Observations and Commentary
First annoying topic: doctors/prescriptions, and really aggravating doctor-to-patient (sic) communication (quite detailed and annoyed which is why it is optional reading):
I have been taking an additional diabetes medication since about April 1. It was prescribed by the doctor who saw me 3/24 (the day I abruptly moved), and I did not know the doctor prescribed it until I called the pharmacy (Safeway) and picked up "everything I need refilled" (as I told them). When I saw the unfamiliar prescription I called the clinic and asked them to ask the doctor why she prescribed the medicine (which I thought was a reasonable question). The person (whoever it was who answered the phone) proceeded to start explaining to me what the medication was, that it was prescribed for treatment of diabetes, and that the doctor did indeed issue a prescription for it. This I already knew, and I said that. I asked the person (name escapes me, he did not give it to me until about the middle of the conversation) if he was a doctor, he said no, and I asked AGAIN if I could please have an answer from the doctor why she prescribed this additional medication. Three days later I got a call from the doctor's assistant, informing me that the new medication was because my blood draw showed high readings. The assistant was a bit annoyed that I hadn't started taking the medication yet, and told me I should do so right away. I didn't understand - and to be honest, am still a bit unclear, about why, after 3 months + of no visits, no tests, not even looking at my test meter or diary, 1 blood draw after a 12-hour fast gives the doctor/clinic all the information they need to treat me for 2 problems (diabetes and neuropathy). Even more annoying is the "if you have any problems, see your doctor immediately" comments that translate into "unless it is an emergency (in which case call 911) the doctor can't see you for 3 weeks" - because since I have been taking the new stuff my blood sugar readings are lower - under 100 50% of the time (which is not good, although I have had to be inventive about even finding out what "good" sugar readings are because NO ONE OFFICIALLY (doctor or anyone else at the 2 clinics I have gone to) will give me a straight answer about this) - and it takes me all day to warm up my freezing cold hands (which were not that way before). But evidently I am being unreasonable about this. I really hope that when the medicare comes through (when SSI gets around to approving my disability) I will have more options than the doctor(s) I am currently seeing.
2d commentary is about the "FWD-must read-must forward-etc" stuff I get. I really try not to forward stuff just "because" (any of you who get my forwards please note I select them because they are interesting/funny and NOT CHAIN MAIL). Example of good forward: danarchy84 's video about teabagging, which was so funny for so many reasons :D Well I got one this morning from a friend who sends political stuff sometimes (which I usually delete as soon as I find out what they are). This one was about an incident at a high school in California where the students took down the American flag, flew the Mexican flag with the American flag under it and upside down. The text of the forward (which had pictures of the event) said that "you won't find this in any newspaper or TV report, and forward this to all of your friends and representatives" because it is disrespectful (I agree with that) and proves that the immigrants have no respect for the US Government (which is possible I can't comment from my POV), etc. Whoever was forwarding this (several people from all the undeleted groups of "to" addresses) did not bother to do a simple google on this event, which happened 3 years ago (which is why "you won't find this...."). I took a somewhat fiendish pleasure in forwarding the Google link (look up Montebello High School if you want the details) to ALL of the addresses I got in my message.
Now that I am comfortably settled in my new home (hopefully for a good while, I am sooooo tired of moving!) I have time for this stuff. More normal (for me anyway) posts will be following :D
I have been taking an additional diabetes medication since about April 1. It was prescribed by the doctor who saw me 3/24 (the day I abruptly moved), and I did not know the doctor prescribed it until I called the pharmacy (Safeway) and picked up "everything I need refilled" (as I told them). When I saw the unfamiliar prescription I called the clinic and asked them to ask the doctor why she prescribed the medicine (which I thought was a reasonable question). The person (whoever it was who answered the phone) proceeded to start explaining to me what the medication was, that it was prescribed for treatment of diabetes, and that the doctor did indeed issue a prescription for it. This I already knew, and I said that. I asked the person (name escapes me, he did not give it to me until about the middle of the conversation) if he was a doctor, he said no, and I asked AGAIN if I could please have an answer from the doctor why she prescribed this additional medication. Three days later I got a call from the doctor's assistant, informing me that the new medication was because my blood draw showed high readings. The assistant was a bit annoyed that I hadn't started taking the medication yet, and told me I should do so right away. I didn't understand - and to be honest, am still a bit unclear, about why, after 3 months + of no visits, no tests, not even looking at my test meter or diary, 1 blood draw after a 12-hour fast gives the doctor/clinic all the information they need to treat me for 2 problems (diabetes and neuropathy). Even more annoying is the "if you have any problems, see your doctor immediately" comments that translate into "unless it is an emergency (in which case call 911) the doctor can't see you for 3 weeks" - because since I have been taking the new stuff my blood sugar readings are lower - under 100 50% of the time (which is not good, although I have had to be inventive about even finding out what "good" sugar readings are because NO ONE OFFICIALLY (doctor or anyone else at the 2 clinics I have gone to) will give me a straight answer about this) - and it takes me all day to warm up my freezing cold hands (which were not that way before). But evidently I am being unreasonable about this. I really hope that when the medicare comes through (when SSI gets around to approving my disability) I will have more options than the doctor(s) I am currently seeing.
2d commentary is about the "FWD-must read-must forward-etc" stuff I get. I really try not to forward stuff just "because" (any of you who get my forwards please note I select them because they are interesting/funny and NOT CHAIN MAIL). Example of good forward: danarchy84 's video about teabagging, which was so funny for so many reasons :D Well I got one this morning from a friend who sends political stuff sometimes (which I usually delete as soon as I find out what they are). This one was about an incident at a high school in California where the students took down the American flag, flew the Mexican flag with the American flag under it and upside down. The text of the forward (which had pictures of the event) said that "you won't find this in any newspaper or TV report, and forward this to all of your friends and representatives" because it is disrespectful (I agree with that) and proves that the immigrants have no respect for the US Government (which is possible I can't comment from my POV), etc. Whoever was forwarding this (several people from all the undeleted groups of "to" addresses) did not bother to do a simple google on this event, which happened 3 years ago (which is why "you won't find this...."). I took a somewhat fiendish pleasure in forwarding the Google link (look up Montebello High School if you want the details) to ALL of the addresses I got in my message.
Now that I am comfortably settled in my new home (hopefully for a good while, I am sooooo tired of moving!) I have time for this stuff. More normal (for me anyway) posts will be following :D