What do you want me to do for you?

[Mytical]

Ok so I went today to the ER. Was trying to figure out why I am having headaches, dizziness, confusion, weakness, and a yellow (sometimes white) halo effect in my vision. I get there, and they have the bands with name/etc .. they ask me if the info is correct..and I might as well have been trying to read chinese. While standing on my head..juggling bowling pins. Finally though..I am able to confirm..however, it is ride in wheelchair time as I can not even walk a straight line.

So doc comes in and checks my heart and lungs (standard for every time I've gone to the er .. regardless what I've went in for). Sits down..and asks me what I am there for. Answer as best I can..though my confusion is at an all time high. Then drops this gem. "So what do you want me to do for you."

Now I am not thinking clearly..like I said. I draw a complete blank. Had I been myself I probably would have said. "Gee doc I don't know..tell me what the heck is wrong with me maybe?" ... but before I could say anything...he declares I have pink eye and a headache .. and that clearing up those should clear up everything. Guess we will see.

[Food Lady]

Pink eye doesn't cover an aura. It sounds like you need a second opinion from someone who treats non-emergency cases, who isn't accustomed to treating and turfing.

[ArcticChicken]

Did he know you'd just been in the hospital?

[Sapphire Silk]

A halo makes me wonder about glaucoma. See an eye doctor (ophthalmologist).

[trailerparkmedic]

Loser. Did he even bother to notice you had liver issues?

[Mytical]

I do not know if they asked or not to be honest (either about the hospital stay or about the liver issue). That is a problem with my memory issue right now. I tried calling the liver specialist place but got the automated message that they are not open weekends. It would be until after the weekends before anyplace else would be able to fit me in..so going to call the specialist Monday. See what they suggest.

[Phantasmagoria]

Questions like that are desperately unhelpful. I was once asked by a doctor "so what do YOU think you have?" ... When I made a wild guess of something to do with my kidneys based on the pain in my back he laughed in my face and told me I was wrong. Well yes... of course I'm wrong... I'm not a doctor! I tell you what symptoms I'm having... and you tell me what they mean!

(he sent me to the worst hospital in the city for suspected appendicitis, where I was made to feel like I was wasting everyone's time, ignored, given a drug which listed 'chest tightness' as a side effect when that was one of the things I was complaining about, told to go to sleep when I told a nurse I was finding it hard to breathe, and sent home the next day with a box of paracetamol. A month after first getting the symptoms I finally got to see a good doctor who diagnosed costochondritis, which had been left so long the inflammation appeared to have spread pretty much everywhere over my top half, at least, that much of me was in pain!)

[Der Cute]

Ok
You have been to a hospital and your short term memory has..what...oh yeah that.
Today, write down your conditions - what did you go into hospital for. What date of issue. What diagnosis. What meds you CURRENTLY on. What you're ALLERGIC to.

See, many years ago (like 2) when paper records were still god, you had to keep this. Many places have electronic records but they don't all network together. So it's a VERY GOOD idea to keep this with you. Plus, if you're unable to communicate, you need this. I've had seizures where I can't say diddly, even fucked-up miming. So I was at a point and grunt spot, the document helped.
Put this in your wallet. EMT and docs know to look there if you're needing help. (aka you fall down go boom can't speak) Name, phone number (yes, I'm serious), Emergency Contact & Number [also on your phone], current issues and current meds. And allergies.
From today on, I want you to try and record your feeling/state of mind. Try. Can you insert this into your daily routine? Short term memory can be forgotten, but routines are hard to break. Brush teeth in morning then write it down then get dressed. Right next to something important you can't skip, so the writing it down habit will be learned and kept.
And since your mem is kinda hosed right now, could you make yourself a calendar/whiteboard and write thoughts on it? Like " Need milk today" and "Mom's birthday next week" ..thoughts that pop in your head but you kind of know you'll need it later..the ones you lose. Again, incorporate this into a routine or teach self - Oh Thought Go Write It.

I want you to get to your doc and request a basic neuro exam. Your stuff sounds VERY neuro-based. Bring in your scribbles, talk to your doc. WRITE QUESTIONS DOWN AS YOU THINK OF THEM BEFORE YOU GO!

Hugs and chocolate and quiet brain, sent.

[Mytical]

*nods* I keep a paper with my current meds listed on it, thoughtfully provided by University of Cincinnati. I also write down as much as I can, and have people that can help me remember .. so I am a lot better off then I could be. I started out 95% ok, as in only about 5% of the time was I in 'mind fog'..now it is about 85% ok/15% mind fog. So I am taking measures to remind myself of things. Mostly it is just frustration at simple things being so hard to remember, while more complicated things are not. Like (for instance) being able to think of cobblestone, but not the word Brick.

[Der Cute]

I know the feeling of cobblestone vs brick. My issue is specifically tied to epilepsy. My seizure center is in my left temporal lobe, where the speech department is. I can think of words, but not pronounce them right (Elmer Fudd again), or just not the right word.
Again, I really think you need to be seen by a neurologist.

But your frustration/mind fog can sortof be dealt with. Not fixed 100%, but your coping skills are pretty good. Keep up the scribble habit. Create a routine, really.
Mine is get up. Shower. Contacts. Meds. Then whatever is in the day. End of day is meds, wash face, crawl into bed. And if I'm stupid sleepy something, I can still walk through that. Think of cats, when you move furniture? They get pissed, because they know how many steps and jumps it is to get from couch to countertop. Same with me - I know exactly how many footsteps it is to get to the sink, how many back to the bed, etc. Just due to the routine, it's there.
So, again, create routine, pound into your head, it will mechanize/mechanical/organize, movement.what's the word..make it easier for you, even with fog. See? Me too. I know the word has an O and an M in it. ..I just can't find it in my head.
I'm glad you've got help. Lean on them, you need it.

[trailerparkmedic]

*nods* I keep a paper with my current meds listed on it, thoughtfully provided by University of Cincinnati. I also write down as much as I can, and have people that can help me remember

This is a good start. Drs/Nurses are pretty good at what is wrong with a patient based on their medication list. Make sure you keep it updated! It wouldn't hurt to also have a list of your diseases and times you've been in the hospital and why.

If possible, continue to use the same/related hospitals. I work for a health system that runs two hospitals and a zillion clinics. If a patient gets all their care at a clinic we run, I can see all their visits, what their health history is, and what medications they've been prescribed. I know that isn't always possible, based on insurance (or lack thereof) and location.