning.....I take the morning off from work, and I drive to downtown LA (Its only about a 30 minute drive). I get to the office for my appointment with Dr. G, who is the new oncologist that my doctor recommended. I tell them I am here to see "Dr. G" and I pay my insurance co-payment, and I wait in the waiting room. The Nurses take my blood pressure. And Nurses take me to the exam room. We even have a little conversation of how Dr. New recommended Dr. G because he likes him and he has 15 years experience.

In the Exam room I take off my shirt and bra, and I put on that little smock . So I am waiting there in the little smock for Doctor G...... and in walks Dr. Psycho !

Right away I knew it was not Dr. G, because Dr. Psycho is much younger.. I am thinking of the 15 years experience that Dr. New talked about .... and I sense that something is really wrong .... and Dr Psycho says to me "Donna,
do you remember me?"
And I look down at his name badge, and it says "Dr. Psycho". (Well, Dr. His-Real-Name.)
And I was so mad !

He said something about a Mix-up, and Dr. G was not available - Did I want to talk to another Doctor?
I stood my ground and said "No, Dr. New, recommended Dr. G because he has 15 years experience, and they know eachother."
He said "But are you sure you don't want to talk to anyone else?" Of course, he means Himself.
I said "NO, I want to talk to the doctor, that my new Doctor recommended."
He started to ask me questions about my health and my cancer follow-ups. I told him I had passed all my mammograms and was following up with my Breast Cancer Surgeon every 3 to 6 months - but that I wanted to discuss that with Dr. G and no one else.

So after I am naked in that little smock - he says "Ok, we will cancel your appointment today, and you can make another appointment with Dr. G."

So I put on my clothes, I go back out to the front desk ... and they try to make another appointment with me.
I tell them my Day Planner is at the office and I will have to call them later on.
The two nurses smile at me like Brain-Washed Cult Members.

Then they give me back my check for my insurance co-payment !!!!
Isn't that the weirdest thing - they cancel the appointment and give me my check back - after I am naked in the little smock in the exam room and have seen a Doctor !

Well, I wasted the entire morning that I took off from work.
They could have called me the day before, or even that morning, and told me that Dr. G was not available, and ask if I was willing to see another doctor ... but I am sure they didn't because Dr. Psycho thought he could get me in the exam room, naked in that little smock, and I would be vulnerable and easily manipulated.
I don't think it was a scheduling error. Dr. Psycho knew I was coming in and planned it.
I felt so Emotionally Abused, .....

I sent Dr. Psycho's office a fax right away - and I told them I was not their patient, do not call me, and I will be getting a different oncologist referral from Dr. New.
Then I sent Dr. New a fax, asking for a different referral, and telling him the entire story of my history with Dr. Psycho, including what happened in 2005, and with what happened this morning.
I am sure Dr. New is mad, because he got me to the point where I was willing to see an oncologist and then Dr. Psycho screwed it all up.
They should have called me before I went down there and rescheduled my appointment, but Dr. Psycho is a very manipulative person.

I also have a call into the health care group's complaint department. I'm waiting for them to call me back...
Believe me, I will be placing a complaint.


Links:
Books on Natural & Holistic Cancer health

Here is a fantastic website:
BreastCancerChoices.org

Labels: cancer, doctor, health, losangeles

The Arthritis Doctor

Among the numerous Specialists that my new Doctor has recommended, was an Arthritis Specialist.
Back in 2005, when I had that full body CT scan due to the Cancer, a little Arthritis showed up in one hip. Well now, in 2007 - it feels like it has moved to both hips. So off to the Arthritis Specialist....

I arrive in his office, and the waiting room is filled with people.
Wall to wall, hardly a place to sit.
After I check in, I find a spot, and hits me, - At home I have a huge stack of unread magazines and another huge stack of unread library books and I did not bring a single one.
So I am going to be sitting there without anything to read.

Thank heavens for my Verizon Cell Phone . Having their internet on the cell phone was and extra $5 a month.
I hardly ever use it. Now it the perfect time.
After reading some news, I end up playing Bubble Ducky.

Over an hour later, the Nurse calls me in.
She takes my blood pressure. "My, you have low blood pressure", she says.
I think - Of course, I do, I have been sitting in the waiting room playing a silly computer game for over an hour !

In the exam room, fully clothed - and I meet Dr. Z, the Arthritis specialist.
He comes in an we chat. And he asks me to point to where my pain it.
He presses really hard on the side of my hips.
"Does that hurt?" he asks..
"yes", I answer. Well, of course it hurts, he is basically punching me in my hips.

He doesn't think that I have Arthritis. It didn't show up in the Xray that my regular Doctor took.
He tells me it is my Sciatic Nerve .
And the problem is that... I need to lose weight.
Sciatic Nerve problems are very common in people who are heavy, and they get worse as you get older.
Because of the extra weight, you end up pinching the nerve.
And thats what I have - a Pinched Sciatic Nerve.

He talks to me honestly about my weight. He was actually very nice about it - but firm.
"Now, a woman might think its unfair and discrimination to be told to lose weight. But if I told you to carry around a sack of potatoes all day, you would feel discriminated against. You wouldn't want to carry around a sack of potatoes all day."
Where did that come from ? I wonder. Maybe a women actually told him she was discriminating against her for mentioning her weight.
I find that most doctors, talk to you based on their past patient interactions.
Well, I didn't think that at all. I mean, its my health we are talking about here.

His advice is to Walk. Do as much walking as possible.
But walk everyday.
If I walk, it will help my sciatic nerve, and build up the muscles in my legs and lower back and abdomen.
"If you can walk an hour, or only 20 or 15 minutes - do whatever you can do, but walk every single day on a regular basis."
Aaah, I tell him "Thats the problem. I can walk on the weekends. But it is the every single day part that is the problem. I can't find time."
He tells me "Consistency. If you can't walk outside. Go to the gym and use the treadmill."
I ask 'What about the bicycles at the gym?"
He tells me the bicycles will build my legs - but its not as good for all the muscles that he wants me to build which is also my lower back muscles. Walking and the Treadmill are still the best.

And he tells me to wear good, cushioned athletic shoes.
I ask if he has a brand he prefers.
And he tells me he recommends New Balance Shoes.

I also ask about the way I sleep on the bed. And I want to eventually buy a new bed.
Yes, my bed can contribute to my leg problems.
He tells me a firm bed is the best. With a mattress pad for softness.
And he tells me about putting a bed board under my current mattress.
But I am planning to buy a new bed. Its about time for that any way.

As we leave, he tells me that I am completely healthy, except for my weight.
He seems very relieved and says "Its so nice to actually have a healthy patient for once."

Well... its nice to actually have a doctor tell me that I am healthy for once.
I usually don't get to hear that.

Link:
New Balance Shoes

Books on Walking:
Walking: The Ultimate Exercise For Optimum Health
Walk Away the Pounds : The Breakthrough 6-Week Program
Fitness Walking for Dummies

Labels: doctor, health

Dinner and Conversation

Dinner with friends at Mel's Diner on Highland.

I got a meatloaf dinner. And then we had berry pie for dessert.
Enough food to bring take half home for lunch tomorrow.
Not the best choice. But maybe the berries in the pie will kill all the bad things in the red meat.

Interesting conversation. You know, its kind of strange looking back on 2005 and my cancer surgery.
And its kind of strange how I pick and choose what I do and don't do.
I did the radiation. I refused the chemo.
I won't use plastic utensils or Styrofoam if possible. And I have been known to educate a restaurant or two about their dangers.
I won't drink artificial sweeteners or eat processed meats.
I take a long list of vitamins a supplements, like Co-Q10 , Flax seed , Fish Oil, Mushroom Extract and Curcumin extract .
I even tried "Cats Claw" herbal tea, though I didn't like it very much.
Every so often I do the Budwig thing with cottage cheese and flax seed.
I drink organic green tea, and Trader Joes Organic Decaf Chai Tea, which contains organic cinnamon and organic ginger.
And I try to buy Organic whenever possible. (Except of course eating out.)

Every morning I have a bowl of slow-cooked oatmeal, with fresh berries, cinnamon and ginger and ground flaxseed, along with an organic hard boiled egg. (Thats a big change from the bagel with cream cheese that I used to have every morning..)

Yet...I still have one or two glasses of wine per month - which I still think is to often.
I keep trying to quit high-fructose soft drinks. (I'm down to one a day, or less - which is still to many.)
I use the microwave about twice a week - which I also think is to often.
I wanted to quit dairy products, but that was next to impossible, so I try to limit them.
I still drink coffee.
I still need to lose weight, and exercise more.
And I dye my hair. Which pretty much makes most of my friends freak completely out.

I guess it comes down to the fact that you can't stop living your life even though you have had a terrible disease.
You still have to do, whatever it is you have to do.

This all came from the part of the conversation where my friends noticed my hair.
The last time they saw me, I was blond.
Now I am such a dark brown, its almost black.
But it is closer to my natural color, and I prefer how it covers up my grey hairs.

I told them that after the cancer, I was pretty much committed to becoming an "Earth Mother", not even polishing my nails. But thats not me, and there was no way I could stick to it.
I had to keep living my life, and adjusting what I could, and accepting what I can't.
And I laughed about my hair and said "I'm surprised you even recognized me !"

---
More info:
Johanna Budwig books on Amazon.com
and
Natural Approaches to Cancer Treatment books on Amazon.com

Labels: doctor, food, health, restaurant

Ground-up and Bitter

So I get a call from my new doctors nurse. I thought they had the results of the CT scan already. No.... they had the results of the pee in the cup.

"You still have a urinary tract infection. The Doctor has called in the antibiotic prescription to your pharmacy" She said.

Dang, and I thought my pee had looked so pretty in the cup- compared to all the others I saw on the shelf.
I guess looks don't matter when it comes to a urinary tract infection.

After work I stopped at Rite Aid .
This time it is Sulfamethoxazole.
And sure enough - they are big chalky pills.
I wait to speak to the pharmacist, and I ask him if they can be pulverized and put in juice .
Yes, they can.
Yeah I am so happy.

Always ask the pharmacist if they can be put into the pulverizer - because some pills you just can't.

The Sulfamethoxazole in juice doesn't taste so bad.
The Cipro I had been on a few weeks ago, had tasted really bitter. And I had to drink more juice right away, and chew gum to get rid of the flavor.
Sulfamethoxazole really doesn't dissolve that well. It stays as chunky tiny pieces that I have to somehow get down my throat.
So I barely taste it as it goes down. Its just grainy.

The another thing with Sulfamethoxazole is that you have to drink a ton of water. Or it can cause crystals to form in your urinary tract.
You might want to actually take a peek at your Pee, and if you see sugary flakes in the toilet bowl water, then you need to drink more water. And stay away from acidic drinks like coffee for an hour before and after you take the medication. These sugary flakes form because your pee is to acidic. They can make your kidneys bleed, and you don't want that.

As you can tell, I read the instructions that Rite Aid gives completely all the way through. And I look at the drug company website.
I'll bring up the page on the drug company website and hit "Control F" for Find.... then I will type in my concerns like Cancer or hypoglycemia. That way I can see if the website says anything about their drug interfering with any of my other problems which aren't related to what they are currently trying to cure.

Sometimes when I write stuff like this I think "I should have been a doctor."
I have one sister and one sister-in-law who are nurses, but it never
appealed to me. I don't have what it takes to be in the medical profession. If a
patient told me a medicine tasted bad, or made them feel weird, I'd completely agree with them ....
I have no strength of character when it comes to yucky medical things.

But I will drink bitter ground-up antibiotics in juice when I have to.
My sister, the one who is the Nurse, was shocked when she found out I
grind up my antibiotics.
"What does it taste like ?!?!" she asked
"Absolutely the most disgusting thing you can imagine" I happily replied.
She was horrified - and she's the nurse.

Labels: cancer, doctor, health

Sinus CT scan

I told my boss at the office that I was going to get a CT Scan of my sinuses.
I said "I will try to come back to the office, but I don't know how horrible it will be or what they will do to me".
Anything that is named "CT Scan" pretty much scares me. And I was very nervous.

The technician reminded me of Jennifer Lopez, I kid you not.
I said "I have never done one of these before, I'm alittle nervous."

She made me take off my earrings, and any other metal around my face.
I laid on my stomach, with a pillow under my chin. So my head was bent back.
Then she said said "Get comfortable, because you have to stay in the position for seven minutes."
"I'll try, Its kinda hard", I replied.
Then she fed me through the CT Scan Donut thing.

I was worried because I kept swallowing. I was wondering if that was going to ruin the image, but I guess not. Because after the seven minutes, we were done.

That was that. No yucky drink or injection. And I was pretty much out of there in 15 minutes.
I wish all medical tests were that easy. I was back to the office in no time.

Labels: cancer, doctor, health

Meet & Greet with the Doctor

Even though I have already had one appointment with him, and I have been to "After Hours Care" more than I can count - today was my "Meet & Greet" extra-long appointment with my new Doctor.

It went well. We went over pretty much everything wrong with me.
How did I get this old so fast ?
I'm totally falling apart.

He wants to me to visit his Oncologist, even though I don't want chemotherapy.
"I recommend that people who have had cancer get check ups with on oncologist as well as with me," he said.
Ok, whatever... I ended up with an appointment form.

And, I need to go see the Arthritis specialist, because the arthritis in my hips in killing me. so another referral and appointment form.....

"You know, every pound that you loose with be in your favor as far as the arthritis is concerned", the doctor said as gently as possible to remind to lose weight.
Yeah, I know.

Finally, since I keep getting sick - bronchitis and then the Flu - he ordered a CT scan of my sinuses .
To see if I have a deviated septum, or any cysts or nodules growing in my sinuses.
Thats what he told me anyway. But I know he is really checking for cancer.
I keep getting a cold/flu thing - so they are going fishing to see if anything else could possibly be causing them besides your basic cold/flu viruses.
I told him that I was fine getting a CT scan, as long as I didn't drink any toxic liquid that would make me sick.
He said they can do a CT of your sinuses without contrast. And he ordered it without contrast material. Another appointment form.

The way things are going with me - if I got a hang-nail three times in a row, they would probably do a CT scan of my dern finger. I'm joking, but you know what I mean.

By the time I left the doctor, I had my hands filled with paper. Appointment forms.
First, off to pee in a cup. Double-check that the urinary tract infection went away.
Ok, I am still not drinking alot of water or enough cranberry juice.
So I had to pee in the cup....

There was alittle shelf to leave the cup on. And compared to some of the other pee in the other cups, my pee looked pretty good if I must say so.
Some of those people who peed in those cups, should be worried. Some of the pee I was looking at reminded me of a dark pilsner beer. I was looking at the cups thinking "Did they drink beer for breakfast? That can't be good."
Yuck... just a reminder to drink 8 glasses of water every day.

Then it was to the Xray Department, to have an Xray done of my hips.
The technician escorted me to the changing room.
"Ok, take off everything from the waist up. You can leave the jeans on." said the Tech.
"But I am having my hips Xrayed", I said slightly worried.

The technician crinkled his eyebrows and said "Wait here, I'll be right back" and he went off to check my forms.
He said that I was right, it was my hips they were xraying - but that they actually had someone else scheduled for a chest xray at the same time, and both our papers got all stuck together.
Thank heavens he actually did end up xraying the correct part of my body - my hips.

Labels: cancer, doctor, health

After Hours Care - and the Flu

I missed Thursday and Friday from work. And I even stayed in bed all weekend, except for one trip to the grocery store for kleenex and cold/flu medicine.

But this morning when I woke up, I still wasn't going any where.
At first I told my boss, I would be in that afternoon.
Then I called back at noon to say I was going to the doctor.

So off I drove to After Hours Care location.

Basically, I went in saying "I think I have the flu."
And I came out with the Doctor saying "You have the flu".
But he did give me a prescription for drugs. Some super-duper cold medicine.

And... after he took a look a my records, and saw that I had just had bronchitis in December - he ordered a chest X-ray.

Since I seem to be having a chest xray every few months - after having radiation treatments for cancer in 2005 - I really was not to happy about having another chest xray.
I said "You know I just had a chest xray in December."
He said "Yes, and that one was clear, so lets do one now, just to make sure."
And I was way to sick to argue about it.
But this chest xray was clear too.

He also gave me a note, putting me out of work until next Thursday.
That means, it is only March - and I will have used up all of my sick days for the year. No more left.

I stopped off at Rite-Aid to get my Super-Duper cold medicine.
And there were some pills that were way to big for me to even think of swallowing.
After I saw the bottle, I said to the pharmacist "I can't swallow these."
Since they can't be ground up, he recommended some over the counter items that did the same thing.
But I was starting to weaken from being out at the doctors and then the pharmacy.
I just took my Super-duper cold medicine, and went home.

I took the Super-Duper cold medicine before I went to bed for a few nights because it helped control the cough.
Believe me, I have never had dreams this weird.
Something about Shakespeare and a horse floating in the air. That was the first night.
After the third night - a psychedelic dream with lots of revolving colors - I decided to go back to good old sugary cough drops.

Labels: doctor, health

Cipro Antibiotics

I slept in, and then I head over to pick up the prescription.
There's a new shift of Doctors at the After Hours Care place.
"Oh, you're the one who wouldn't stay here last night!" said the new somewhat older Doctor.
"Yep, thats me. I just came for my prescription". I say.
He is looking at my from over his glasses, like he's never seen anyone like me before.
He made sure to tell me to come back in a few days and get a follow-up urine test.
Ok, fine.

My first stop on my way to work is a pharmacy.
It really makes a difference where you go with these things.

My first stop is Ralph's pharmacy.
I hand that Pharmacist the prescription.
"Is it pills? Are they big?" I ask.
yes, and yes.
"It doesn't come in a capsule? Or liquid?" I ask.
no and no.
What can I do... I can't take these.
She is no help.
I say "Give me back the prescription. Let me go to Rite Aid, maybe they have liquid."

Off I go to Rite Aid .
I ask the Pharmacist the same questions.
He is a wealth of information on how to swallow big chalky pills.
He said "These are Cipro . You can pulverize them. We sell Pill Pulverizers ."

Oh, joy ! Pulverize ! I love it ! I can crush the big chalky pills !
I buy a little plastic pulverizer for about 4 bucks.
It grinds the pill up with no effort whatsoever.

Then I get home. And I mix the ground up Cipro with Grape Juice.
Oh, what a lovely bitter flavor !
But I am fine with the yucky bitter flavor.
I can deal with it, if it means the medicine is getting in me.
The pulverized Cipro is on its way down.

Labels: doctor, health

posted by Donna Grayson  # 5:04 PM (0) comments