It seems like every appointment that we have leads to three more. At this rate will we ever be done with Doctors and appointments?? doubtful
Yesterday was a frustrating difficult day. Anxiety as we saw the Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon in Fargo. Far Guy has a nodule on his Thyroid. The needle aspiration that he had done back in September showed it was Thyroid. (Go figure) The Oncologist Dr B wanted it checked out...the referral took place the first week in December...well yesterday was that appointment...finally. That appointment is leading to another biopsy....not sure when...they will call. Far Guy is fit to be tied. There are no ENT Surgeons in Grand Forks....Fargo is the next best option or Rochester. ( We are not driving back and forth to Rochester in the Winter) ( Far Guy does NOT like the Surgeon in Fargo)
One day at a time...we keep on keeping on. Trying to stay positive! Three appointments on Friday to get through before we get the weekend off.
We are still waiting for the we will call you from the appointments last week.
One good thing...the roads were not snowy and not icy.
Two good things...Jen went with us and we went out to lunch.
Another good thing...furnaces instead of wood fired stoves like in the olden days...I am not sure how people stayed warm.
First, praying for less appts and more healing, and second, yes, we do not miss using our wood stove. We used to have to split wood, haul it and load it all winter long. We are thankful for the propane heat we installed a few years ago. No more hard labor in that department.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine your appointment fatigue is pretty tiring. Good luck with all, and I hope the next biopsy also shows thyroid.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is I’m so sad that FG is going on this journey. Hope it’ll be better than expected.
ReplyDeleteI grew up staying by a wood stove to wam my butt. Front still was cold. We carried wood to the porch each after as a chore. We gathered kindling too.
Gosh darn Thyroid. Prayers for good news on the biopsy. Doesn't Mother Nature know you need safe roads to travel? I try to keep doctors in one location, but sometimes you can't deal with certain medical people. I'm glad Jen could go along and you could enjoy a nice lunch. And I too am very grateful for a warm and cozy house this winter!
ReplyDeleteOh dear - it's a never ending cycle for your poor husband. And having to drive so far to see specialists has to be frustrating. One of my best friends makes the 4 hour trip to Omaha once a month at the least for a specialist. Another friend moved 6 hours east to Cedar Rapids IA to be closer to her husband's specialist doctor. Just doesn't seem right to have to go so far in this day and age.
ReplyDeleteHealth appointments are like a rabbit hole. Never ending and not sure where one ends up, or when. I hope Far Guy finds a DR he is comfortable entrusting his care. Perhaps grouped appointments around an overnighter or two in the big city would be an option. Glad you have good things to soften the not so good.
ReplyDeleteWe sure missed our wood stove. Having to rely on a gas furnace has been, well, different. This winter, with our extreme temperatures, my guy dragged the old wood furnace out of the storage and piped it back in. We don't have duct work anymore, so it's just heating the basement. But my goodness, it is some cozy down there, and we don;t have to worry about frozen pipes. My grandparents had a great old coal furnace. I remember how warm and cozy their house always was.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you and Far Guy and the family have to go through this. It reminds me of some of the frustrations Tom and I had. Keeping all of you in my prayers. Thank you for the note. I was doing well early in December but suddenly I just felt finished. I still have small Christmas gifts to send to children and grandchildren. I did manage to get a few out.
ReplyDeleteGetting all your medical stuff done is a full time job. Nobody seems to be in a hurry to look at your needs these days.
ReplyDeleteSorry for all the hassle with yet more appointments! At least the roads are not icy ( for the moment).
ReplyDeleteI had to see a surgeon in had heard bad things about. It really stressed me...then I thought, you know what I don't have to like him. He'll do the surgery and that's it. I felt much better when I realized that.
ReplyDeleteThankful the roads were clear for y'all. You are so right...one appointment leads to 2 extra appointments. My oldest daughter has a lump on her thyroid...she has already had it biopsied twice, and it is always benign... Hers is from having Hashimoto's disease. Praying for the very best for Far Guy.
ReplyDeleteWe heated with a wood-burning stove for quite a few years. I was in charge of building the fire and keeping it going. Sometimes if the wood was wet it took a while to "get going," but once it did the house often got so hot I had to open windows. I was not sorry to replace the wood stove and the mess it made with a propane heater with a dial and thermostat. When our son was diagnosed sometimes we made 3 trips (90 miles each way) a week between oncologist, radiologist, and surgeon. The hospital did try to coordinate the appointments but it still became very frustrating at times.
ReplyDeleteKeeping fingers crossed about the nodule on the thyroid. I'm not surprised that they want to do a biopsy...the cells they get with a needle are hit or miss, I've been told (and had to have the resulting biopsy) Ugh for you guys, especially with the distances you need to go for medical care. I would love a wood burning stove right now. Our heat pump 'furnace' can't manage the cold, and our house is chilly. (But in the 60's we did heat with wood. The family room would be 85 and the bedrooms were 60 at best. Brrrr!)
ReplyDeleteKeep on counting the good things!
ReplyDeleteI have seen Dr. Brent Nichols in Fargo. He is an ENT doctor and I have had surgeries with him. I think he is very good. Let me know if you want more info. Good luck to Far Guy!
ReplyDeleteLD...With wood heat one stays warm only on one side. I hope things work out for the diagnosis.
ReplyDeleteIm sure that it's very frustrating for you having to deal with all of this! We are having trouble getting in to see a doctor at all and then they cancel me and I have to wait another two months! So tired of the whole mess! Hopefully things will be just fine for fg!
ReplyDeleteI see I've missed so much going on with you guys. I will be praying for Far Guy and you. Jerry and I certainly understand constant doctor appointments. With Jerry, it seem to be never-ending, also. With our current temps here, I would like three more furnaces... I'm cold all the time. (Probably just me continuing to recup from surgery.) Hugs and blessing to you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, so sorry to hear about your appointments and yet more appointment yet to come. Sure hope far guy will be ok with the thyroid problem. We won't drive to Rochester in the winter either, unless it would be an emergency.
ReplyDeletewe pray none of us have one of those any time soon. Do take good care of each other and keep making your way through this winter!
So much happening with appointments. I told my doctor that I feel as if I'm living inside an "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" book. Everytime I see they for one thing, they find two more. I'm supposed to have the surgery to remove the mass in my colon on the 10th but I still have this ridiculous cough. I really don't want to postpone the surgery since it takes awhile to be scheduled and although this was considered an "emergency" it still took 4 weeks to get in. I also see the endocrinologist this week for a followup of the "growth" on my adrenal gland. Getting old isn't for sissies.
ReplyDeleteTake care my dear friend. You and Far Guy are in my prayers every single day. You have had way too much to deal with.
Blessings and hugs,
Betsy
The hurry up and wait is always so frustrating, especially when the option of good physicians is limited. I'm sorry you're stuck in that infernal loop right now.
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