One appointment done with. Far Guy has a Cardiologist...a three hour drive away. We finally have someone that understands all the jargon and can make sense of it. Far Guy is to discontinue his blood thinning medication at the end of the month ...since it will be a year since he had a stent placed in one of the vessels. Yeah for one less medication! A few tests will be done but nothing to be alarmed about.
The waiting room was horrid...a guy coughing in the corner...then his phone rang and he proceeded to talk loudly and use some not so nice language...totally improper. Far Guy said "Well you watch Hell's Kitchen that guy swears too." The waiting room was very crowded...no way you could stay six feet apart. It all made me nervous. There are many good things about virtual appointments.
After the appointment we had a good visit with Jen, Andy, Adam and Little Elvis who was so excited to see us! Adam got his Birthday Hugs early!
Lots of road construction going on...I think the push is on to finish before it snows. Far Guy drove, I crocheted the whole way.
Far Side
If you are faced with sitting in a crowded waiting room again, give the desk your phone number and tell them you will wait in your car. We've done that here anyway and one office even had a sign saying you had that option. Those appointments cause enough anxiety without adding coughing people and no social distancing!
ReplyDeleteI love the brown-eyed Susan’s. They really say it’s autumn.
I really detest sitting in waiting rooms; seems people are just way too inconsiderate these days. Happy to hear Far Guy has a doctor that understands and congrats to Far Guy on getting off a medication. Tons of road construction around here also.
ReplyDeleteAt my wife's clinic, if you have any sort of cough or respiratory issue, you are required to sit in your car, in a separate part of the parking lot until a masked and gowned person ushers you in through a separate entrance where you are treated, regardless of how you test for Covid. Those without respiratory issues much be masked and checked for temperature before allowed into the other waiting area.
ReplyDeleteI am going to all my doctor appts before fall happens. Our clinic yesterday was so quiet in the waiting room, they really are being mindful.
ReplyDeleteScary note. My doctor said that last week they had to refuse a patient for the ER. The hospital couldn't take the patient. Even the very large ones up to 90 miles away could not take the patient.
The patient was 'shipped' to another state, either MN or Iowa.
Good news on reducing meds. I think having a doctor that knows how to communicate is a wonderful thing. So many don't have that ability.
Yes! It is scary when the waiting rooms are too packed to do social distancing. People will usually comply on their own if there is room to do so. I'm glad there will be one less medication and glad you got some family time, too. :)
ReplyDeleteI am glad FG is getting better, but that waiting room sounds awful! I hope you two won't have to do something like that again soon! :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a busy day. Glad you had time to visit with family. It is always good to have one less medication.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they are reducing his meds by one. But that waiting room? That was awful. IF they have a small waiting room they should have people wait in their cars until called.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed for continued good news about appointments.
ReplyDeleteI have fun medical stories. Since I am not 65 YET, I have to pay out of pocket for my health insurance. My policy does not cover any "well care" so I have only gone to the doctor for an emergency in the last five years. My last visit to the hospital was August 2020. My last appointment was a virtual appointment in October 2020 which was mandatory to renew my prescriptions, but "well care" so not covered by insurance. Last Friday I got a check in the mail for $544.37 from the hospital with no explanation. Monday I got a bill from the hospital (which controls billing for my doctor) for $39.00 with no explanation.
I called the billing department, explained the situation, told her that previously the hospital had overbilled me and issued a series of three refund checks during the summer of 2020. She looked into it. I could not get dates or reasons but somehow my insurance paid even more during this situation and they just caught it. And issued me another refund 12-18 months later. And the bill for $39 was an error. I started trying to keep track of all these medical bills and insurance payments (ambulance, ER, office calls, x-rays, people that read the x-rays, surgeon, radiologist, hospital, anesthesia, physical therapy, etc, etc) on an Excel spreadsheet. It got too confusing and I still had the old green ledger paper. I restarted twice and have a stack of paper from everyone that is almost 4" tall. I will never make heads or tails of our health care system.
I started on Medicare yesterday. After deciding on a Part B, Part D and supplemental Plan F, I am now paying more for health insurance with my "free" medicare than before when I was totally self-insured.
Now the fun part. When I was signing up for Medicare and Part D, a pop up asked me to complete a survey on medicare.gov. They asked me if I would like to participate in future surveys and I said yes. They have made an appointment with me for a one hour zoom interview next week with a Medicare representative. This will be interesting.
Your and Far Guy's trips to the doctor's are always interesting. Glad Far Guy is doing better. I've had doctor appointments lately. I am amazed at the folks that can't put their cell phone down long enough to check in, then continue to yap on the phone the whole time they wait. It drives me crazy.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if the doctor mentioned but be sure that Far Guy discontinues that blood thinner gradually, Connie... say like over a week or two. He doesn't want to abruptly stop taking it, after being on it for so long, ya know? Yes, all the coughing and closeness of a doctor's office. UGH! I hope you two wore masks. ~Andrea xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteGiving birthday hugs was probably the highlight of the day. I had my second eye lasered on Monday, and was glad that I was an early morning appointment because I was alone in the waiting room when I arrived. And it was full of people when I left - all wearing masks as required however.
ReplyDeleteThankful that FG will be able to reduce his meds. What were you crocheting on during the long ride? Happy Birthday to Adam! Hope you and FG will have a pleasant and restful day.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I understand about crowded waiting rooms and rude, inconsiderate folks on their phones. Also, I have gotten where I cannot stand perfume, food smells etc. and some folks are so obnoxious!
Such good news that Far Guy has landed a good Cardiologist. I hope neither of you caught anything in that crowded waiting room. That sure is far from a good situation.
ReplyDeleteThat's great that Far Guy can get off the blood thinner! Those medications scare me. I had to take Tom to the ER a month ago from a minor scrape on his arm that would not stop bleeding all because of the blood thinner he takes. He got his second stent over a year ago but they won't take him off it until December. I'm happy to hear Far Guy has a Cardiologist you both like. That makes a big difference if you are comfortable with a doctor. It's great you got to see some of the family while there too!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad he has a good doctor and I hope you don't have to go there in the wintertime! Good news that he can stop a medicine too. I pray you didn't catch anything in the crowded waiting room. I have to go to the eye doctor next week and I'm already nervous! I have to drive everywhere myself. I think I was rich in a previous life because I would like to have a "driver". LOL! Take care!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a terrible waiting room
ReplyDeleteWonderful to hear the doctor was what you were looking for and meds have been reduced. BUT what an idiot in the waiting room.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to Adam!
Sounds good to have some improvements. I hope progress is made and no going back. You'd think that in a specialist's office there would very definitely be some space and that there would be safety practised.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that things are evening out for you two.
ReplyDeleteI was in a medical center yesterday too, to see my orthopedic surgeon. The place was almost empty of patients. That's good.
Kudos to you for being able to crochet without getting carsick. I’m jealous.
ReplyDeleteGlad Far Guys appointment went well and soon he can be off the blood thinner! Sorry about the crowded waiting room and cougher, swearer guy! How nice that far guy drove and you crocheted...evidently that doesn't hurt your thumb! Take it easy you two!
ReplyDeleteI think the waiting room issue is one that resonates with so many people, ever since COVID, and it's good to see people commenting that they choose to wait in their own car. I do, too. No matter how careful medical staff try to be, crowded waiting rooms are just too much of a chance to take. Most of the staff I've encountered are more than willing to call me on my cell phone when it's my turn. But even then, most of the time, I have to ask them to do so.
ReplyDeleteHappy (early) birthday to Adam!
I thought it was bad enough having to visit a crowded supermarket, but that waiting room sounds horrific. Still, I am glad the cardiologist was a sensible one - and that you obviously got a lot of crocheting done as well :) xx
ReplyDeleteI am glad he can get off the blood thinner. I will take it forever and I do bleed easily for every puncture that I get. I am glad that stent has worked well for him. I see when we flipped the calendar that I am ready for an appointment this month. I usually didn't have my wife in the office a few months ago as she didn't need to catch anything.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Adam! I'm glad you two got to see family. But, I am sorry about that waiting room. It's like the airports right now. They ALL say keep masks on and social distance a minumum of 6 feet while you're in the airport. Most have every other chair at the gate area covered. Then they put you on the plane with people knee to knee. It's ridicuous. And someone alway has to complain.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
It is reassuring to connect with a caring Dr that makes sense and understands the big picture. That is a long drive, looking forward to seeing your traveling project.
ReplyDelete