Random healthcare thread

[csquared]

I wish I had a copy of my EKG from my original A-Fib. That one freaked me out. 49 years old and I am in the cardiac ward of the local hospital.

On the other hand, look at the miracles of modern medicine. Mick Jagger had a valve replacement and he doesn't have a 9" scar in the center of his chest.

[Pixelated]

Honey, save the spooked bit for when the nice PA at the walk-in clinic calls 911 for you . . .

Yeah, that would do it!

I had gotten an in-office test a week or so ago, plus was hooked up to a heart monitor for three days. The creepiest part of all that? The doctor kept turning on the sound from the in-office testing machine ... "goosha, goosha, goosha" ...

Me (thinks): "Please stop that; it is creeping me out SO bad ..." I mean, seriously, I'd have died of fright if it had suddenly stopped ...

Turns out they want me back in for the stress test plus a quick chat with the cardiologist. It does not sound like it's anything major. I'm guessing a preventative lecture ... "Lose some weight ... how much salt do you eat () .... how much exercise do you get () ..."

[morgana]

Honey, save the spooked bit for when the nice PA at the walk-in clinic calls 911 for you . . .

[Buzzard]

Could just be a nice CYA means of relaying the results. Privacy regs can get rather nasty about any possible leak of information. Yes, there should be some bit of context in there, but... OMG, LEAK! At least they're not leaving an urgent message.

Save the spooked bit for when you look at the workplace and/or hear the brass talking about the next big idea and how it will make everything better.

[Pixelated]

So a year or two ago I started on a long chain of checkups common to aging folks. Among them was a series of cardio tests. At the time they said everything was fine.

Just had another series of tests (NOT the stress test, oddly enough) and came home today to a phone message in nicely accented English: "Hello, this is [Cardiac Centre] for [Pixelated]. We need to book you to see the cardiologist."



I am now officially spooked.

And for the record, I've had no symptoms whatsoever indicating possible heart problems.

[Buzzard]

Type 2 here as well. Things progress and... damnit. No use throwing a SC about it.
31 gauge needles are the happy thing. I started with 30's, and they were all right. Stupidity with a doc and a pharmacist got me some 29's, and those hurt. every. freakin. time.
Now what gets me is: Syringes are NOT a Rx-only item. However, several of the chain pharmacies/corner store places have a policy that without a scrip, thou shalt only get 28.5/29 gauge needles (GreenWalls), and sometimes only single-needles for 50 cents a pop. (Your Aid is NOT Rite)
yeah. No scrip MUST equal druggie needing a needle, so here's your huge needle for a stupid price. (Wallyworld sells their store brand for 12.5 cents a pop and doesn't care about needing a scrip, so... yeah, that's where I take all my business anymore)

[ladyjaneinmd]

Been there with the 'Pin the needle on the vein' game. Do NOT like needles. Back when I was a regular blood donor, I needed 2 squeeze balls, one in each hand: 1 for pumping blood once the tap is in, and the other for someplace for the EEEEEEEEEK! to go while I keep the donor arm still.

And now, I'm an insulin-dependent diabetic. Yup, I have to jab myself multiple times a day, under my own power. On the plus side, I don't have to worry about finding a damned vein.

Yeah, I'm diabetic too, and I also inject insulin (although I'm a Type II, not nearly as insulin-dependent as a Type I).
WHOLE different kind of needle. Teeny tiny, probably 1/4" long, and I inject into fat (of which I have PLENTY). No problems here.

Now, I have big fat veins, but now they're buried under fat, and as often as I tell the vampires that I have perfectly fine veins, they still insist on treating me as though they're hard to find. Once in awhile I get a good one, though.

[Buzzard]

Been there with the 'Pin the needle on the vein' game. Do NOT like needles. Back when I was a regular blood donor, I needed 2 squeeze balls, one in each hand: 1 for pumping blood once the tap is in, and the other for someplace for the EEEEEEEEEK! to go while I keep the donor arm still.

And now, I'm an insulin-dependent diabetic. Yup, I have to jab myself multiple times a day, under my own power. On the plus side, I don't have to worry about finding a damned vein.

[greek_jester]

Just had to have blood drawn. It took 2 nurses 25 minutes to find a vein (after checking both arms multiple times) then they had to use a kiddie needle to get it in. Plus they felt like they hit bone. Did I mention I have a full-blown phobia about needles?

[greek_jester]

It's my guess I won't be leaving my apartment for a couple of days ...

*winces* Yep, you're there for a while. Hope you have some good books.

[Pixelated]

So I started tonight (literally 10 seconds ago) on my second and more powerful (but shorter) round of antibiotics.

Instructions say to take "with plenty of water."

It's my guess I won't be leaving my apartment for a couple of days ...

[Pixelated]

Some time ago my optometrist sent me for some additional checkups after finding a 'freckle' on the inside of my one eye. The first specialist she called didn't have a space open until December, so she made an appointment with them. Then she tried other places and made an appointment elsewhere for today. (I have the option of cancelling the other appointment, which I likely will do.)

First hilarious bit: they put in those drops that turn your pupils into dinner plates. Assistant: "Well, at least it's not bright out today." No, it wasn't ... when I went in. By the time I came out (about 2 hours later) it was full sun. Driving home was A LOT of fun.

Second hilarious bit: today's optometrist couldn't find the freckle. After doing a thorough search in both eyes, they put in MORE drops, and then he did another search, finally locating the damn thing in the right eye. "Wow, she has good eyes!" was his comment, about the optometrist who found it in the first place.

[csquared]

And not every phone is capable of sending. Still can't pry that old flip phone out of my MIL's hand.

[Buzzard]

One of the benefits of a landline: automatic listing of address/location on the 911 dispatcher's screen.
Had a fun one where I couldn't use my voice and trying to get the dispatcher to understand XXX EAST Streetname and 'Medical', not XXX8 and... police?. Cellphones are handy in that they go everywhere, but not every department has the ability (equipment/training) to pull the GPS info from the phone that's calling in.

[Pixelated]

One of the reasons I still have a landline. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Actually, I do still have a landline ... I'm still using the number of my parents' house, which has been in place for a few decades. It saves me the trouble of having to memorize a new number.

Thank you for your kind wishes. I have no doubt it will clear up. I stupidly left it go longer than I should have, so it'll take a little longer but ... and I am definitely one of those people who take my meds, on schedule, and until there is no more.