The doctors visit went quite well and my wife got to meet the doctor this time. We discussed the insurance issue with the medications and he said they will call my carrier and get it fixed. If they for some reason decide that I can no longer have that med then he will switch me to something like MS-Contin or methadone.
Know I have been on Kadian before and did not have much relief from it. However that was on the 24 hour dose with nothing for breakthrough. His opinion was to try the 12hr dose and keep the breakthrough meds going. We will see what happens as I still have 4 days before I can refill the meds.
We stopped to get bagels but since they were very busy we just bought the bagels and some Asiago cheese foccacia and went to my mothers house to make sandwiches. It was $20 cheaper and most certainly much quicker and we have bagels for the next week at home. The foccacia is excellent for munching on and while you can make a panini with it I prefer to just tear some off and dip it in olive oil that sundried tomatoes have been packed in.
3/31/2005
Terry Schiavo has passed away
Story Here
Sadly after a 14 day fight to stay alive Terri Schiavo has passed away.
While we mourn your passing I find my comfort in knowing that your pain is gone. Rest in peace Terri.
Sadly after a 14 day fight to stay alive Terri Schiavo has passed away.
While we mourn your passing I find my comfort in knowing that your pain is gone. Rest in peace Terri.
Off to the doctor
Well, we are off to the doctor in a few minutes. Since it is about an hour or so drive, into a major city during rush hour that means it will be more like 2 hours.
If I have to watch the incredibles ONE MORE TIME, I AM GOING TO SCREAM! My 2 year old is watching it everyday. That is all he wants to watch!!!
If I have to watch the incredibles ONE MORE TIME, I AM GOING TO SCREAM! My 2 year old is watching it everyday. That is all he wants to watch!!!
3/30/2005
11th Circuit & Jesse Jackson...
It looks like the 11th Circuit Court has refused to hear the Schindler's request for a new hearing. I have not seen a copy of the petition or what they were hoping to have the new hearing based on but I guess it is moot now.
Jesse Jackson has also said that his attempts to win over a few state Senators to change their votes on a bill that would have saved Terri has failed. It is a complete turn around from earlier comments made by Jackson in which he had found 4 of the Senators were "flexible" in their votes and they were enough to get the bill passed.
It now seems as if all hope is gone and after 13 days Terri's life is now measured in hours instead of days or weeks. It is truly amazing that she is going in to her 13th day without any food or water. Almost as if she is fighting to stay alive, that she is not giving up. I have said it before but it is truly sad that we treat our convicted killers, rapists and child molesters much better then we treat our sick and infirm. We even treat international terrorists better then that, clearly a sign of a society that places no value on ones life if they are unable to speak for themselves. Would they dare do this to the Pope who is now on a feeding tube?
It also appears that Michael Schiavo has no say or control in whether Terri is given an autopsy after her death. He had earlier stated there would be none and the his lawyer made an announcement that he had changed his mind. It now turns out that he had no say in the first place and once again he looks like the fool he has proven himself to be time and time again.
Edit: After hitting the publish button the news covered a brief bit on the Schindler's filing another appeal to the US Supreme Court. No doubt this will be based on the motion for a new hearing preiously denied by the 11th Circuit Court.
Jesse Jackson has also said that his attempts to win over a few state Senators to change their votes on a bill that would have saved Terri has failed. It is a complete turn around from earlier comments made by Jackson in which he had found 4 of the Senators were "flexible" in their votes and they were enough to get the bill passed.
It now seems as if all hope is gone and after 13 days Terri's life is now measured in hours instead of days or weeks. It is truly amazing that she is going in to her 13th day without any food or water. Almost as if she is fighting to stay alive, that she is not giving up. I have said it before but it is truly sad that we treat our convicted killers, rapists and child molesters much better then we treat our sick and infirm. We even treat international terrorists better then that, clearly a sign of a society that places no value on ones life if they are unable to speak for themselves. Would they dare do this to the Pope who is now on a feeding tube?
It also appears that Michael Schiavo has no say or control in whether Terri is given an autopsy after her death. He had earlier stated there would be none and the his lawyer made an announcement that he had changed his mind. It now turns out that he had no say in the first place and once again he looks like the fool he has proven himself to be time and time again.
Edit: After hitting the publish button the news covered a brief bit on the Schindler's filing another appeal to the US Supreme Court. No doubt this will be based on the motion for a new hearing preiously denied by the 11th Circuit Court.
Report Cards & Bagels...
Tomorrow is the trip to the doctor and I have a laundry list of things I would like to talk about. When they called this morning to confirm my appointment I asked if they had received the letter about my meds and found they were working on it as we were speaking.
Since my wife is off tomorrow she is going to come with me and after the appointment we are going to go grab a sandwich at Panera Bread Co. and grab some of their Asiago bagels and Rosemary & Onion Foccacia bread for home. If you have not had their bagels they are much better then Einstein Bros. Bagels which was formerly known as Bagel & Bagel. However they both can be a bit pricey for a lunch sandwich so I would suggest just buying the bagels and making your own.
My oldest is starting to play mind games and is learning that it is going to cost him big time. They were given their report cards last Wednesday, before the Easter recess but seeing that he never brings any of the papers home we never know what is going on. It has gotten that his teachers and I email each other daily for assignments and upcoming events. Somehow the report card issue was lost in the back of my mind and he took full advantage of that by not giving it to me until yesterday. His grades were horrible, even after all the help we have been giving him he is still not doing his school work. Worst of all he will not sit and be quiet in the classroom.
I got an email this morning from his teacher about his not bringing the report card back so I replied that I had just received it yesterday and she would need to give me a day to go over it with my wife. She quickly replied letting me know they went home a week ago. Arrrrrgh!
Of course after seeing his grades I know exactly why he did not give it to me on Wednesday. He would have spent the entire Easter recess in his room grounded. I was calm about it when he got home, let him know that he had messed up and why he did it and that since he decided to lie about it to avoid being grounded that his punishment was going to be that much worse. So for the next several weeks he will come home from school, no friends over, no outside. When homework is done he will take his shower and find a book to read, which will be approved by myself or my wife and he will read until dinner. When dinner is done he will read for 45 minutes and then it is lights out.
It is frustrating because we sacrificed a ton for him to go to this school and he just does not seem to get it. The public school system here has steadily gone down hill and they did away with the special ed program meaning all students were in one room together and the class was moving the pace of the slowest learner. I spent time as a parent in the classroom helping the teachers but by the end of the year they were well behind where the state required them to be. This meant they fell in to the no child left behind program and have not been able to get themselves out of it.
Being that we are Catholic we figured we could get him in to Catholic school, be taught not only about our religion but have a smaller class and be with students who care about learning. I guess we were wrong and have told him that if he does not pull all his grades up on this last quarter that he will be heading back to public school.
Now it is all up to him so we will see how he does.
Since my wife is off tomorrow she is going to come with me and after the appointment we are going to go grab a sandwich at Panera Bread Co. and grab some of their Asiago bagels and Rosemary & Onion Foccacia bread for home. If you have not had their bagels they are much better then Einstein Bros. Bagels which was formerly known as Bagel & Bagel. However they both can be a bit pricey for a lunch sandwich so I would suggest just buying the bagels and making your own.
My oldest is starting to play mind games and is learning that it is going to cost him big time. They were given their report cards last Wednesday, before the Easter recess but seeing that he never brings any of the papers home we never know what is going on. It has gotten that his teachers and I email each other daily for assignments and upcoming events. Somehow the report card issue was lost in the back of my mind and he took full advantage of that by not giving it to me until yesterday. His grades were horrible, even after all the help we have been giving him he is still not doing his school work. Worst of all he will not sit and be quiet in the classroom.
I got an email this morning from his teacher about his not bringing the report card back so I replied that I had just received it yesterday and she would need to give me a day to go over it with my wife. She quickly replied letting me know they went home a week ago. Arrrrrgh!
Of course after seeing his grades I know exactly why he did not give it to me on Wednesday. He would have spent the entire Easter recess in his room grounded. I was calm about it when he got home, let him know that he had messed up and why he did it and that since he decided to lie about it to avoid being grounded that his punishment was going to be that much worse. So for the next several weeks he will come home from school, no friends over, no outside. When homework is done he will take his shower and find a book to read, which will be approved by myself or my wife and he will read until dinner. When dinner is done he will read for 45 minutes and then it is lights out.
It is frustrating because we sacrificed a ton for him to go to this school and he just does not seem to get it. The public school system here has steadily gone down hill and they did away with the special ed program meaning all students were in one room together and the class was moving the pace of the slowest learner. I spent time as a parent in the classroom helping the teachers but by the end of the year they were well behind where the state required them to be. This meant they fell in to the no child left behind program and have not been able to get themselves out of it.
Being that we are Catholic we figured we could get him in to Catholic school, be taught not only about our religion but have a smaller class and be with students who care about learning. I guess we were wrong and have told him that if he does not pull all his grades up on this last quarter that he will be heading back to public school.
Now it is all up to him so we will see how he does.
3/29/2005
SFC Paul Smith
The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award that can be bestowed on a US Servicemember. Sadly many of the men who receive it are killed by the action in which they earned it.
Since 1993 when SFC Randall Shugart and MSG Gary Gordon the medal has not been awarded. Prior to their awards it had been close to 20 years since the last award.
Out the outbreak of Operation Iraqi Freedom the fighting in some areas was intense and many medals of valor have been awarded to the men and women of the US Military. From all accounts that I have read SFC Smith was your average fun loving guy who cared for his troops in the same manner he did his family. Those troops were his family and like any parent he went to extreme measures to protect them, so far that in his drive to portect his men he himself lost his life.
The lengths that men will go to protect each other is amazing. Mere words will never do justice to his actions which is why we recognize these men with such an award like the Medal Of Honor. I am humbled by men like SFC Smith and pray that he is smiling down on all of us and holding my seat on the final objective.
His Medal of Honor citations follows. I ask that you take a few minutes and read about his unselfish actions that saved so many men.
Citation and more information on the battle and SFC Smith.
Since 1993 when SFC Randall Shugart and MSG Gary Gordon the medal has not been awarded. Prior to their awards it had been close to 20 years since the last award.
Out the outbreak of Operation Iraqi Freedom the fighting in some areas was intense and many medals of valor have been awarded to the men and women of the US Military. From all accounts that I have read SFC Smith was your average fun loving guy who cared for his troops in the same manner he did his family. Those troops were his family and like any parent he went to extreme measures to protect them, so far that in his drive to portect his men he himself lost his life.
The lengths that men will go to protect each other is amazing. Mere words will never do justice to his actions which is why we recognize these men with such an award like the Medal Of Honor. I am humbled by men like SFC Smith and pray that he is smiling down on all of us and holding my seat on the final objective.
His Medal of Honor citations follows. I ask that you take a few minutes and read about his unselfish actions that saved so many men.
Citation and more information on the battle and SFC Smith.
On April 4, 2003, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, attacked to seize Objective Lions, the Baghdad International Airport. As part of the Brigade scheme of maneuver, Task Force 2-7 Infantry was tasked to establish a blocking position against a brigade-sized counterattack on the main entrance to the airfield. Task Force 2-7 had been fighting for three consecutive days and had moved through the night before reaching the blocking position. Morale was high, but Soldiers were experiencing fatigue. B Company, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment (Knight) was in the east-most position oriented along the main avenue of approach ready for the main enemy counterattack. A Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment (Rage) was attacking to the southeast of the Highway.
The main entrance to the airfield was a four-lane highway with a median to separate incoming and outgoing traffic. Large masonry walls with towers approximately 100 meters apart bound the highway. On the morning of April 4, 2003, more than 100 soldiers from the Task Force 2-7 Forward Aid Station, mortars, scouts and portions of B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion were in the median behind the forward most blocking positions. The B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion 2nd Platoon Leader was on a reconnaissance mission with the B Company, Task Force 2-7 Infantry Commander. During his absence, 2nd Platoon received the mission to construct an Enemy Prisoner of War holding area. Sgt. 1st Class Smith was in charge of 2nd Platoon.
Sgt. 1st Class Smith assessed the best location to be behind the masonry wall bounding the highway. Two guard towers along the wall were ideally situated to provide overwatch to the holding area. An M9 armored combat earthmover (ACE) knocked a hole in the wall to create an opening to a large courtyard with a louvered metal gate on the north side. With the help of a squad leader and team leader, Sgt. 1st Class Smith checked the far side of the courtyard for enemy, found none, and posted two guards. From the guard post at the gate small groupings of buildings were 100-200 meters to the northeast. To the northwest, a large white building with a white dome was visible. The location seemed perfect as the courtyard was along the northern flank of the blocking position and enemy actions to this point were mostly from the east.
SFC Smith's view of the wall and tower
Sgt. 1st Class Smith's view from his position in the courtyard. Iraqi troops were firing from the tower on the left, and climbing over the wall in front. Click for a bigger picture.
While an engineer squad began to clear debris in the courtyard, on of the guards saw 10-15 enemy soldiers with small arms, 60mm mortars, and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). These were the lead elements of an organized company-sized force making a deliberate attack on the flank of Task Force 2-7. Sgt. 1st Class Smith came to the position and identified 25-50 more soldiers moving into prepared fighting positions. Sgt. 1st Class Smith instructed a squad leader to get a nearby Bradley Fighting Vehicle for support. While waiting for the Bradley, Sgt. 1st Class Smith had members of 2nd platoon retrieve AT-4 weapons and form a skirmish line outside the gate. By this time, the number of enemy identified rose to 100 soldiers, now a confirmed company-sized attack. Three of B Company’s M113A3 armored personnel carriers (APC) oriented .50-cal. machineguns toward the opening in the wall and the surrounding guard towers, now occupied by enemy soldiers.
Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions to organize a defense against the deliberate attack were not only effective, but inspired the B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion Soldiers. He then began to lead by example. As the Bradley arrived on site and moved through the hole in the wall toward the gate, Sgt. 1st Class Smith ran to the gate wall and threw a fragmentation grenade at the enemy. He then took two Soldiers forward to join the guards and directed their engagement of the enemy with small arms. The enemy continued to fire rifles, RPGs, and 60mm mortars at the Soldiers on the street and within the courtyard. Enemy soldiers began moving along the buildings on the north side of the clearing to get into position to climb into the towers. Sgt. 1st Class Smith called for an APC to move forward to provide additional fire support. Sgt. 1st Class Smith then fired an AT-4 at the enemy while directing the his fire team assembled near the front line of the engagement area.
Running low on ammunition and having taken RPG hits, the Bradley withdrew to reload. The lead APC in the area received a direct hit from a mortar, wounding the three occupants. The enemy attack was at its strongest point and every action counted. Not only were the wounded Soldiers threatened but also more than 100 Soldiers from B Company, the Task Force Aid Station, and the Mortar Platoon were at risk.
Sgt. 1st Class Smith ordered one of his Soldiers to back the damaged APC back into the courtyard after the wounded men had been evacuated. Knowing the APC ’s .50-Cal. machinegun was the largest weapon between the enemy and the friendly position, Sgt. 1st Class Smith immediately assumed the track commander’s position behind the weapon, and told a soldier who accompanied him to “feed me ammunition whenever you hear the gun get quiet.” Sgt. 1st Class Smith fired on the advancing enemy from the unprotected position atop the APC and expended at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded by enemy fire. The enemy attack was defeated. Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions saved the lives of at least 100 Soldiers, caused the failure of a deliberate enemy attack hours after 1st Brigade seized the Baghdad Airport, and resulted in an estimated 20-50 enemy soldiers killed. His actions inspired his platoon, his Company, the 11th Engineer Battalion and Task Force 2-7 Infantry.
Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions to lead Soldiers in direct contact with a numerically superior enemy--to personally engage the enemy with a fragmentation grenade, AT-4, and individual weapon, to ultimately assume the track commander’s position to fire the .50-Cal. machinegun through at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded--demonstrates conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. His actions prevented a penetration in the Task Force 2-7 sector, defended the aid station, mortars, and scouts, and allowed the evacuation of Soldiers wounded by indirect enemy fire.
the U.S. Army Star
You have to love insurance companies!
I finally get the doctors all squared away, find one that truly understands the pain of arachnoiditis and how it will affect the quality of life and now I get to deal with the insurance morons.
Just the other day they sent me a letter letting me know I can get my meds from them much cheaper then I can through CVS. I am all for that and when I see the doctor on Thursday I plan on asking him for those prescriptions.
Well today I got a letter from them letting me know they will not pay for the pain meds any more until I jump through all their damn hoops and have the doctor sign this, fax that and swear some oath. Ok, I made the oath thing up from dramatics.
I don't get it. A licensed and board certified pain management doctor is the one prescribing the meds. Where is their problem in that???
I called the insurance company and asked them exactly what they needed so that in case they forgot to mention any of this to the doctor I would be prepared for when I see him. I have all the names and extensions of who they should speak to as well as the reference numbers.
They sure do like to make things difficult. What they don't understand is that without the meds my pain level shoots through the roof and is unbearable. I already asked the doc what he would do if I told him I was at a 9 or 10 and he said I would have to be hospitalized until they could control the pain. HAHAHAHA, I hope the insurance people screw this up because instead of paying $30 a month or whatever it is that the meds cost they will be paying a few grand a day for me to be in the hospital.
They are truly an amazing piece of work. Nothing like screwing your policy holders over. They get their premiums on time, everytime. When I need medical care they send me first to a crackpot and then deny me my meds. However, I am sure once the doctor sends them the paperwork they will get me squared away.
Just the other day they sent me a letter letting me know I can get my meds from them much cheaper then I can through CVS. I am all for that and when I see the doctor on Thursday I plan on asking him for those prescriptions.
Well today I got a letter from them letting me know they will not pay for the pain meds any more until I jump through all their damn hoops and have the doctor sign this, fax that and swear some oath. Ok, I made the oath thing up from dramatics.
I don't get it. A licensed and board certified pain management doctor is the one prescribing the meds. Where is their problem in that???
I called the insurance company and asked them exactly what they needed so that in case they forgot to mention any of this to the doctor I would be prepared for when I see him. I have all the names and extensions of who they should speak to as well as the reference numbers.
They sure do like to make things difficult. What they don't understand is that without the meds my pain level shoots through the roof and is unbearable. I already asked the doc what he would do if I told him I was at a 9 or 10 and he said I would have to be hospitalized until they could control the pain. HAHAHAHA, I hope the insurance people screw this up because instead of paying $30 a month or whatever it is that the meds cost they will be paying a few grand a day for me to be in the hospital.
They are truly an amazing piece of work. Nothing like screwing your policy holders over. They get their premiums on time, everytime. When I need medical care they send me first to a crackpot and then deny me my meds. However, I am sure once the doctor sends them the paperwork they will get me squared away.
Field trips and fresh air...
I am sitting here watching my son play the piano. It is pretty much the first time in 2 weeks he and I have been alone. My oldest had a weeks spring break, 2 days of school and then 5 days for Easter recess but is back in school today. I figure we will veg out for the day and since this is mom's Friday I will make my 5 Spice Chicken with some stir fried veggies and sticky rice for dinner.
The oldest was supposed to go to a band clinic with the school band today but it is 30 miles south of us and the parents are having to drive the kids down and back. While he could get a ride with one of the other kids he was not keen on going, it is 12 hours long and they do not expect to be back until almost 9pm this evening. I think this was the first time I have been given a permission slip and asked "do I have to go?"
I did sleep a bit better last night then normal. I got to bed about the same time I usually do so the only thing I can think of is the fresh air that I got yesterday. It was a wonderful 70F/21C here with a slight breeze so I opened all the windows and turned on the attic fan and let the house air out from the winter.
I also talked to the nurse at the doctors office yesterday about the lamictal and the sudden rash I developed after increasing the dose. They want me to back off of it a little each night for 3-4 days and then come in and see them to figure out another prescription. I am not sure I want to be on another anti-seizure medication for the nerve damage. None of the ones I have been on seem to help any and all of them are expensive.
The oldest was supposed to go to a band clinic with the school band today but it is 30 miles south of us and the parents are having to drive the kids down and back. While he could get a ride with one of the other kids he was not keen on going, it is 12 hours long and they do not expect to be back until almost 9pm this evening. I think this was the first time I have been given a permission slip and asked "do I have to go?"
I did sleep a bit better last night then normal. I got to bed about the same time I usually do so the only thing I can think of is the fresh air that I got yesterday. It was a wonderful 70F/21C here with a slight breeze so I opened all the windows and turned on the attic fan and let the house air out from the winter.
I also talked to the nurse at the doctors office yesterday about the lamictal and the sudden rash I developed after increasing the dose. They want me to back off of it a little each night for 3-4 days and then come in and see them to figure out another prescription. I am not sure I want to be on another anti-seizure medication for the nerve damage. None of the ones I have been on seem to help any and all of them are expensive.
3/28/2005
Never let it be said...
That my being a pack rat would not pay off.
In the middle of posting something tonight my wireless card crapped out on me. After an hour of trying to un-install and re-install the drivers for it I decided that the card was dead. Of course that whole time had a looked down and to the left I would have seen it's little power light was no longer lit and saved some time and frustration.
Have no fear! When I got my new modem from Southwestern Bell they sent me a wireless card with it. Why? I have no idea but I did not have to pay for it, and they would not take it back so it went into the "closet" for that day when I might need it.
Well today was that day. After a bit of moving some boxes I found it! I took it out of it's little case, plugged it in and was off and running as soon as I could remember my 128bit WEP key.
In the middle of posting something tonight my wireless card crapped out on me. After an hour of trying to un-install and re-install the drivers for it I decided that the card was dead. Of course that whole time had a looked down and to the left I would have seen it's little power light was no longer lit and saved some time and frustration.
Have no fear! When I got my new modem from Southwestern Bell they sent me a wireless card with it. Why? I have no idea but I did not have to pay for it, and they would not take it back so it went into the "closet" for that day when I might need it.
Well today was that day. After a bit of moving some boxes I found it! I took it out of it's little case, plugged it in and was off and running as soon as I could remember my 128bit WEP key.
I just got off the phone with the manager for the pain clinic where I see the crackpot. I wanted to let them know that I was quite dissatisfied with the treatment I received on both visits, from the wait time once led to the exam room to the billing for more then 1 co-pay for visit and on to the fact that the doctor seems bent on not listening to my concerns.
As I said before the wait time on this last visit was an hour and when I hunted down an LPN and asked how much longer for the doc I was basically told to sit down and be quiet, "I was next!"
Then there was the fact that they never told me on any visit that I would be or even might be seeing more then one doctor and that they would be billing that way. That means I did not pay the co-pay for that visit and on the next one it will be collected. Had I known that would be the case I would have a least been able to say ok or tell them that I cannot afford all the extra co-pays. As it stands right now on 2 visits to their clinic I am behind 4 co-pays, or $60. I am sure by my next appointment they will have received their check from the insurance and ask me to pay the difference, that means $75 on the next visit.
Add to that all I have a doctor who has not read a single lab report or radiologist report I brought with me and he certainly did not read the films that I brought along from the MRI. He seems to want to re-diagnose me from the bottom up so that he can bill my insurance company for every little thing. While he "remembered" that I refused to have any ESI's done he does not seem to listen when I tell him that there will be no myelograms, nothing at all will be penetrating my spine.
I am thoroughly dissatisfied with the way I was treated by this office, their nurses and their doctors. In 2+ years of dealing with my back problems and numerous physicians, neurologists, radiologists, nursing staffs and so on I have never had a single complaint until referred to this clinic.
The kicker is that while I am on the phone with her and explaining my situation she is making excuses for all of the issues. I even told her that a simple fix to most of the problem is a small paragraph for all new visitors to read that lets them know they may see more then 1 doctor on their visits and if they do and their insurance company has a co-pay then they may be asked to pay that for each doctor. FREAKING SIMPLE ASSED FIX!!! Instead she tells me that the people working the desk are not doctors or nurses. No way! So I guess that means those "simple" people running the desk, having people fill out endless forms on HIPPA, Lab reports, insurance claims etc... are incapable of making sure all new patients have a small sheet to read? Stupid me, expecting way to much of people.
I hate paperwork as much as the next guy. However, after seeing my wife work the desk for an eye surgeon I saw how easy it would be to do this. Most doctors have a pack of paper for all new patients or those returning after extended absences. Why would it be too difficult to slip this one paragraph in to that packet?
At the end of the conversation I told her that my decision right now is to not return to their clinic. Based on my previous visits and the fact that our conversation was nothing more then her making excuses I have absolutely no faith in their ability to treat my pain.
Did I mention that she was returning my phone call from 3 days ago and that she is not the person I left the message for? I guess the director of customer service is too busy herself to handle patient problems. That is why they are listed by the better business bureau as having an unsatisfactory record based on the number of unresolved complaints.
As I said before the wait time on this last visit was an hour and when I hunted down an LPN and asked how much longer for the doc I was basically told to sit down and be quiet, "I was next!"
Then there was the fact that they never told me on any visit that I would be or even might be seeing more then one doctor and that they would be billing that way. That means I did not pay the co-pay for that visit and on the next one it will be collected. Had I known that would be the case I would have a least been able to say ok or tell them that I cannot afford all the extra co-pays. As it stands right now on 2 visits to their clinic I am behind 4 co-pays, or $60. I am sure by my next appointment they will have received their check from the insurance and ask me to pay the difference, that means $75 on the next visit.
Add to that all I have a doctor who has not read a single lab report or radiologist report I brought with me and he certainly did not read the films that I brought along from the MRI. He seems to want to re-diagnose me from the bottom up so that he can bill my insurance company for every little thing. While he "remembered" that I refused to have any ESI's done he does not seem to listen when I tell him that there will be no myelograms, nothing at all will be penetrating my spine.
I am thoroughly dissatisfied with the way I was treated by this office, their nurses and their doctors. In 2+ years of dealing with my back problems and numerous physicians, neurologists, radiologists, nursing staffs and so on I have never had a single complaint until referred to this clinic.
The kicker is that while I am on the phone with her and explaining my situation she is making excuses for all of the issues. I even told her that a simple fix to most of the problem is a small paragraph for all new visitors to read that lets them know they may see more then 1 doctor on their visits and if they do and their insurance company has a co-pay then they may be asked to pay that for each doctor. FREAKING SIMPLE ASSED FIX!!! Instead she tells me that the people working the desk are not doctors or nurses. No way! So I guess that means those "simple" people running the desk, having people fill out endless forms on HIPPA, Lab reports, insurance claims etc... are incapable of making sure all new patients have a small sheet to read? Stupid me, expecting way to much of people.
I hate paperwork as much as the next guy. However, after seeing my wife work the desk for an eye surgeon I saw how easy it would be to do this. Most doctors have a pack of paper for all new patients or those returning after extended absences. Why would it be too difficult to slip this one paragraph in to that packet?
At the end of the conversation I told her that my decision right now is to not return to their clinic. Based on my previous visits and the fact that our conversation was nothing more then her making excuses I have absolutely no faith in their ability to treat my pain.
Did I mention that she was returning my phone call from 3 days ago and that she is not the person I left the message for? I guess the director of customer service is too busy herself to handle patient problems. That is why they are listed by the better business bureau as having an unsatisfactory record based on the number of unresolved complaints.
Lamictal can be fatal...
Under the advice of my doctor, the crackpot, I upped the dose of lamictal to 75mg at bedtime. Besides the fact that this is yet another medication like neurontin that does not seem to work for me, it has a rather serious side effect, a rash, that can be fatal.
I have been on the lamictal for 4 weeks and started with a 25mg dose and every 2nd week we add 25mg until we are at 100mg daily. Late last week I upped the dose to 75mg and since then have developed an itching that I cannot explain and a rash on my right hand and the index, middle and ring finger. It is an annoying rash that I first thought might be dry skin, but it is the only place that it is affecting. I also drink more then a suggested daily intake of water to counter the effects some of my meds have of dehydration.
Before I get all panicky though I am going to call the doctor and see what he says.
I have been on the lamictal for 4 weeks and started with a 25mg dose and every 2nd week we add 25mg until we are at 100mg daily. Late last week I upped the dose to 75mg and since then have developed an itching that I cannot explain and a rash on my right hand and the index, middle and ring finger. It is an annoying rash that I first thought might be dry skin, but it is the only place that it is affecting. I also drink more then a suggested daily intake of water to counter the effects some of my meds have of dehydration.
Before I get all panicky though I am going to call the doctor and see what he says.
Terri receives communion and last rites
One of the things I have been wondering about the whole time is whether Michael would allow her communion and last rites before she dies and originally he had denied the priest access to her. I think he realized the error of his ways and did finally allow it. While I still believe that he has something to hide and his approval of the priests visit came only after pressure from his attorney.
There are Seven Sacraments in the Catholic. When Holy Communion and Anointing of the Sick are combined it is called last rites. While she was allowed the wine she was not given the bread, or what we call "the body of Christ."
There are Seven Sacraments in the Catholic. When Holy Communion and Anointing of the Sick are combined it is called last rites. While she was allowed the wine she was not given the bread, or what we call "the body of Christ."
3/27/2005
Broken VCR...
The 2 year old somehow managed to break the VCR. The one we have had for close to 10 years and never use. If we watch 1 movie in it over the year I would be surprised. So why was I so upset that he broke it? It was probably more because he should not have been playing with it or the DVD player but I am the only one who enforces it so he is forever climbing up to play with them.
Anyway he jammed a tape in there somehow and now it will not eject. There was a time where I would tear it apart and get the tape out but that was when a 6 head VCR cost $500. Heck, I stopped buying VCR movies years ago when I bought the DVD player and then as soon as I replaced them all with DVD's I sold them on eBay! in one huge lot. So while it is probably a goner I guess I am not really that upset.
Anyway he jammed a tape in there somehow and now it will not eject. There was a time where I would tear it apart and get the tape out but that was when a 6 head VCR cost $500. Heck, I stopped buying VCR movies years ago when I bought the DVD player and then as soon as I replaced them all with DVD's I sold them on eBay! in one huge lot. So while it is probably a goner I guess I am not really that upset.
Stromboli for easter?
Once more I try to prove just how big of a dolt I can be. The one thing that this arachnoiditis has not done is take away my desire to keep a clean house although I have a toddler and a pre-teen so a organized mess is more of what you get. My wife is the sole income for us and works hard and long hours so I do not expect her to come home and jump right in on the chores, but I do leave the vacuum and mopping for her as they will cause severe spasms for me.
Today my target was the baby's room. His room had become kind of the "store room" for many of the things we do not use daily or for the toys we have grounded the older one from, like the play station or his radio. Over time it has become a disaster area and after all the time I spent getting that room ready for the baby there is no way I am going to let it go to pot.
Actually that room is part of the reason I am where I am today. While I had already injured myself and been diagnosed with the Spondylolisthesis it was while I was painting this room that I had my first real flair up and was the first time they had to put me on pain meds and muscle relaxers. Of course to save face when people asked how I hurt myself I would tell them I fell off the roof rather then I got hurt putting a lid back on the paint can, which is literally what happened. When I got done painting the room I was bending down to put the lid back on and that's all she wrote!
I did get the room cleaned out and actually found a few things that I can give to my sister in law who is expecting a little boy in May. After our son was born we were not sure if we would have another so we kept all the clothes that were in good condition, and since we got 90% of the clothes from Carters, GAP or Old Navy they are of good quality and will last. If you go to the websites and click on the gender/age range it will take you to a page and on that page they will have a "sale" button. If you buy out of season you will get great deals and you will never have to pay full price. I have clothes for both boys for well in to the next year because of those sales.
It only took me 30 minutes or so to really get it cleared out and organized but I feel like I just went for a 30 kilometer movement with a 50 kilogram ruck. If you have never had that opportunity imagine going to the gym for a few hours and doing nothing but squats and leg presses with about 120lbs. I know it is something that I should not be doing, or at least not be doing without help but I am tired of sitting in the chair and watching movies. I want to feel like I have done something to be productive.
So know I have some dough proofing to make some Stromboli which we all just love. I know it is Easter and we should make a more traditional diner but we're not. I rarely follow those traditions and as my family grows we will have our own. Anyway, their dough recipe is very similar to the one I make and it comes out so nice. If you kneed it just right and get the gluten working it will become as smooth as silk and press out perfectly for either stromboli or pizza.
Well that is enough of my babbling for the afternoon. It is time to go punch down the dough and get the rest of my ingredients ready.
Today my target was the baby's room. His room had become kind of the "store room" for many of the things we do not use daily or for the toys we have grounded the older one from, like the play station or his radio. Over time it has become a disaster area and after all the time I spent getting that room ready for the baby there is no way I am going to let it go to pot.
Actually that room is part of the reason I am where I am today. While I had already injured myself and been diagnosed with the Spondylolisthesis it was while I was painting this room that I had my first real flair up and was the first time they had to put me on pain meds and muscle relaxers. Of course to save face when people asked how I hurt myself I would tell them I fell off the roof rather then I got hurt putting a lid back on the paint can, which is literally what happened. When I got done painting the room I was bending down to put the lid back on and that's all she wrote!
I did get the room cleaned out and actually found a few things that I can give to my sister in law who is expecting a little boy in May. After our son was born we were not sure if we would have another so we kept all the clothes that were in good condition, and since we got 90% of the clothes from Carters, GAP or Old Navy they are of good quality and will last. If you go to the websites and click on the gender/age range it will take you to a page and on that page they will have a "sale" button. If you buy out of season you will get great deals and you will never have to pay full price. I have clothes for both boys for well in to the next year because of those sales.
It only took me 30 minutes or so to really get it cleared out and organized but I feel like I just went for a 30 kilometer movement with a 50 kilogram ruck. If you have never had that opportunity imagine going to the gym for a few hours and doing nothing but squats and leg presses with about 120lbs. I know it is something that I should not be doing, or at least not be doing without help but I am tired of sitting in the chair and watching movies. I want to feel like I have done something to be productive.
So know I have some dough proofing to make some Stromboli which we all just love. I know it is Easter and we should make a more traditional diner but we're not. I rarely follow those traditions and as my family grows we will have our own. Anyway, their dough recipe is very similar to the one I make and it comes out so nice. If you kneed it just right and get the gluten working it will become as smooth as silk and press out perfectly for either stromboli or pizza.
Well that is enough of my babbling for the afternoon. It is time to go punch down the dough and get the rest of my ingredients ready.
Emails and School Projects...
You have to just love those phishing emails. I opened one this morning from eBay! which is funny because I just set that email account up a few weeks ago and I have never used it for something like eBay! LOL! Do people really fall for this emails?
Not much on the agenda for today. My son has a project to complete for school so we will spend time on that today. They are studying the renaissance and have to build a castle of the period. We bought the supplies yesterday and now we have to put it all together. He had wanted to build it from rocks but after explaining not only how difficult it might be but how heavy it would be he changed his mind. Instead we will use the green foam florists use and make the castle from that and popsicle sticks and tounge depressors for the drawbridge. I figure we can score the styrofoam and then spray paint it with some of the fleckstone spray paint to look like stone. Hopefully we have everything we need because all the stores are closed today.
Not much on the agenda for today. My son has a project to complete for school so we will spend time on that today. They are studying the renaissance and have to build a castle of the period. We bought the supplies yesterday and now we have to put it all together. He had wanted to build it from rocks but after explaining not only how difficult it might be but how heavy it would be he changed his mind. Instead we will use the green foam florists use and make the castle from that and popsicle sticks and tounge depressors for the drawbridge. I figure we can score the styrofoam and then spray paint it with some of the fleckstone spray paint to look like stone. Hopefully we have everything we need because all the stores are closed today.
3/26/2005
Phrenic nerve damage?
I tried to fold the laundry and hang up my wife's shirts for work and within a few minutes the sweating started. For those who are not familiar with all the side effects of archnoiditis, sweating is one of them. Simple tasks like the laundry can kick start it or trying to load/unload the dishwasher.
Another problem that has been happening recently is when I am trying to fall asleep it is like my diaphragm stops working. I don't know if it is related to the arachnoiditis though as the phrenic nerve which controls the diaphragm is in the cervical spine between the C3 & C5 vertebrae. Which of course concerns me once again as the C5 is where I had the stellate ganglion blocks in June 2003. Now I am going to have to read some more on the blocks and potential problems.
Another problem that has been happening recently is when I am trying to fall asleep it is like my diaphragm stops working. I don't know if it is related to the arachnoiditis though as the phrenic nerve which controls the diaphragm is in the cervical spine between the C3 & C5 vertebrae. Which of course concerns me once again as the C5 is where I had the stellate ganglion blocks in June 2003. Now I am going to have to read some more on the blocks and potential problems.
The shoulders are back at it again...
Sitting in the recliner last night my shoulders started hurting and it seemed that no matter how I shifted I could not find a position that was comfortable. Lately the shoulders have hurt more then the back so I have been using the lidocaine patches on them instead. Since one patch is to big for one shoulder I have been cutting it in half which is about the perfect size. However last night I forgot to tape them down before going to sleep and all the tossing and turning pulled them off.
I am tired of being of being in pain for most of the day. It seems if the back is not doing badly then the shoulders are. The back has become somewhat worse over time but this is to be expected with arachnoiditis and does not bother me as much as the shoulders. We know that the arachnoiditis is not going away and that we can treat it with the meds but the shoulders obviously need more then just meds.
I know I should see a doctor about this but right now I am still trying to figure out a good course of treatment for the back pain. I am also not ready to be working on 2 problems at the same time because that means more doctors, more co-pays, x-rays, meds etc. and I really do not have the money to do all of that.
I have done a ton of reading on both bursitis and tendonitis and either could be a sign of just overworked shoulders or worse damage to the rotator cuff. With my luck it will be something that requires surgery to fix. I have the knack for
I am tired of being of being in pain for most of the day. It seems if the back is not doing badly then the shoulders are. The back has become somewhat worse over time but this is to be expected with arachnoiditis and does not bother me as much as the shoulders. We know that the arachnoiditis is not going away and that we can treat it with the meds but the shoulders obviously need more then just meds.
I know I should see a doctor about this but right now I am still trying to figure out a good course of treatment for the back pain. I am also not ready to be working on 2 problems at the same time because that means more doctors, more co-pays, x-rays, meds etc. and I really do not have the money to do all of that.
I have done a ton of reading on both bursitis and tendonitis and either could be a sign of just overworked shoulders or worse damage to the rotator cuff. With my luck it will be something that requires surgery to fix. I have the knack for
3/25/2005
The Passion of Terri Schiavo
While I have found Bo Gritz to be a little to the extreme side of many events this is one that we will agree on. Bo is a retired soldier, having spent time in the Special Forces and trained many of the worlds armies in combat operations he shows us that even the most hardened of us has soft spot. Apparently he was arrested last Saturday after refusing to back down from a police barricade while trying to bring water to Terri. LTC(R) Gritz is perhaps best known for his part in the surrender of Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, Idaho.
Terri Schiavo (41) lays paralized at Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida (between Clearwater and St Petersburg). Local probate judge George Greer, like Pontius Pilate, has washed his hands of responsibility and ordered that Michael Schiavo may remove Terri's feeding-tube at 1:00 P.M. on 18 March 2005 causing her to die of starvation! This marks the second time Greer has ordered the death of Terri Schiavo. The first time the tube was removed for six-days before the Florida State Legislature passed "Terri's Law" allowing Governor Jeb Bush to intervene and order the tube restored. Since then the Florida Supreme Court struck down Terri's Law as being un-Constitutional, and the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to consider the case. Terri is NOT in a coma, she is alert, eyes open, recognizes friends, breathes on her own and is able to swallow. She is innocent of any wrong-doing, and helpless to save her own life. Not even the worst criminal on death-row suffers death by starving and dehydration. Terri's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, want to care for their daughter in their home, but Michael Schiavo says "NO." Terri must die for him to collect her million-dollar estate. Amer-I-Cans MUST ACT to SAVE TERRI or America may lose our national soul! The FEW (Fellowship of Eternal Warriors) is prepared to do what must be done to stop this sick act of legal-homicide! You are invited to participate in the SAVING OF TERRI SCHIAVO!
I'm convinced Americans cannot break the law to keep the law. The peril of Terri Schiavo presents a unique challenge. As an American, Terri has protection under the U.S. Constitution. It most definately violates her civil and human rights (14th Amendment) to condemn her to death by starvation -- a cruel and unusual punishment (8th Amendment). No court has found Terri guilty of any crime, on the contrary she is completely innocent. On 25 February 1990, Terri, under suspicious circumstances was deprived of oxygen, leaving her paralized. She was awarded $1.3-million in 1992 to pay for medical care. Her husband-guardian, Michael Schiavo, has continuously dis-allowed corrective therapy. He moved her to Woodside Hospice and is preventing even the brushing of her teeth! Michael Schiavo has lived with a woman, Jodi Centonze, for 10-years and has two children out-of-wedlock. He refuses to divorce Terri, giving-up guardianship and says upon her death, he will cremate Terri and marry Centonze. He refuses to allow the Schindlers to take Terri home and care for her. The Florida Legislature passed a law allowing Governor Bush to save Terri's life. The Florida Supreme Court (voting 7-0) may have correctly over-turned the law. The U.S. high-court may have properly decided not to hear the case. Still, is it right in America for a probate judge to approve the execution of a helpless innocent human-being by starvation? While people pray and government fusses, someone must take positive action to assure Terri's safety.
Here are some considerations: Would America allow an animal to be purposely starved to death? Can guardians kill a child by withholding food and water if they are no longer want the child? Is it right for a woman who cannot defend herself to be killed because her husband gets permission from a local judge? Is it right that Terri die even though her parents are willing to care for her? Can Michael Schiavo claim rights of a husband-guardian when he openly lives with another woman and sired two illegitimate children over the past decade?
Michael Schiavo is 6'-3" tall and weighs 250-pounds. Here is reported evidence of abuse concerning Terri: Terri's medical records show multiple broken bones. When she collapsed in 1990 he failed to perform CPR. He has had her medical records sealed -- even from Terri's parents. Seven months after receiving $1.3-million for Terri's medical care, Michael prohibited antibiotics for infection which could have killed Terri (1993 & 1995). Despite medical records and witness reports that Terri is responsive, Michael has not allowed therapy since receiving the cash. He has prevented swallowing tests, despite medical testimony that Terri can be taught to eat. Ordered caretakers not to clean Terri's teeth (five teeth removed in 2004). Since 2000, refuses to allow Terri to leave her room. Refuses to fix her wheelchair. Orders the window shades down at all times in Terri's room, denying natural sunlight. Removed family photos from Terri's room, denies flowers, won't allow her to hear music. Won't allow visitors unless approved by him. Denied visits by her parents for eight-months. Denies all requests for Terri to attend nursing home functions and refuses to allow therapeutic animals to visit, knowing she is an animal lover.
While the FEW prepares, here is a dozen supportive actions EVERY citizen can take in helping to SAVE TERRI. Call, FAX, write and e-mail (use information in this statement) demanding they SAVE TERRI SCHIAVO!
1) Pray to Almighty God!
2) Send his appeal to everyone you can.
3) Governor Jeb Bush: E-mail: jeb@jeb.org and jeb.bush@myflorida.com and fl,governor@eog.state.fl.us. Call: 850-488-4441.
4) Judge George Greer: 727-464-3933, Fax-727-736-5050; e-mail: ggreer@co.pinellas.fl.us: write: Judge George Greer, Rm 484, 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756.
5) FL Senate President Tom Lee: 850-487-5072, FAX 813-744-8556 e-mail: lee.tom.web@flsenate.gov.
6) FL Speaker Allan G. Bense: 850-488-1450; e-mail: speaker@myfloridahouse.gov.
7) Society for Truth & Justice: 904-819-9450; e-mail: randallterry@aol.com (Good Guys!)
8) U.S. Supreme Court: 202-479-3000, FAX 202-479-3206
9) U.S. Congress: 1-800-839-5276, 1-877-762-8762
10) Call President Bush at the White House: 202-456-1414, 202, 456-1111. Remind him: "One American helping another is the way to heal our nation."
11) Call every national TV and Radio talk-show.
12) Identify specific actions you can take.
TOGETHER WITH GOD -- WE WIN!
Michael Schiavo is Judas!
Here is an outstanding piece on the treatment of Terry Schiavo. It is about time someone with the reach that this channel has stands up and says something. It is brief and to the point, watch the video and see if you don't find yourself questioning some of the values that people have.
It is sad that we treat convicted murders and rapists better then we treat a women whose only "crime" was an eating disorder and marrying a man who has spent the better part of the last 15 years trying to kill his wife.
This weekend many of us will be reflecting on the fact that Christ died for our sins. And while we remember we also find ourselves in the midst of a modern day betrayal. Just as Judas betrayed Christ, Michael Schiavo has betrayed Terri. He has cast her out and turned her over for execution. He has betrayed her by forgetting his vows to love, honor and cherish. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer until death do us part.
Please continue to pray for Terri and the Schindler's.
For some more information check out Insignificant Thoughts as well as Seeking Sanity.
MSNBC Video
It is sad that we treat convicted murders and rapists better then we treat a women whose only "crime" was an eating disorder and marrying a man who has spent the better part of the last 15 years trying to kill his wife.
This weekend many of us will be reflecting on the fact that Christ died for our sins. And while we remember we also find ourselves in the midst of a modern day betrayal. Just as Judas betrayed Christ, Michael Schiavo has betrayed Terri. He has cast her out and turned her over for execution. He has betrayed her by forgetting his vows to love, honor and cherish. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer until death do us part.
Please continue to pray for Terri and the Schindler's.
For some more information check out Insignificant Thoughts as well as Seeking Sanity.
MSNBC Video
Outrageous insurance claims...
I am still having trouble sleeping and it is starting to show. I am tired all day long and when 9pm rolls around I am so ready to hit the rack. Only a few more days until I see the doc and I will mention it to him.
I also got a copy of what the crackpot doctor billed my insurance company. I called my insurance company and let then know they were being ripped off. First of all I went to the clinic and no one told me I would be seeing anyone other then one doctor so I only paid the standard co-pay. According to the copy of the claim that I received said that I will have to pay the doctors $30 more the next time I see them as they billed that one day as 3 office visits, one for each of the doctors who talked to me. Apparently even though I only made the appointment to see the one doctor any of them who apparently even say "hi" to me are going to be billing the insurance company. Worse is that they are claiming that I have to pay my co-pay for each doctor, so next time I am there they will try to say I owe another $30. Good luck getting it from me!
Then when I had the EMG done, which I figured was all part of the initial visit, they billed $1795. The claim said it was $160 for the test and then $300 for each time they stuck me with the little needle they ran the current through. On top of that they claimed 2 doctors time to read and review the EMG results. Now I see how that place can afford the opulent waiting room they have.
I called my insurance company and talked to them about it and let them know that some of the items they billed on the claim did not occur. I could not believe it when the lady I spoke with told me that I would have to complain to the doctors clinic because there is nothing the insurance company can do about it. WHAT? This is the same company who fought me for months saying I was pre-existing yet know when I complain to them they are being ripped off they say they cannot do anything about it?
It is ok though because after discussing it with my wife I have decided that since the doctor insists on doing procedures I have told them I will not do and that they now appear to be overbilling my insurance company, I will not be going back to them. Apparently I am not the only person who has had a problem with this clinic. I mentioned it to a group that I belong to, a group that is spread across the world, and one of them emailed me back about their time using this clinic. Their experience was very similar to my own.
On a whim I looked the company up on the better business bureau's website and found that they have an unsatisfactory rating. I should have looked them up prior to my visit.
I also got a copy of what the crackpot doctor billed my insurance company. I called my insurance company and let then know they were being ripped off. First of all I went to the clinic and no one told me I would be seeing anyone other then one doctor so I only paid the standard co-pay. According to the copy of the claim that I received said that I will have to pay the doctors $30 more the next time I see them as they billed that one day as 3 office visits, one for each of the doctors who talked to me. Apparently even though I only made the appointment to see the one doctor any of them who apparently even say "hi" to me are going to be billing the insurance company. Worse is that they are claiming that I have to pay my co-pay for each doctor, so next time I am there they will try to say I owe another $30. Good luck getting it from me!
Then when I had the EMG done, which I figured was all part of the initial visit, they billed $1795. The claim said it was $160 for the test and then $300 for each time they stuck me with the little needle they ran the current through. On top of that they claimed 2 doctors time to read and review the EMG results. Now I see how that place can afford the opulent waiting room they have.
I called my insurance company and talked to them about it and let them know that some of the items they billed on the claim did not occur. I could not believe it when the lady I spoke with told me that I would have to complain to the doctors clinic because there is nothing the insurance company can do about it. WHAT? This is the same company who fought me for months saying I was pre-existing yet know when I complain to them they are being ripped off they say they cannot do anything about it?
It is ok though because after discussing it with my wife I have decided that since the doctor insists on doing procedures I have told them I will not do and that they now appear to be overbilling my insurance company, I will not be going back to them. Apparently I am not the only person who has had a problem with this clinic. I mentioned it to a group that I belong to, a group that is spread across the world, and one of them emailed me back about their time using this clinic. Their experience was very similar to my own.
On a whim I looked the company up on the better business bureau's website and found that they have an unsatisfactory rating. I should have looked them up prior to my visit.
A federal judge has denied the Schindler's motion for a stay while he reviews their lawsuit as we move in to the 7th day Terri has been without any food or water. In his opinion Judge Whittemore stated that the Schindlers have shown irreparable harm will occur if a temporary restraining order protecting Terry is not issued. He also wrote that the Schindler's must establish a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of the claim. "On careful consideration of each count, the Court concludes that the Plantiffs have not shown a substantial case on the merits." That brief can be read here in PDF format.
Right now Governer Bush has the ability to intervene without any rulings from the court. In 2 legal memo's sent to the Governer back in October 2003 from the Thomas Moore Law Center out of Ann Arbor Michigan, the center cites several facts suggesting Terri is the victim of domestic abuse and neglect and may be victim of domestic violence. They point out that the Florida Department of Children and Family Services have the authority to enter the facility where Terri is currently living and remove her if they believe that medical care is necessary to avoid death or serious injury.
For more information you can go here.
Right now Governer Bush has the ability to intervene without any rulings from the court. In 2 legal memo's sent to the Governer back in October 2003 from the Thomas Moore Law Center out of Ann Arbor Michigan, the center cites several facts suggesting Terri is the victim of domestic abuse and neglect and may be victim of domestic violence. They point out that the Florida Department of Children and Family Services have the authority to enter the facility where Terri is currently living and remove her if they believe that medical care is necessary to avoid death or serious injury.
For more information you can go here.
The Incredibles...
We watched "The Incredibles" last night and have to say that Pixar has done it again. Even better is that they set themselves up for the sequel but without any word from Pixar on that project it might be 2006-7 before we hear about it. I do not want to give any details so as not to spoil it for others but I will say that this is a the perfect family or "date" movie.
3/24/2005
Supreme Court refuses to hear case...
This is certainly not a good sign and definitely not what we were hoping for. It looks like the last real hope is the DCF ruling that we should have a ruling on within the next hour and change. The judge hearing the petition has set a deadline of 12pm EST for his decision. Let's keep praying that this is favorable and governor Bush can move her in to custody.
What I find interesting is the last line about this being a "trial be legislature" because it is sharply different then one Florida state senators remark which were basically encouraging legislation from the bench.
Story Here
What I find interesting is the last line about this being a "trial be legislature" because it is sharply different then one Florida state senators remark which were basically encouraging legislation from the bench.
Story Here
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted, rejecting a desperate appeal by her parents to keep their severely brain-damaged daughter alive.
The decision, announced in a terse one-page order, marked the end of a dramatic and disheartening four-day dash through the federal court system by Bob and Mary Schindler.
Justices did not explain their decision, which was at least the fifth time they have declined to get involved in the Schiavo case.
The feeding tube that has been keeping Schiavo alive at a hospice in Pinellas Park, Fla., was removed last Friday. Doctors at the time said that unless it is reinserted she will die in a week or two.
The high court's decision was the latest in a string of losses in state and federal courts for the Schindlers, who say their 41-year-old daughter faces an unjust and imminent death based on a decision by her husband to halt nourishment without proof of her consent.
The Schindlers' emergency high court filing also argued that Congress intended for Schiavo's tube to be reinserted, at least temporarily, when it passed an extraordinary bill last weekend giving federal courts authority to fully review her case.
In his response, Michael Schiavo urged justices not to intervene because his wife's case already has been endlessly litigated and at each turn courts have sided with him.
His filing also argued that Congress violated the Constitution when it passed the bill because the action was improperly intended to overturn state court rulings on the matter.
"That is not an exercise of legislative power, but trial by legislature," the filing said.
Day 6 and we are still hoping...
I am disappointed with the fact that the federal courts have not ruled in favor of the Schindler's despite the proof that state courts have violated state laws and the Constitution of Florida. Several hours is just not enough time for one Judge to go through the whole case and research any laws that might have been broken so I am left wondering how they can render a verdict without every fact being discovered.
Right now we are about 2 hours away from a ruling on the petition for the State of Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) to take Terri into protective custody on allegations of abuse. This may be the last chance to save her because in the federal courts the petition has made it to the Supreme Court once more.
Scott Schiavo was just on CNN claiming this is a political move and no longer about Terri and he may be right. I would say it is political, rather then doing the right thing, following the laws they swore to uphold, Judges are violating them to save their own political careers. Remember, people like Judge Greer are voted in to their positions. They are not appointed and they can be voted out, you better believe this is all about them and nothing about Terri's rights. Of course Judge Greer even when he was a county commissioner voted the way he "believed was the right way" instead of the right way, which is in accordance with the laws he was subject to.
There is speculation that he failed to qualify for his current position and if proven to be true it would vacate any rulings he has made since his current term took effect. This is one of those things that while it would benefit Terri and her families fight to save her, there is a bigger impact here and that would be the trials he has presided over. Since I am not sure what types of cases he may have heard I would be unwilling to overturn verdicts that rightfully sent someone to prison or even those cases where he has put an order of protection in place. It is most certainly a delicate line to be walking.
Obviously we are hoping for favorable rulings from the Florida court hearing the DCF petition and as soon as we hear anything we will have it here or they will have it over at Blogs For Terri.
Right now we are about 2 hours away from a ruling on the petition for the State of Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) to take Terri into protective custody on allegations of abuse. This may be the last chance to save her because in the federal courts the petition has made it to the Supreme Court once more.
Scott Schiavo was just on CNN claiming this is a political move and no longer about Terri and he may be right. I would say it is political, rather then doing the right thing, following the laws they swore to uphold, Judges are violating them to save their own political careers. Remember, people like Judge Greer are voted in to their positions. They are not appointed and they can be voted out, you better believe this is all about them and nothing about Terri's rights. Of course Judge Greer even when he was a county commissioner voted the way he "believed was the right way" instead of the right way, which is in accordance with the laws he was subject to.
There is speculation that he failed to qualify for his current position and if proven to be true it would vacate any rulings he has made since his current term took effect. This is one of those things that while it would benefit Terri and her families fight to save her, there is a bigger impact here and that would be the trials he has presided over. Since I am not sure what types of cases he may have heard I would be unwilling to overturn verdicts that rightfully sent someone to prison or even those cases where he has put an order of protection in place. It is most certainly a delicate line to be walking.
Obviously we are hoping for favorable rulings from the Florida court hearing the DCF petition and as soon as we hear anything we will have it here or they will have it over at Blogs For Terri.
3/23/2005
The high cost of medication...
I have written in the past about the high cost of medications, and here in the U.S. it is a well known problem. Even those of us with good coverage can pay ungodly amounts for some of those meds, especially if it is a medication for which there is no generic version. I currently have 3 levels of prescription coverage and rather then try to decipher them I generally just hope that what I am being prescribed is in the lowest bracket, which is $10 for me. The 3 levels I pay are $10, 25 & 40 dollars with very few of the meds falling in the lowest range for some reason.
Since I have a myriad of issues with the back and nerves I am currently on 7 different medications and depending on the doses and the way my prescriptions are written & changed month to month, I can spend about $225-250 a month for the medications.
The other day I received a letter from my insurance company letting me know they have a prescription program for people like myself who are on long term medications. The way it works is you get your prescriptions filled for 90 days at a whack and they have a set price for the medications. We went through the list of what I am on, the doses and how often I am taking them and developed a price list. It basically worked out to $280 for a 90 day supply of all my medications which is excellent. We noticed that they were charging me more for 2 of the meds then I was currently paying for them so if I leave those off and just buy them from the drug store it knocks it down to $240 for 90 days.
They told me to just bring the forms they sent me to the doctor, have him fill them out as well as include a handwritten prescription and Fed-Ex it to them. They did let me know that turn around time can be as long as 14 days if they are out, need to confirm with the doctor etc... so I should make sure I have enough medications on hand before sending the forms. Very good news for me, and especially for those who are in a financial crunch.
One of the toughest parts of having a long term illness or injury (chronic pain) is the costs of doctors visits and medications. In a month I will spend close to $300-350, with insurance. When I had a lapse in coverage it was a bit tougher as a doctors visit was $54 and that was without any testing or X-rays, which can be $500 a pop. When it came to prescriptions doctors would let me have as many samples as they could as I made sure they knew my financial situation.
Some great ways to save on the cost of meds is if you are in a budget crunch, let the doctor know you are. They are interested (ok, most of them are)in seeing you feeling better and being as comfortable as possible. If your doc is one of those that does not care, it's time to ease on down the road. You might also check out the local free clinic(s) as they may be able to offer you a discount card or even set you up to get your medications free from the companies that make them. They do this through a program very similar to the one at Needy Meds which also lists some programs run by state and local governments.
Being sick or injured is no fun, not being able to afford the needed tools to feel better or at least comfortable is worse. I just want you to know that there are some great tools out there. For me it is my insurance companies program and before that it was some of the programs run by the Sisters of the Catholic Charities, and while I am Catholic you do not have to be to receive help from them and they are not going to try to convert you if you do ask for help.
Since I have a myriad of issues with the back and nerves I am currently on 7 different medications and depending on the doses and the way my prescriptions are written & changed month to month, I can spend about $225-250 a month for the medications.
The other day I received a letter from my insurance company letting me know they have a prescription program for people like myself who are on long term medications. The way it works is you get your prescriptions filled for 90 days at a whack and they have a set price for the medications. We went through the list of what I am on, the doses and how often I am taking them and developed a price list. It basically worked out to $280 for a 90 day supply of all my medications which is excellent. We noticed that they were charging me more for 2 of the meds then I was currently paying for them so if I leave those off and just buy them from the drug store it knocks it down to $240 for 90 days.
They told me to just bring the forms they sent me to the doctor, have him fill them out as well as include a handwritten prescription and Fed-Ex it to them. They did let me know that turn around time can be as long as 14 days if they are out, need to confirm with the doctor etc... so I should make sure I have enough medications on hand before sending the forms. Very good news for me, and especially for those who are in a financial crunch.
One of the toughest parts of having a long term illness or injury (chronic pain) is the costs of doctors visits and medications. In a month I will spend close to $300-350, with insurance. When I had a lapse in coverage it was a bit tougher as a doctors visit was $54 and that was without any testing or X-rays, which can be $500 a pop. When it came to prescriptions doctors would let me have as many samples as they could as I made sure they knew my financial situation.
Some great ways to save on the cost of meds is if you are in a budget crunch, let the doctor know you are. They are interested (ok, most of them are)in seeing you feeling better and being as comfortable as possible. If your doc is one of those that does not care, it's time to ease on down the road. You might also check out the local free clinic(s) as they may be able to offer you a discount card or even set you up to get your medications free from the companies that make them. They do this through a program very similar to the one at Needy Meds which also lists some programs run by state and local governments.
Being sick or injured is no fun, not being able to afford the needed tools to feel better or at least comfortable is worse. I just want you to know that there are some great tools out there. For me it is my insurance companies program and before that it was some of the programs run by the Sisters of the Catholic Charities, and while I am Catholic you do not have to be to receive help from them and they are not going to try to convert you if you do ask for help.
The Florida senate has rejected a bill that could save Terri. This is indeed a sign that the Florida Senate does not care about their constituents because this bill while encompassing Terri would have spread to and protectedall of Florida's residents should they find themselves in a similar situation.
It looks like petition by governor Bush and the head of the states Social Service Agency have filed a petition seeking to take custody of Terri citing allegations of abuse as well it challenges Terri's diagnoses of a persistent vegetative state. I am certainly hoping this is something that even if not permanent buys the time the Schindler's will need to get their petition to the next level.
Here are petitions to be read and signed calling not only to save Terri but to impeach Judge Greer for his constant willingness to violate Florida state laws and statutes. I urge you to go to the site, read the petitions and sign them.
It looks like petition by governor Bush and the head of the states Social Service Agency have filed a petition seeking to take custody of Terri citing allegations of abuse as well it challenges Terri's diagnoses of a persistent vegetative state. I am certainly hoping this is something that even if not permanent buys the time the Schindler's will need to get their petition to the next level.
Here are petitions to be read and signed calling not only to save Terri but to impeach Judge Greer for his constant willingness to violate Florida state laws and statutes. I urge you to go to the site, read the petitions and sign them.
Crackpot doctor yet again...
So today was the day to see the doctor and find out what the EMG had to say. My appointment was at 9:15 and I was on time and led straight to the room to wait for the doctor. It took him an hour to finally come in during which there was nothing comfortable to sit on in the room (like last time) and each time I asked where the doctor was I was told he will be any minute. You know, if you made them wait they would be pissed off.
He finally makes it in to the room and tells me that the only thing the EMG shows is a pinched nerve! What the hell is he talking about? I have MRI's that show other wise but I guess he would not know that since he never bothered to look at them or even read the reports. He asked how things were going and when I told him that it has been getting worse he just blew it off and went on talking about upping the lamictal, which is what we discussed the last time. He did however either remember or read his notes because he said that he remembered that I did not want to have en epidural so instead he suggested that we do a myelogram to see where the damage is located. I just stared at him for a second trying to figure out if he was serious which he apparently was. I told him in no uncertain terms were they sticking me in the spine with a damn thing.
I honestly believe that he has nothing to offer me and only wants to see me every 4 weeks to bill the insurance. He won't prescribe any meds other then the lamictal, he wants to stick me with the same damn things that cause arachnoiditis in the first place. Then there is the hour wait for a 5 minute appointment to say the same damn thing he did last time. Why am I wasting my freaking time and money with these people? I don't think I am going to be going back to them anymore and will call my insurance people to see who else in the area is "in network."
He finally makes it in to the room and tells me that the only thing the EMG shows is a pinched nerve! What the hell is he talking about? I have MRI's that show other wise but I guess he would not know that since he never bothered to look at them or even read the reports. He asked how things were going and when I told him that it has been getting worse he just blew it off and went on talking about upping the lamictal, which is what we discussed the last time. He did however either remember or read his notes because he said that he remembered that I did not want to have en epidural so instead he suggested that we do a myelogram to see where the damage is located. I just stared at him for a second trying to figure out if he was serious which he apparently was. I told him in no uncertain terms were they sticking me in the spine with a damn thing.
I honestly believe that he has nothing to offer me and only wants to see me every 4 weeks to bill the insurance. He won't prescribe any meds other then the lamictal, he wants to stick me with the same damn things that cause arachnoiditis in the first place. Then there is the hour wait for a 5 minute appointment to say the same damn thing he did last time. Why am I wasting my freaking time and money with these people? I don't think I am going to be going back to them anymore and will call my insurance people to see who else in the area is "in network."
3/22/2005
Time for a wheelchair?
My legs seem to be having more twitching today then in the past. I tried a few times to lay down for a nap in the recliner but every time I was about to doze off one leg or the other would "kick" and wake me up. Oddly, my right arm did it once today. I have never had it happen in the arm like that. Since I see the physiatrist tomorrow for the EMG reading I will see what he has to say. If he does not mention it as a side effect then I will ask about it. The appointment is very early and an hour away so as soon as we drop the oldest off for school we are heading out.
I had a small problem today that tells me this is advancing. On the way in to the kitchen this afternoon my left knee gave out and while I did not fall to the ground it was enough to scare the crap out of me. While I have not asked for the handicap parking permit, even though I have brought the papers with me before, I am going to have to ask for one know. I have an appointment on the 23rd with the pain doc so I am not sure if I should ask the doc tomorrow or wait.
I had a small problem today that tells me this is advancing. On the way in to the kitchen this afternoon my left knee gave out and while I did not fall to the ground it was enough to scare the crap out of me. While I have not asked for the handicap parking permit, even though I have brought the papers with me before, I am going to have to ask for one know. I have an appointment on the 23rd with the pain doc so I am not sure if I should ask the doc tomorrow or wait.
Snow in the Spring?
I popped my head outside to see if it was still raining and got a "pleasant" surprise, it's snowing. While it may be normal in places like the Rockies or Sierra Nevada mountains, here in the plains this is fairly late.
Federal Judge rules against TerrI Schiavo's parents...
This is indeed sad and not at all the ruling we were hoping for. My concern now is that even if they get this before Federal Appeals Court by the end of the day, Terri will have gone close to 100 hours without her feeding tube and that could mean more and irreversible damage to her already fragile body. We will continue to hope and pray for Terri and her family that they will at least insert the feeding tube while they go through the federal court system.
U.S. District Judge James Whittemore said the 41-year-old woman's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, had not established a "substantial likelihood of success" at trial on the merits of their arguments.
3/21/2005
Told the wife...
This is the second time since my wife and I have been together that she has lost someone. 3 weeks before we were married her mother passed away after complications from surgery caused sepsis.
Telling her last night was not an easy thing to do. I waited up for her to get home from work and they must have been among the 2 longest hours I have lived.
The way I understand it is that Jenny died at home with her husband and my brother in law there taking care of her. According to her wishes she will be cremated and there is to be no funeral or memorial service.
I pray that you are resting in peace Jenny and that your pain is gone and we will see you again someday.
Telling her last night was not an easy thing to do. I waited up for her to get home from work and they must have been among the 2 longest hours I have lived.
The way I understand it is that Jenny died at home with her husband and my brother in law there taking care of her. According to her wishes she will be cremated and there is to be no funeral or memorial service.
I pray that you are resting in peace Jenny and that your pain is gone and we will see you again someday.
I don't even know where to start
I just got a call from my father in law. Why I was even downstairs this late is beyond me but within a minute or so the phone rang. Since we do not have an extension in the bedroom had I not been down there I would not have heard it.
It was my brother in law and since a phone call this late at night from him is not unusual (he works nights as well) I answered it.
For the last 6 months or so my mother in law (my wife's step mother) has been fighting cancer. She had been given only a few weeks when they diagnosed her but she showed them that she was not going to let it get her. She had surgery, rounds of chemo and beat it. She changed her habits, quit smoking, she was getting better and then a few months ago they told her the cancer was back.
The phone call tonight was to tell me that she passed away a few minutes ago. It is now up to me to tell her that she has passed and I do not even have a clue how to do this. I am certainly not going to call her at work but I also have no idea when she might be home. It could be in 15 minutes or it could be another 2 hours depending on how busy they were.
Please pray that our Jenny is resting comfortably.
It was my brother in law and since a phone call this late at night from him is not unusual (he works nights as well) I answered it.
For the last 6 months or so my mother in law (my wife's step mother) has been fighting cancer. She had been given only a few weeks when they diagnosed her but she showed them that she was not going to let it get her. She had surgery, rounds of chemo and beat it. She changed her habits, quit smoking, she was getting better and then a few months ago they told her the cancer was back.
The phone call tonight was to tell me that she passed away a few minutes ago. It is now up to me to tell her that she has passed and I do not even have a clue how to do this. I am certainly not going to call her at work but I also have no idea when she might be home. It could be in 15 minutes or it could be another 2 hours depending on how busy they were.
Please pray that our Jenny is resting comfortably.
3/20/2005
Still not a believer?
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
Video 4
Video 5
Video 6
These require Real Player which is free.
For someone people claim does not feel pain she certainly does seem to be alive.
Conversation with Terri in Windows Media Format.
These videos are all from This Site.
Video 2
Video 3
Video 4
Video 5
Video 6
These require Real Player which is free.
For someone people claim does not feel pain she certainly does seem to be alive.
Conversation with Terri in Windows Media Format.
These videos are all from This Site.
Facts about Terri Schiavo
So far it seems that the majority of my readers agree with my views so this is for those who are either riding the fence or dead set on letting them kill this women. These are some facts on Terri and they are taken from here.
The way her "husband" has treated her, both prior to her medical condition and now, is appalling. For those who did not know there have been allegations of spousal abuse or domestic violence if you will, at the hands of Michael Schiavo and that his abuse, not her ED, is what led to the heart attack.
However for those who do not know much about Eating Disorders they do not just happen. ED's are brought about by some factor in the persons life that they have little or no control over, like abuse at the hands of another. Eating disorders are not untreatable either and there are many tools at the hands of the family to get treatment for the patient, which it appears Michael Schiavo never did. Why? If he loves her as much as he claims then why the abuse? Why did he not get her help? Why has he gone and started a new family?
The way her "husband" has treated her, both prior to her medical condition and now, is appalling. For those who did not know there have been allegations of spousal abuse or domestic violence if you will, at the hands of Michael Schiavo and that his abuse, not her ED, is what led to the heart attack.
However for those who do not know much about Eating Disorders they do not just happen. ED's are brought about by some factor in the persons life that they have little or no control over, like abuse at the hands of another. Eating disorders are not untreatable either and there are many tools at the hands of the family to get treatment for the patient, which it appears Michael Schiavo never did. Why? If he loves her as much as he claims then why the abuse? Why did he not get her help? Why has he gone and started a new family?
For those of you who have not been keeping up with Terri's plight, here are some facts about Terri that you should know:
· Terri Schiavo is not a “vegetable,” she is not “brain dead,” and she is not in a persistent vegetative state. She recognizes and responds to others and makes attempts to verbally communicate. Videos and the truth about her condition is available at BlogsforTerri.com and terrisfight.org.
· Terri is not on life support but does receive food and water through a removable tube, which experts testify would not even be necessary if she were given therapy. This assisted feeding is a natural means of preserving life and not a medical act of life support or heroic measures.
· Twelve medical experts and nurses who cared for her confirmed these facts. Video available through BlogsforTerri.com shows Terri responding and interacting with others. Health care workers have testified under oath that she expresses herself using words, such as “mommy” and “help me”. This evidence was not allowed in court by Judge Greer.
· Terri is a person with disabilities who thinks and expresses her moods and desires. She is loved by her family and responds to their visits with smiles and laughter.
· Terri Schiavo may be the victim of ongoing negligence and injustice. She has been denied therapy and rehabilitation by her guardian since 1991. Florida’s guardianship laws REQUIRE that these necessary services be given to her.
· In 1992, Terri’s husband Michael won $1.7 million in negligence lawsuit under the pretext of funding her rehabilitation and care. He testified, “I believe in the vows that I took with my wife. Through sickness, in health, for richer or poorer. I married my wife because I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I'm going to do that.” Since that time, Terri has received no rehabilitation, all beneficial forms of stimulation (e.g. music) have been prohibited and basic health care, such as treatment for a life threatening urinary tract infection, has been purposefully withheld at Michael’s direction.
· Even though Terri’s husband has started a family of his own with another woman and their two children, he refuses to end his marriage to Terri or relinquish her care to her immediate family.
· Terri’s “collapse” has become controversial after a previously unavailable bone scan surfaced in 2002 which revealed multiple fractures consistent with a traumatic event. To date, no investigation has been conducted to determine the source of Terri’s injuries, but a radiologist gave a sworn statement that the date of those injuries would fall within the period of her mysterious collapse.
· Remarkably, The Florida Courts have sided with Michael, accepting the testimony of two “expert witnesses”, one of whom is a known advocate of “mercy killing”, over that of twelve independent medical professionals (6 of them neurologists).
· Without intervention by the Florida Governor and Legislature, Judge George Greer is set to give Michael the legal empowerment to withhold food and water from his wife for the purpose of starving her to death.
· Terri Schiavo deserves to have medical tests and therapy. She does not deserve to be starved and dehydrated to death.
· Advancements in the understanding of brain activity and misdiagnosis and the recent recovery of a patient after 20 years in a persistent vegetative state, further calls into question any decision that would end the life of Terri Schiavo.
Terri deserves to be cared for and loved by her family. She laughs and cries, she has a need for human companionship, she feels emotional and physical pain, she loves music, and she hates her dad's mustache when he kisses her (she makes a face). Her body isn't perfect, but her heart is. Why does Michael Schiavo, Judge George Greer, and George Felos want her dead?
BlogsforTerri...
For those interested here is a great source of information on the case. It is interesting to read how Michael Schiavo has bullied Terri's family and the hospital staff during the course of Terri's unfortunate situation.
Anyway, my views aside, check out the blog and you will find some great information as well as links to many of the courts decisions and the actions/reactions of the Schiavo family as well as Terri's.
Anyway, my views aside, check out the blog and you will find some great information as well as links to many of the courts decisions and the actions/reactions of the Schiavo family as well as Terri's.
Tough time sleeping...
I had a tough time getting to sleep last night. I have even switched from wearing the Lidoderm to the night in hopes it would help. Since you can wear more then 1 I have been wearing one on the back and then 1 on the shoulder that is bothering me most.
My night time routine is to get the boys in bed and once the baby is out I head to my room and watch the idiot box for awhile. It is also when I put the patch on and taking the elavil and lamictal since they are both supposed to help you sleep a bit better. So far the only thing they seem to be doing is keeping me wide awake.
I was wide awake until about 3am and just as I was dozing off I heard the dog going nuts which meant either my wife was home from work or we were being robbed. Thankfully it was my wife coming in the house and after grabbing a bottle of water I was finally able to get some sleep.
Now if this sleeping issue were here and there I would not be so wrapped around the axle. The problem is that while it is not every night, it is more often then not. Of course once I am asleep I wake up several times a night to either use the bathroom or get a drink of water, apparently some of the meds I am taking have a dehydrating effect. It is a double edged sword, not take the meds and not sleep at all or take them and spend most of the night back and forth between the water and the bathroom. Arrrghh!
My night time routine is to get the boys in bed and once the baby is out I head to my room and watch the idiot box for awhile. It is also when I put the patch on and taking the elavil and lamictal since they are both supposed to help you sleep a bit better. So far the only thing they seem to be doing is keeping me wide awake.
I was wide awake until about 3am and just as I was dozing off I heard the dog going nuts which meant either my wife was home from work or we were being robbed. Thankfully it was my wife coming in the house and after grabbing a bottle of water I was finally able to get some sleep.
Now if this sleeping issue were here and there I would not be so wrapped around the axle. The problem is that while it is not every night, it is more often then not. Of course once I am asleep I wake up several times a night to either use the bathroom or get a drink of water, apparently some of the meds I am taking have a dehydrating effect. It is a double edged sword, not take the meds and not sleep at all or take them and spend most of the night back and forth between the water and the bathroom. Arrrghh!
3/19/2005
The Canadian health care system...
So which is the lesser of the 2 evils? Having to pay through the nose for coverage and medications but having almost instant access to them or having free coverage (although a higher tax rate) and cheaper meds and having to wait months for a doctor to see you?
Seems neither is a great option and we are stuck with what we have. While here in the US a person of meager means has access to socialized medicine, most of us have private insurance. I am not even sure if they have an option in Canada to obtain a private policy that would have the coverage we would expect here in the US. I know we have some Canadians who frequent here and I am hoping they can shed some light on their system for us.
Story Here
Seems neither is a great option and we are stuck with what we have. While here in the US a person of meager means has access to socialized medicine, most of us have private insurance. I am not even sure if they have an option in Canada to obtain a private policy that would have the coverage we would expect here in the US. I know we have some Canadians who frequent here and I am hoping they can shed some light on their system for us.
Story Here
TORONTO - A letter from the Moncton Hospital to a New Brunswick heart patient in need of an electrocardiogram said the appointment would be in three months. It added: "If the person named on this computer-generated letter is deceased, please accept our sincere apologies."
The patient wasn't dead, according to the doctor who showed the letter to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. But there are many Canadians who claim the long wait for the test and the frigid formality of the letter are indicative of a health system badly in need of emergency care.
Americans who flock to Canada for cheap flu shots often come away impressed at the free and first-class medical care available to Canadians, rich or poor. But tell that to hospital administrators constantly having to cut staff for lack of funds, or to the mother whose teenager was advised she would have to wait up to three years for surgery to repair a torn knee ligament.
"It's like somebody's telling you that you can buy this car, and you've paid for the car, but you can't have it right now," said Jane Pelton. Rather than leave daughter Emily in pain and a knee brace, the Ottawa family opted to pay $3,300 for arthroscopic surgery at a private clinic in Vancouver, with no help from the government.
"Every day we're paying for health care, yet when we go to access it, it's just not there," said Pelton.
The average Canadian family pays about 48 percent of its income in taxes each year, partly to fund the health care system. Rates vary from province to province, but Ontario, the most populous, spends roughly 40 percent of every tax dollar on health care, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
The system is going broke, says the federation, which campaigns for tax reform and private enterprise in health care.
It calculates that at present rates, Ontario will be spending 85 percent of its budget on health care by 2035. "We can't afford a state monopoly on health care anymore," says Tasha Kheiriddin, Ontario director of the federation. "We have to examine private alternatives as well."
The federal government and virtually every province acknowledge there's a crisis: a lack of physicians and nurses, state-of-the-art equipment and funding. In Ontario, more than 10,000 nurses and hospital workers are facing layoffs over the next two years unless the provincial government boosts funding, says the Ontario Hospital Association, which represents health care providers in the province.
In 1984 Parliament passed the Canada Health Act, which affirmed the federal government's commitment to provide mostly free health care to all, including the 200,000 immigrants arriving each year. The system is called Medicare (no relation to Medicare in the United States).
Despite the financial burden, Canadians value their Medicare as a marker of egalitarianism and independent identity that sets their country apart from the United States, where some 45 million Americans lack health insurance.
Raisa Deber, a professor of health policy at the University of Toronto, believes Canada's system is one of the world's fairest.
"Canadians are very proud of the fact that if they need care, they will get care," she said. Of the United States, she said: "I don't understand how they got to this worship of markets, to the extent that they're perfectly happy that some people don't get the health care that they need."
Canada does not have fully nationalized health care; its doctors are in private practice and send their bills to the government for reimbursement.
"That doctor doesn't have to worry about how you're going to pay the bill," said Deber. "He knows that his bill will be paid, so there's absolutely nothing to stop any doctor from treating anyone."
Deber acknowledges problems in the system, but believes most Canadians get the care they need. She said the federal government should attach more strings to its annual lump-sum allocations to the provinces so that tax dollars are better spent on preventive care and improvements in working conditions for health-care professionals.
In Alberta, a conservative province where pressure for private clinics and insurance is strong, a nonprofit organization called Friends of Medicare has sprung to the system's defense. It points up the inequities in U.S. health care and calls the Canada's "the most moral and the most cost-effective health care system there is in the world." "Is your sick grandchild more deserving of help than your neighbor's grandchild?" It asks.
Yes, says Dr. Brian Day, if that grandchild needs urgent care and can't get it at a government-funded hospital.
Day, an English-born arthroscopic surgeon, founded Cambie Surgery Center in Vancouver, British Columbia — another province where private surgeries are making inroads. He is also former president of the Arthroscopy Association of North America in Orlando, Fla.
He says he got so frustrated at the long delays to book surgeries at the public hospitals in Vancouver that he built his own private clinic. A leading advocate for reform, he testified last June before the Supreme Court in a landmark appeal against a Quebec ruling upholding limits on private care and insurance.
George Zeliotis told the court he suffered pain and became addicted to painkillers during a yearlong wait for hip replacement surgery, and should have been allowed to pay for faster service. His physician, Dr. Jacques Chaoulli, said his patient's constitutional rights were violated because Quebec couldn't provide the care he needed, but didn't offer him the option of getting it privately.
A ruling on the case is expected any time.
If Zeliotis had been from the United States, China or neighboring Ontario_ anywhere, in fact, except Quebec — he could have bought treatment in a private Quebec clinic. That's one way the system discourages the spread of private medicine — by limiting it to nonresidents. But it can have curious results, says Day.
He tells of a patient who was informed by Ontario officials that since Ontario couldn't help him, they would spend $35,000 to send him to the United States for surgery.
Day said his Vancouver clinic could have done it for $12,000 but the Ontario officials "do not philosophically support sending an individual to a nongovernment clinic in Canada."
Canadians can buy insurance for dental and eye care, physical and chiropractic therapy, long-term nursing and prescriptions, among other services. But according to experts on both sides of the debate, Canada and North Korea (news - web sites) are the only countries with laws banning the purchase of insurance for hospitalization or surgery.
Meanwhile, the average wait for surgical or specialist treatment is nearly 18 weeks, up from 9.3 weeks in 1993, according to the Fraser Institute, a right-wing public policy think tank in Vancouver. A Fraser study last year said the average wait for an orthopedic surgeon was more than nine months.
Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal government has pledged $33.3 billion in new funding to improve health in all provinces and territories over the next 10 years. But critics aren't impressed.
"It won't make a difference," said Sally C. Pipes, a Canadian who heads the conservative Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco. "They need to break the system down, or open the system up to competition."
Pipes is a big supporter of the Bush administration proposal to allow Americans to divert some of their payroll taxes into medical savings accounts. She claims the two-tiered system feared by Canadian liberals already exists because those with connections jump to the head of the medical queue and those who can afford it can get treated in the United States.
"These are not wealthy people; these are people who are in pain," said Pipes.
Another watershed lawsuit was filed last year against 12 Quebec hospitals on behalf of 10,000 breast-cancer patients in Quebec who had to wait more than eight weeks for radiation therapy during a period dating to October 1997.
One woman went to Turkey for treatment. Another, Johanne Lavoie, was among several sent to the United States. Diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 1999, she traveled every week with her 5-year-old son to Vermont, a four-hour bus ride.
"It was an inhuman thing to live through," Lavoie told Toronto's Globe and Mail.
"This is the first time someone has decided to attack the source of problems — the waiting list," said Montreal attorney Michel Savonitto, who is representing the cancer victims. "We're lucky to have the system we do in Canada," he told the court. "But if we want to supply proper care and commit to doing it, then we can't do it halfway."
An estimated 4 million of Canada's 33 million people don't have family physicians and more than 1 million are on waiting lists for treatment, according to the Canadian Medical Association. Meanwhile, some 200 physicians head to the United States each year, attracted by lower taxes and better working conditions. Canada has 2.1 physicians per 1,000 people, while Belgium has 3.9, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The World Health Organization (news - web sites) in 2000 ranked France's health system as the best, followed by Italy, Spain, Oman and Australia. Canada came in 30th and the United States 37th.
Alberta Premier Ralph Klein is pushing what he calls "the third way" — a fusion of Canadian Medicare and the system in France and many other nations, where residents can supplement their government-funded health care with private insurance and services.
But some Canadians worry even partial privatization would be damaging.
"My concern is that the private clinics would only serve to further drain the scarce physician resources that we already have," said Dr. Saralaine Johnstone, a 31-year-old family physician in Geraldton, a papermill hamlet in northern Ontario.
"We first need to guarantee that everybody has access to quality health care," she said, "and we just don't have that."
So my question is one that is flooding the internet and every other form of media and that is how any one with a conscience can follow through with removing Terry Schiavo's feeding tube. It seems that the only people who have ever heard her requests were her husband and his side of the family. The same man who instead of being faithful until the end, like his wedding vows promised he would, went and had himself a new family. He has taken a common law wife and had a family with her. The same man who stands to inherit anything that is left of the multimillion dollar settlement from a malpractice suit, but he has to kill his wife first. That is all this is, legal murder. Condemned prisoners are treated better then this women is being right now. They at least are allowed to die in a quicker manner then being starved to death.
There are arguments that she feels no pain, but since everyone making those claims has never been in her shoes, they have no idea what she does or does not feel. What she can do is respond to stimuli and while it is not as consistent as you or I, it happens.
Terry was(is) a devout Catholic, there is no way she would have agreed to the way her husband has been treating her nor would she have wished to have her feeding tube removed. Remember, the experts are saying that since she breathes on her own and her heart beats unassisted. That means she is alive and to remove her source of nutrition is murder.
I am glad to see that Congress has stepped in and will pass a law to make sure these types of cases have a review at the federal level. While I am a states rights and minimalist government kind of guy there are times when they need to step in and this is one of those times.
There are arguments that she feels no pain, but since everyone making those claims has never been in her shoes, they have no idea what she does or does not feel. What she can do is respond to stimuli and while it is not as consistent as you or I, it happens.
Terry was(is) a devout Catholic, there is no way she would have agreed to the way her husband has been treating her nor would she have wished to have her feeding tube removed. Remember, the experts are saying that since she breathes on her own and her heart beats unassisted. That means she is alive and to remove her source of nutrition is murder.
I am glad to see that Congress has stepped in and will pass a law to make sure these types of cases have a review at the federal level. While I am a states rights and minimalist government kind of guy there are times when they need to step in and this is one of those times.
"Life Lessons-Peppered With Laughter and Wisdom
We have another blogger with Arachnoiditis to add to the rolls. Jan is 50 and has been living with arachnoiditis for about 10 years now and it appears to be from a myelogram, which is the same way I contracted mine.
Basically what happens with a myelogram is they inject a dye, which can contain myodil, in to the cerebral spinal fluid. With this dye injected the radiologist can see under an x-ray where the nerve roots are damaged and that allows the neurosurgeons to operate at the correct level of the spine. However in some people this dye does not leave the CSF and instead adheres to the arachnoid membrane which is one of the 3 protective layers of the spine. This causes scaring and as the scar tissue grows it starts to work it way around the nerve bundle in the spinal column. This deprives the nerves of their blood/oxygen supply and they start to die off and this causes pain for the patient and it is rather painful. In a study done by Dr. Sarah Smith MB BS they found that 100% of all arachnoiditis patients suffer from pain, so this is not a hit or miss issue and for many the pain if not controlled is debilitating.
For more reading on causes and treatment of arachnoiditis check out the COFWA site.
Basically what happens with a myelogram is they inject a dye, which can contain myodil, in to the cerebral spinal fluid. With this dye injected the radiologist can see under an x-ray where the nerve roots are damaged and that allows the neurosurgeons to operate at the correct level of the spine. However in some people this dye does not leave the CSF and instead adheres to the arachnoid membrane which is one of the 3 protective layers of the spine. This causes scaring and as the scar tissue grows it starts to work it way around the nerve bundle in the spinal column. This deprives the nerves of their blood/oxygen supply and they start to die off and this causes pain for the patient and it is rather painful. In a study done by Dr. Sarah Smith MB BS they found that 100% of all arachnoiditis patients suffer from pain, so this is not a hit or miss issue and for many the pain if not controlled is debilitating.
For more reading on causes and treatment of arachnoiditis check out the COFWA site.
3/18/2005
Rest In Peace Jessica Marie Lunsford
There are no words to describe how I feel about this poor young ladies murder and I cannot even begin to understand why it had to happen. I pray that she rests in peace and that her family finds comfort in that she can hurt no more.
Trouble with site?
It has come to my attention that some of my readers are having trouble viewing the site. If you cannot see the banner or if the comment link is missing from the posts would you please use this link to email me. Please let me know what browser & version you are using as well as your connection speed.
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Opforsoldier
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Opforsoldier
Head shrinker....
I just got back from my appointment with the Social Security psychologist. It was a quick but interesting appointment and I am still not quite sure why I had to go. I would think anyone in my boat would have some form of depression and that they would want to explore it for benefit reasons but like I told the doctor, it is not my primary reason for seeking disability. That would be the chronic pain from the incurable arachnoiditis. Nothing like wasting taxpayer dollars on appointments that are either not necessary or redundant...
3/17/2005
Chiropractic help for lower back pain
Again, this is a method that I have not tried nor is it a method I am willing to try. My unwillingness stems from the hardware I had put in during surgery and the fear of having it bent or worse broken.
While we all have heard of chiropractors not many people truly understand what they actually do. I know I always thought they were the king of the crackpot doctors. It was after a good friend got his degree and became one that I truly realized that they are not all crackpots, just my buddy Tim!
If you look up define:chiropractic
on Google you will get several definitions but there was one that jumped off the page at me so I will use it here.
There are some people who swear by Chiropracters for everything, my sister is one of them. She has her weekly adjustments and when my nephew was born he had some problems that conventional medicine did not fix, clogged tear ducts. They took him to the chiropractor and after a few adjustments they were working again. Now whether the ducts worked themselves free naturally, which is what the pediatrician said would happen, or the adjustments worked I don't know, but she swears by them. I would also add that my sister has her PhD, so when she has an opinion it is usually well informed.
Now whether or not a chiropractor can truly relieve some of the symptoms of back pain I do not know but when you look at the root of most back pain I can see how some people would believe in them. While there are many different problems that can cause pain in the back most of them come down to something called Nerve Impingement. The picture in the link shows one type of this where a herniated disc is impinging on the nerve root as it leaves the spinal cord. This is where the pain comes from and needs to be relieved. Generally a doctor would probably go for the traditional route of physical therapy and perhaps either the medrol dose pack, which is taken orally or the more invasive method of injecting Depo-Medrol which is known as an Epidural Steroid Injection and helps to relieve some of the swelling at the sight of the herniation. This offers some relief but generally the pain will return after some time¹.
When these injections fail to offer relief it means that another method must be used and that typically means surgery where the doctor will perform a Laminectomy which is a procedure where part of the lamina² is removed to make room for the nerve root which will relieve the pain.
So what can a chiropractor do to offer relief from this? Chiropractors use a few tools in addition to the physical manipulation of the joints to achieve relief. Massage therapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and heat therapy are also used by the chiropractor to relieve the symptoms. These methods help break down the scar tissue and re-align the joints in hopes of relieving if not removing the source of pain.
Before a chiropractor goes to work on any back pain they should have a set of X-ray's taken and see exactly what they are working with. Once the doctor has done that they should discuss your situation with you and devise a plan for their treatment of your pain through adjustments and manipulation of the joints involved. An adjustment is force applied in a specific direction to a specific joint by the chiropractor.
One thing that is consistent with care under a chiropractor and a physician is that the patient must learn proper sitting and lifting methods can prevent unnecessary strain on your spine. Specific exercises may be given to help restrain the muscles that support your spine. Proper rest is also an important aspect of the healing process. Getting the appropriate amount of rest your body needs and avoiding sleeping on your stomach can be very beneficial.³
Now one thing I thought was important is that Chiropractors are not MD's and they are not required to complete medical school to practice. This also means that they are not allowed to prescribe medications. If you are in need of more then just an adjustment but would like to have the best of both worlds it might be worth your time and effort to search out an Osteopath. They will be the doctors listed with D.O. after their names rather then the M.D.
If you decide that a visit to the chiropractor is what you would like to do then I would suggest that you treat it as if you were visiting a physician for the first time and check with your states governing body for chiropractors. Here is a piece from the U.S. Department of Labors occupational outlook handbook.
An interesting read on chiropractors
¹- The relief offered by these injections will vary from patient to patient.
²- An anatomical portion of a vertebra. For each vertebra, two lamina connect the pedicles to the spinous process as part of the neural arch.
³- Spinal Manipulation
While we all have heard of chiropractors not many people truly understand what they actually do. I know I always thought they were the king of the crackpot doctors. It was after a good friend got his degree and became one that I truly realized that they are not all crackpots, just my buddy Tim!
If you look up define:chiropractic
on Google you will get several definitions but there was one that jumped off the page at me so I will use it here.
A system of therapy which aims to restore balance to the spine, muscle and nervous systems with the purpose of maintaining the body in good health. This may include the use of manipulative techniques of the spine, soft tissues and other joints of the body, as well as non-manipulative techniques such as Sacro-occipital and Activator techniques.
There are some people who swear by Chiropracters for everything, my sister is one of them. She has her weekly adjustments and when my nephew was born he had some problems that conventional medicine did not fix, clogged tear ducts. They took him to the chiropractor and after a few adjustments they were working again. Now whether the ducts worked themselves free naturally, which is what the pediatrician said would happen, or the adjustments worked I don't know, but she swears by them. I would also add that my sister has her PhD, so when she has an opinion it is usually well informed.
Now whether or not a chiropractor can truly relieve some of the symptoms of back pain I do not know but when you look at the root of most back pain I can see how some people would believe in them. While there are many different problems that can cause pain in the back most of them come down to something called Nerve Impingement. The picture in the link shows one type of this where a herniated disc is impinging on the nerve root as it leaves the spinal cord. This is where the pain comes from and needs to be relieved. Generally a doctor would probably go for the traditional route of physical therapy and perhaps either the medrol dose pack, which is taken orally or the more invasive method of injecting Depo-Medrol which is known as an Epidural Steroid Injection and helps to relieve some of the swelling at the sight of the herniation. This offers some relief but generally the pain will return after some time¹.
When these injections fail to offer relief it means that another method must be used and that typically means surgery where the doctor will perform a Laminectomy which is a procedure where part of the lamina² is removed to make room for the nerve root which will relieve the pain.
So what can a chiropractor do to offer relief from this? Chiropractors use a few tools in addition to the physical manipulation of the joints to achieve relief. Massage therapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and heat therapy are also used by the chiropractor to relieve the symptoms. These methods help break down the scar tissue and re-align the joints in hopes of relieving if not removing the source of pain.
Before a chiropractor goes to work on any back pain they should have a set of X-ray's taken and see exactly what they are working with. Once the doctor has done that they should discuss your situation with you and devise a plan for their treatment of your pain through adjustments and manipulation of the joints involved. An adjustment is force applied in a specific direction to a specific joint by the chiropractor.
One thing that is consistent with care under a chiropractor and a physician is that the patient must learn proper sitting and lifting methods can prevent unnecessary strain on your spine. Specific exercises may be given to help restrain the muscles that support your spine. Proper rest is also an important aspect of the healing process. Getting the appropriate amount of rest your body needs and avoiding sleeping on your stomach can be very beneficial.³
Now one thing I thought was important is that Chiropractors are not MD's and they are not required to complete medical school to practice. This also means that they are not allowed to prescribe medications. If you are in need of more then just an adjustment but would like to have the best of both worlds it might be worth your time and effort to search out an Osteopath. They will be the doctors listed with D.O. after their names rather then the M.D.
If you decide that a visit to the chiropractor is what you would like to do then I would suggest that you treat it as if you were visiting a physician for the first time and check with your states governing body for chiropractors. Here is a piece from the U.S. Department of Labors occupational outlook handbook.
An interesting read on chiropractors
¹- The relief offered by these injections will vary from patient to patient.
²- An anatomical portion of a vertebra. For each vertebra, two lamina connect the pedicles to the spinous process as part of the neural arch.
³- Spinal Manipulation
Saint Patrick's day, Sanctioned racism?
Yes it is Saint Patrick's day and most of the country will spend this day pretending to be Irish, secretly wishing that they could be like us for the whole year.
It actually is a day that kind of pisses me off. Is that what people really think of the Irish? That they celebrate everything by getting as drunk as possible? On green beer no less? If they knew anything they would know that a good Irish Ale is red, slightly malty with a delicate balance of hops.
I guess racism is ok when it is all in good fun and involves alcohol. Would they think of celebrating Rosh Hashanah by eating Matzo Ball Soup and becoming falling down drunk on Manischewitz. Most people would consider it an insult to those of the Jewish faith, and you certainly do not see people of the Jewish faith acting like that. So why do they do it on Saint Patrick's day? What makes it ok on a day like today?
I know, most people would say that this is over reacting or that I just don't understand. Well they would be dead wrong. I consider it an insult to myself as well as my ancestors.
It actually is a day that kind of pisses me off. Is that what people really think of the Irish? That they celebrate everything by getting as drunk as possible? On green beer no less? If they knew anything they would know that a good Irish Ale is red, slightly malty with a delicate balance of hops.
I guess racism is ok when it is all in good fun and involves alcohol. Would they think of celebrating Rosh Hashanah by eating Matzo Ball Soup and becoming falling down drunk on Manischewitz. Most people would consider it an insult to those of the Jewish faith, and you certainly do not see people of the Jewish faith acting like that. So why do they do it on Saint Patrick's day? What makes it ok on a day like today?
I know, most people would say that this is over reacting or that I just don't understand. Well they would be dead wrong. I consider it an insult to myself as well as my ancestors.
3/16/2005
A blog to keep our eyes on...
Sadly it looks like we have another spinal cord blogger out there. It looks like Gimpy Rick is just starting out in the blogging world and I thought it would be nice if we all went over and showed our support.
Acupuncture for low back pain...
In keeping with my promise to have more then just medicinal methods to treat lower back pain I am spending some time this week with some of the "non-traditional" treatments. Of course I should say that these treatments may only be non-traditional here in North America as they have been used for centuries in some Asian countries and anything that has a track record like that deserves our attention.
I have not tried acupuncture but if I were going to try any of the non-traditional methods this would be it. I have several friends that swear by this method for not just relieving the back pain but for treating stress, headaches and for a few of them to quit smoking.
Speaking of smoking, for those of us with spinal cord surgeries smoking has been shown to inhibit healing. So if you have had surgery and no one has warned you about the hazards of smoking in relation to your recovery do some looking around and you will be surprised.
One of the major hurdles that I feel needs to be crossed is for most of our lives we were taught to see a doctor for our problems and should we need further care we see a specialist. We have never been taught about the non-traditional methods of treating our problems so we tend to not believe that they will have any effect for us. Worse is that when you mention some of these methods you might associate it with the crazy aunt you have or that nut for a neighbor. The ones with the incense burning 24/7 and wearing their hemp clothes.
It does not have to be that way and as I said earlier these methods have been around for centuries so maybe we should at least give them a shot before we dismiss them. Some insurance companies may even have coverage for these methods. I mean come on, my last insurance company covered hot tub/spa's if a doctor believed they would speed up the recovery as well as prevent some forms of treatment that were proven to be more expensive then the tubs themselves. (I have not checked with my new carrier yet but I do plan on looking in to it.)
Story Here
I have not tried acupuncture but if I were going to try any of the non-traditional methods this would be it. I have several friends that swear by this method for not just relieving the back pain but for treating stress, headaches and for a few of them to quit smoking.
Speaking of smoking, for those of us with spinal cord surgeries smoking has been shown to inhibit healing. So if you have had surgery and no one has warned you about the hazards of smoking in relation to your recovery do some looking around and you will be surprised.
One of the major hurdles that I feel needs to be crossed is for most of our lives we were taught to see a doctor for our problems and should we need further care we see a specialist. We have never been taught about the non-traditional methods of treating our problems so we tend to not believe that they will have any effect for us. Worse is that when you mention some of these methods you might associate it with the crazy aunt you have or that nut for a neighbor. The ones with the incense burning 24/7 and wearing their hemp clothes.
It does not have to be that way and as I said earlier these methods have been around for centuries so maybe we should at least give them a shot before we dismiss them. Some insurance companies may even have coverage for these methods. I mean come on, my last insurance company covered hot tub/spa's if a doctor believed they would speed up the recovery as well as prevent some forms of treatment that were proven to be more expensive then the tubs themselves. (I have not checked with my new carrier yet but I do plan on looking in to it.)
Story Here
Acupuncture has become very popular in the United States as a treatment for many illnesses and symptoms, including low back pain. This treatment method was originally developed in China, over 2000 years ago, and has become a common method for relieving pain and other symptoms in this country.
In addition to studying the role of acupuncture in the treatment of low back pain, the National Institutes of Health has also funded a large amount of research on the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy, chemotherapy, and after an operation. It has also been studied as a useful treatment for addiction to cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs, as well as a method for alleviating headaches, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma.
Acupuncture treatments consist of placing very thin stainless steel needles into the skin of the patient in certain locations that are thought to correspond to certain organs and anatomic areas deep within the body. There are several thousand "acupoints" that have been described by traditional Chinese acupuncturists, each of which has a particular significance in the treatment of different diseases and symptoms. According to the traditional Chinese understanding of the human body, a natural form of energy that is vital for the proper functioning of the human body flows through twelve "meridians" in the human body. This energy force is called "chee," and is understood to have both good and bad qualities. The balance between these two aspects of the life force, the yin (a dark, female force), and the yang (a light, male force), controls every aspect of the human body. Acupuncture seeks to correct imbalances in relative amounts of yin and yang within the human body by inserting needles into acupoints that are aligned with certain meridians.
Acupuncture, when practiced by a skilled individual, is usually painless, and modern disposable needles carry almost no risk of infection. While the theory behind how acupuncture works has not been validated by modern scientific investigations, many people have obtained substantial relief as a result of these treatments. Acupuncture is relatively inexpensive, is readily available in most communities in the United States, and is even starting to become covered by some health care plans. There are several large-scale studies that are currently underway that are trying to determine how acupuncture compares to other forms of treatment for patients with low back pain, but unfortunately, the results of these studies won't be available for several years.
The issue of whether or not to seek the services of an acupuncturist for the treatment of low back pain is largely personal. Many people believe that an ancient form of medicine that is based upon thousands of years of experience must be able to offer some benefit in the treatment of a disease, like low back pain, that has not been "cured" by modern Western medicine. Today, it is becoming a well-accepted form of treatment, especially as a means of alleviating pain and reducing the amount of medications that someone with low back pain takes.
3/15/2005
Yoga & Chronic pain?
For someone dealing with chronic pain there comes a level of stress. Since stress can amplify the effects of the pain doctors do their best to help patients work through all the problems the patient is having so that they can be as comfortable as possible.
That means working with not only stress but depression that also comes along with chronic pain. The depression can also come from many sources and if not treated it too will have some effects on the level and duration of the pain. Fortunately for the depression there are medications as well as counseling that can help.
For the stress there are some who will use an anti-anxiety medication¹ to help control it but what really needs to be done is the person must learn stress management. Of course that is easier said then done for people with chronic pain. While the chronic pain can be dealt with on a day to day basis the fact that it is there causes the stress. Very much a vicious circle.
While I am not an advocate of alternative methods when it comes to working with issues such as stress, they have been proven to work for some people. There are several methods of stress management but the one that has popped up most in my searching for those methods is Yoga. The fact that it generally requires nothing more then a clear space on the floor in a quiet area is probably what makes it enticing. Local libraries would have instructional books on how to perform it, making this a very cheap way of working with the stress.
Not only does stress have an effect on chronic pain, it can cause symptoms of it's own such as headaches. For some people those headaches can be intolerable, causing spells of disorientation, vomiting and possibly periods of unconsciousness.
Story here
¹- Anti-anxiety medications are generally limited to short term use as they tend to cause drowsiness and lethargy as well the patient can develop a dependency on the medication.
That means working with not only stress but depression that also comes along with chronic pain. The depression can also come from many sources and if not treated it too will have some effects on the level and duration of the pain. Fortunately for the depression there are medications as well as counseling that can help.
For the stress there are some who will use an anti-anxiety medication¹ to help control it but what really needs to be done is the person must learn stress management. Of course that is easier said then done for people with chronic pain. While the chronic pain can be dealt with on a day to day basis the fact that it is there causes the stress. Very much a vicious circle.
While I am not an advocate of alternative methods when it comes to working with issues such as stress, they have been proven to work for some people. There are several methods of stress management but the one that has popped up most in my searching for those methods is Yoga. The fact that it generally requires nothing more then a clear space on the floor in a quiet area is probably what makes it enticing. Local libraries would have instructional books on how to perform it, making this a very cheap way of working with the stress.
Not only does stress have an effect on chronic pain, it can cause symptoms of it's own such as headaches. For some people those headaches can be intolerable, causing spells of disorientation, vomiting and possibly periods of unconsciousness.
Story here
THE PRACTICE OF YOGA HAS BEEN credited with everything from reversing heart disease to alleviating the symptoms of menopause. Now researchers say the ancient Hindu practice may ease chronic pain.
"People suffering from chronic pain go through more than just the pain itself," explains Sonia D. Gaur of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center's department of psychology."They contend with anxiety and depression as well as medication usage. Our study found improvement in every area"
Gaur's study, presented at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting, recruited 18 volunteers suffering from chronic pain from ailments such as migraines and osteoarthritis. The volunteers participated in 90-minute yoga sessions three times a week for four weeks; they combined meditative breathing exercises known as pranayam with different yoga poses. The poses were designed to release physical tension.
To measure the effect that the yoga sessions had on the volunteers' pain, Gaur asked them to rate their moods and the severity of their pain at the end of each week. Most volunteers reported that their pain decreased enough to ask their physicians to decrease their medication. Although no one knows the exact mechanism by which yoga works to relieve pain, Gaur says what is more important is its effectiveness. "Some people live with chronic pain their whole lives," Gaur says. "Yoga is another way of coping with these ailment?
¹- Anti-anxiety medications are generally limited to short term use as they tend to cause drowsiness and lethargy as well the patient can develop a dependency on the medication.
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