Thanks for your comments, Heather, about my doctor visit. I ended up having to see the chiropractor a second time last week, and when I did, I mentioned Dr. Boo and how much I did not enjoy visiting his office. The chiropractor said he'd recently gotten a letter from a new pain management place that opened up here in Kingman and suggested I might want to try this place instead, so I called them today. First I asked if they're able to treat fibromyalgia and second, I asked if they'd have a problem prescribing the two medications I take. The nurse I spoke with was very helpful, but she told me that they usually do a "medication vacation" with new patients and basically start from scratch to see what kind of treatment(s) may work.
I don't want to sound like a drug addict, but in my opinion, I don't need a medication vacation. I've tried probably a couple dozen medications during the past four years and I've now finally got two that work for me, so I'm not in any hurry to stop taking them. In fact, I'm looking to try even more medication, specifically to treat my fatigue, which I mentioned to the nurse on the phone. She's going to speak with the doctor and call me back tomorrow or the day after to tell me what he says, but I've kind of already made up my mind that this isn't what I want.
Even though there's no love lost between me and Dr. Boo, I'm hesitant to burn any bridges with him, because if I start going to this new place and don't like it either, I doubt I could go back to Dr. Boo. Maybe I should just stick with him for the foreseeable future and be content with what I'm getting. After all, if I don't have to actually see him during my next visit, it won't be so bad.
It's been pretty hot here lately, which is to be expected. We've been hearing from the locals that the months of July and August are the monsoon season, and that will bring some rain and more humidity. I can see some changes in the weather already, because we've had a lot of cumulus clouds the past three or four days in a row, and usually there are no clouds around. It hasn't rained here yet, but I've seen rain off in the distance.
We've been trying to keep up with our evening bike rides, but lately it's been too hot even after the sun sets, so we've either taken shorter rides or not gone at all.
We got a cute patio furniture set from Big Lots this weekend. It was only $70 for two chairs, two foot rests and a small table. It's just right for our front porch. We've been sitting out there after dark, usually after our bike ride. B also got a hummingbird feeder from Big Lots and hung it up outside, but the wind was blowing so hard that day, all the nectar spilled out all over the porch, the side of the house and the window. He's still trying to figure out a way to stabilize it. We also got some pretty windchimes and B had an idea to hang them from the ceiling over one of our potshelves, so he hung them up yesterday and they look really cute.
When I last saw the chiropractor, he showed B how to do a psoas stretch with me and suggested we do it every day because that muscle is too tight and is causing me pain. I had a lot of trouble with my psoas when I first met B and he's done a lot of work on it over the years, but apparently it's still giving me trouble. I'm still having pain while sitting, especially while sitting at my desk and working, so I'm hoping this stretching will help.
Our next-door neighbor, the hacker, has apparently moved out. I don't know if I mentioned this, but he told us a while ago that he more than likely was going to be foreclosed on, and that's what happened. B suggested I hook my wireless adapter back up and see if anyone hacks it again, and if not, we'll definitely know it was him. I guess his house belongs to the bank now. I wonder how long it will take to sell? I have a feeling it'll be vacant for a while, and that's fine with me.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Second visit with Dr. Boo
Yesterday was my second visit with Dr. Boo (that's my nickname for the pain management doctor). I wasn't sure what to expect at this visit, so I was feeling nervous about going, but B offered to come with me and drive, so that helped a lot. He had to miss some work in order to come, because my appointment was at 10:10 a.m., but hopefully next time I'll feel more confident about going by myself.
Last time I was there, the doctor wanted me to have all these x-rays done, which ended up costing me an arm and a leg, so I figured he'd discuss the x-rays with me. Wrong! He never said a word about the x-rays. In fact, I don't think I would've even seen the doctor had I not expressed uncertainty about when my next appointment should be.
I had to wait about a half hour to finally be called back to the exam rooms, and then one of the nurses or assistants or whatever just said, "You're here for refills? OK, here you go. See you in a month," and handed me refills for my two prescriptions. I said, "Do I need to come back in a month?" and the guy said, "Uh, uh, you need to talk to the doctor." Then I had to wait out in the hall for another 15 minutes until the doctor was done with whoever he was talking to.
When I first got there and signed in, I was given a piece of paper to sign about receiving injections. I thought it was odd, because I don't get injections, but they said I needed to sign anyway just in case I ever did, so I signed it. While I was waiting in the hallway to see the doctor, he burst out of one of the exam rooms and reamed out another nurse or office assistant or somebody, saying, "Why are you guys having peole sign these injection forms when they're not even getting injections?!" The woman he was yelling at explained that someone else told her they had to be signed by everyone, but the doctor continued to yell at her and told her not to waste paper. As he walked away, he said, "Geez, what is wrong with you? Use your head!" So you can imagine how eager I was to see him after that.
Finally it was my turn and basically he just asked if my prescriptions were still working for me, told me I should continue to see a chiropractor (after I said I'd been to see one recently) and sent me on my way while hardly looking at me. So the good news is, I got refills, but the bad news is, I do have to go back again in a month. When I was checking out, the woman he was yelling at early was at the desk and she said, "You need to come back in a month?" and I said, "Well, I don't know. The doctor didn't say." She rolled her eyes, gave me this oh-my-god-you-are-so-annoying look and said, "Well, usually you come once a month for prescription refills," so I said, "OK then, I guess I do need to come back in a month," and she made me an appointment.
I'm guessing that when I go back again, I won't even see the doctor unless I have a question or concern, and you can bet I won't be asking any questions. I'm just gonna go in there, pick up my refills and leave. I don't need to stick around just to get attitude from these people.
Some good news is that I found a very nice chiropractor here in town and I've been to see him twice now; once on Monday and once two weeks ago. I've been having a real problem with pain in my lower back and butt on the left side when I'm sitting, and I seemed to have some improvement after I saw the chiropractor the first time, but then it came back, so that's why I went again on Monday. He said he wants me to come again later this week, but I'm hoping I'll be feeling better by then and won't have to. I did feel a bit better yesterday and this morning, but I'm not feeling so great right now. I finished my work for A really early today, so now I'm waiting to see if I R has anything they can send me. If they don't, I'm going to lay down and get off my butt for a while. That's what really seems to help.
The chiropractor gave me a handout on fibromyalgia when I was there on Monday. That was nice, but it really didn't tell me anything I don't already know. I've done a lot of reading about it online and B tells me what kind of treatments the doctors he transcribes for are currently using for their fibromyalgia patients. I talked to my dad on Monday morning and told him that I have fibromyalgia, which I'd never talked to him about before. He'd heard of it through commericals on TV and stuff, but didn't know anything about it, so he asked me what it was and how it affected me, etc. I didn't go into a lot of detail because I didn't want to bore him with a lot of whiny details, but I kind of gave him an overview, and I imagine that he'll go online and look it up if he wants to know more. He's really taking advantage of the internet now that he's retired and has the time.
Last time I was there, the doctor wanted me to have all these x-rays done, which ended up costing me an arm and a leg, so I figured he'd discuss the x-rays with me. Wrong! He never said a word about the x-rays. In fact, I don't think I would've even seen the doctor had I not expressed uncertainty about when my next appointment should be.
I had to wait about a half hour to finally be called back to the exam rooms, and then one of the nurses or assistants or whatever just said, "You're here for refills? OK, here you go. See you in a month," and handed me refills for my two prescriptions. I said, "Do I need to come back in a month?" and the guy said, "Uh, uh, you need to talk to the doctor." Then I had to wait out in the hall for another 15 minutes until the doctor was done with whoever he was talking to.
When I first got there and signed in, I was given a piece of paper to sign about receiving injections. I thought it was odd, because I don't get injections, but they said I needed to sign anyway just in case I ever did, so I signed it. While I was waiting in the hallway to see the doctor, he burst out of one of the exam rooms and reamed out another nurse or office assistant or somebody, saying, "Why are you guys having peole sign these injection forms when they're not even getting injections?!" The woman he was yelling at explained that someone else told her they had to be signed by everyone, but the doctor continued to yell at her and told her not to waste paper. As he walked away, he said, "Geez, what is wrong with you? Use your head!" So you can imagine how eager I was to see him after that.
Finally it was my turn and basically he just asked if my prescriptions were still working for me, told me I should continue to see a chiropractor (after I said I'd been to see one recently) and sent me on my way while hardly looking at me. So the good news is, I got refills, but the bad news is, I do have to go back again in a month. When I was checking out, the woman he was yelling at early was at the desk and she said, "You need to come back in a month?" and I said, "Well, I don't know. The doctor didn't say." She rolled her eyes, gave me this oh-my-god-you-are-so-annoying look and said, "Well, usually you come once a month for prescription refills," so I said, "OK then, I guess I do need to come back in a month," and she made me an appointment.
I'm guessing that when I go back again, I won't even see the doctor unless I have a question or concern, and you can bet I won't be asking any questions. I'm just gonna go in there, pick up my refills and leave. I don't need to stick around just to get attitude from these people.
Some good news is that I found a very nice chiropractor here in town and I've been to see him twice now; once on Monday and once two weeks ago. I've been having a real problem with pain in my lower back and butt on the left side when I'm sitting, and I seemed to have some improvement after I saw the chiropractor the first time, but then it came back, so that's why I went again on Monday. He said he wants me to come again later this week, but I'm hoping I'll be feeling better by then and won't have to. I did feel a bit better yesterday and this morning, but I'm not feeling so great right now. I finished my work for A really early today, so now I'm waiting to see if I R has anything they can send me. If they don't, I'm going to lay down and get off my butt for a while. That's what really seems to help.
The chiropractor gave me a handout on fibromyalgia when I was there on Monday. That was nice, but it really didn't tell me anything I don't already know. I've done a lot of reading about it online and B tells me what kind of treatments the doctors he transcribes for are currently using for their fibromyalgia patients. I talked to my dad on Monday morning and told him that I have fibromyalgia, which I'd never talked to him about before. He'd heard of it through commericals on TV and stuff, but didn't know anything about it, so he asked me what it was and how it affected me, etc. I didn't go into a lot of detail because I didn't want to bore him with a lot of whiny details, but I kind of gave him an overview, and I imagine that he'll go online and look it up if he wants to know more. He's really taking advantage of the internet now that he's retired and has the time.
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