The VENT Thread

[starrydreamer]

Then don't read the vent thread.
And don't, for God's sake, give your friendly neighborhood hospital an excuse to give you a contrast screen CT scan. 90 % of humans get hives and attempt to look like an Irish Setter. We proved I'm human. Nuff said.
The tech in the scanner room was patting me on shoulder and telling me that they really did love me while it went in. Oh, yeah, that made me feel better? LOL,LOL,LOL!

I had to get a CT scan with contrast before my sinus surgery. I don't remember hives. Although, for someone allergic to every kind of tree and grass out there, I am surprisingly okay with all things medical.

My kid has surgery #4759854687645 tomorrow. He's already worried about it and it's supposed to thunderstorm tonight (he's afraid of storms and it'll be the first one of the year), so getting him to bed tonight is going to be fun. He's most worried about the huge sticker that they put on the inside of his thigh for his last surgery (for his back) for his catheter. It was terrible to get off. I tried explaining that he won't have it this time but you try explaining these things to an almost 5 year old.

[ElPrado2]

I don't look quite as similar to an over weight lobster today. Need a few more minutes in the stock pot.

[Tessablue]

The first test said it probably was cancer, then they said it probably wasn't, then I had to wait three weeks for a biopsy result that should have been returned in one week because they forgot to call despite me calling to ask every day for the past week, and after all that they said it's probably not cancer but they still aren't sure. But hey, at least I'm off crutches after tearing my ankle up a month ago in an entirely unrelated incident!

This is my second cancer scare and my fourth or fifth major leg injury. I'm too young for this shit...

[Somnambulist]

I hope it's nothing. Doctors offices are sometimes worse to deal with than not feeling well.

Have you ever gone to a podiatrist? The entire right side of my body hurts and has for years, and as a last ditch effort I went to one and apparently my pronation is "horrific". My left collapses so badly that I've been walking with an artificial length leg discrepancy and uneven hips forever. No one ever looks at your feet and am only mentioning since I remember you mentioning another ankle problem.

[Tessablue]

Good call! I started seeing a podiatrist last year after breaking and dislocating one of my toes. We talked a lot about those issues (including severe pronation), I started wearing some new insoles and it made a huge quality of life difference. Unfortunately, I have extremely loose ligaments in my feet and legs so it still only takes one bad step, which is what happened here. Sorry to hear that you deal with these issues as well, and I'm amazed that you're so active despite how painful it is. Glad you were able to figure it out and get it looked at.

As for the other thing... it's definitely something that needs to be surgically removed, but I'm more hopeful now than I have been in the past couple of weeks. And you're right that just going to the doctor and thinking about all the possibilities is in many respects the scariest part. I still can't believe I waited an almost three weeks because the doctor forgot. I know how busy they are and she's been great one-on-one, but studies have shown that waiting for biopsy results causes serious anxiety and mental problems after three days!!

Anyways. I'll know more in a couple of weeks, my ridiculous summer class schedule is a welcome distraction, and I appreciate the well-wishes.

[Sparrow Castle]

Oh how awful, Tessablue, so sorry you're going through a cancer scare. Yeah, docs and other medical professionals can be terribly blase when it comes to the emotional upheaval an uncertain diagnosis creates in their patients.

My recent biopsy came back negative and the relief was intense, even temporarily overshadowed the other bad things they found. Scheduled for major surgery in a few weeks though, very inconvenient. If it has to come out, I sure hope your issue can be fixed by something less invasive like laparoscopy, with a quick recovery and no lasting problems.

Yeah, Som, dealing with our medical system can be as bad as feeling sick without knowing why. The possibilities they throw out there are really scary, and going down dead ends is terribly frustrating! That alone wears you out!

[Somnambulist]

Yeah, Som, dealing with our medical system can be as bad as feeling sick without knowing why. The possibilities they throw out there are really scary, and going down dead ends is terribly frustrating! That alone wears you out!

And then God-forbid you have bad healthcare. I don't even know anyone who has a good plan anymore - even the people who used to. I'm a healthcare contract nerd so I milk them for everything, but the cost out of pocket alone is terrible. We joke that sometimes dying would be cheaper than getting fixed. I've always found it calming to remember that doctors, despite what many think, are not experts. They are just licensed to practice medicine and you're getting an educated guess at best -- how educated is up in the air. Thankfully science is always changing so I don't really believe in dead ends! Every day is one less day until you get your answer and time moves so fast. I hope you're not dealing with anything too serious and that your surgery is a breeze, and the recovery even more so. And that the summer racing is good enough to keep you from getting bored.

Tessa, I hope your test and the results are uneventful.

Now may we all win the lotto.

[Tessablue]

I've discovered that the only good healthcare plans belong to private university faculty members. Of course, the grad students who destroy themselves mentally and physically while working for the school get garbage. I'm torn between "I wish I'd caught this sooner" and "if I'd caught this sooner it would have bankrupted me," and it's deeply upsetting to think about all the people for whom this would be even more devastating. It's just completely morally wrong that our lives are effectively priced inequally.

I'm so sorry to hear that you'll have to have surgery, SC. I'm so glad the results were negative, and I wish you a quick and easy recovery!

It sounds like we could all use some quality, drama-free racing in the upcoming months and weeks. I'm counting on you, Belmont undercard!

[Somnambulist]

It's just completely morally wrong that our lives are effectively priced inequally.

It's tiring, isn't it. At some point I was actually dumb enough to believe social mobility was a thing. Oh, my former sweet summer child.

I've never wanted children and am fortunate enough to have found someone that doesn't want any either. In a way I consider us fortunate because at least we'll be able to afford some nice cheese without having to think about anyone but ourselves. In other ways my heart really breaks for the people that want them but can barely afford electricity. Age 30 is age 20 of yester-year.

[Sparrow Castle]

Thanks, Som and Tess. You're right about the inequality in this country. Cost-wise, my current plan isn't among the worst, and for that I'm thankful. After surgery, I'll be in the hospital at least a week and that will add up. I do hope they let me watch racing at least on my Tablet while there. Otherwise, I'll die of boredom.

The problem I've run into is the lack of big-picture thinking and coordination among the practitioners. Yep, it's called "practicing" medicine because they're truly just practicing on us. They make a diagnosis based on their particular specialty even if it explains only one of the symptoms and they don't really know.

Finally, a sharp pulmonologist put all the symptoms together, and testing proved him right. What I have isn't directly pulmonary but it does cause lung and breathing issues because it's so systemic once it gets this bad. It's something that becomes malignant if not treated in time, and this has been getting worse and worse for several years. I likely owe my life to him, assuming I survive it lol.

The specialty that should have caught it just didn't, but he's a nice man so I guess it's okay if he sometimes misses things. In their defense, they say what I have is either atypical or a whole new animal that likely in the future will be better understood. My kids keep saying I should buy Lotto tickets because I really do have luck...really GOOD luck and really BAD luck...but luck for sure.

Definitely looking forward to Belmont Day! May they all come home safe and sound!

[starrydreamer]

The problem I've run into is the lack of big-picture thinking and coordination among the practitioners. Yep, it's called "practicing" medicine because they're truly just practicing on us. They make a diagnosis based on their particular specialty even if it explains only one of the symptoms and they don't really know.

Sorry to hear about everyone's medical problems. It's scary and frustrating and insurance just sucks. I have a decent plan and my husband and kid have a decent plan, but the first half of the year is always painful until we hit our out-of-pocket max on my husband's plan (kiddo has at least one surgery a year, and he needs 3 or 4 more, plus all of his nutrition is through insurance because he's g-tube fed).

This lack of big-picture thinking amongst a care team of different specialists is a big problem in most places, I think. It almost landed my son with a tracheostomy when he was 6 months old. We pushed and pushed for all of his specialists to sit in a room together and get on the same page because we got tired of hearing different things from every specialty that walked in our son's hospital room. And once it was done, they thanked us for making it happen. Like it was some sort of new thing.

[Sparrow Castle]

The problem I've run into is the lack of big-picture thinking and coordination among the practitioners. Yep, it's called "practicing" medicine because they're truly just practicing on us. They make a diagnosis based on their particular specialty even if it explains only one of the symptoms and they don't really know.

Sorry to hear about everyone's medical problems. It's scary and frustrating and insurance just sucks. I have a decent plan and my husband and kid have a decent plan, but the first half of the year is always painful until we hit our out-of-pocket max on my husband's plan (kiddo has at least one surgery a year, and he needs 3 or 4 more, plus all of his nutrition is through insurance because he's g-tube fed).

This lack of big-picture thinking amongst a care team of different specialists is a big problem in most places, I think. It almost landed my son with a tracheostomy when he was 6 months old. We pushed and pushed for all of his specialists to sit in a room together and get on the same page because we got tired of hearing different things from every specialty that walked in our son's hospital room. And once it was done, they thanked us for making it happen. Like it was some sort of new thing.

That's remarkable, starrydreamer. Seems like common sense, but it did take me awhile to figure it out. Good for you for pushing through it. I guess the takeaway is we must be our own best advocates when dealing with the medical system, as tiring as that is especially when you're already sick and tired. Thanks for caring, and best wishes to you and your family!

[Catalina]

Best wishes to all of you looking at surgery down the road.

[Sparrow Castle]

Best wishes to all of you looking at surgery down the road.

Thanks, Catalina. I'm hoping for the best for all of us. And horse racing needs us strong and healthy!

[ElPrado2]

Yeah, try to stay away from that first tracheostomy. They tend to have friends. I've had three or four. One nitwit in a white coat was mumbling on my last stay, I heard that word mumble by. Told him to ask whichever member of the herd of drs did my last one what my throat looks like. It's why I'm on levothyroxine now. I have so much scar tissue from ham handed surgeons I am a female with an Adam's apple.

[starrydreamer]

Yeah, try to stay away from that first tracheostomy. They tend to have friends. I've had three or four. One nitwit in a white coat was mumbling on my last stay, I heard that word mumble by. Told him to ask whichever member of the herd of drs did my last one what my throat looks like. It's why I'm on levothyroxine now. I have so much scar tissue from ham handed surgeons I am a female with an Adam's apple.

Yes, we fought it really hard. Especially with babies, once it's in, it's in for a long time.

[ElPrado2]

Back in my home away from home.
If they tell me again my kidney stone is imaginary I will own the joint. Motrin doesn't quite do any good. Drs are just like anyone else. Just dumber.

[ElPrado2]

That's absolutely true about drs and specialties. I go in with a seizure and the heart bunch finds me first. Good luck, neurology. I'm hid somewhere they put heart patients. Come in with kidney stones... neurology finds me first, I'm hid on the 9th floor. They don't even speak to me about kidney. I've had to throw temper tantrums to get them to ask why I'm there. One vein specialist spotted me 30 yards down the hall. I almost had to fall out of a wheelchair to get loose from her.

[ElPrado2]

It has to be an accident. A dr actually showed up that listened. They believed I hurt... they gave me a slug of morphine. I may hurt, but I don't care. I get to have a collection of different scans of various places. I may even have convinced her that I knew where it hurt. That alone is an improvement. Some of these fools act like telephone poles. Say anything you want, it doesn't mean a thing. You will hurt where they give you permission to hurt.

[sweettalk]

no one checks out the things i recommend. no one ever likes things i mention liking. so... i guess, it's me. i'm wrong or bad or something. so that's great i guess.

in less "wow, i'm just a terrible person" news, i played an online game with a guy who made great puns. i liked him. made for a good gaming session.