I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

AnneW

KK, so good to see you again. I hope the pain management folks come up with really good stuff for you. It's available--long acting, short acting, whatever you need.

Wabbit, I love that dog! I'm thrilled he adopted you! He's so healthy looking that it makes me think of all these stories about animals who end up on moving vans, or accidentally left behind at rest stops along the highway. I wonder what his "story" is...

Procrastination paid off for me. I didn't swap out my winter wardrobe this weekend like I had planned. It was 80 and sunny Sunday. Today, it's 32 and snowing. Glad to still have my fleece handy!

bluedahlia

Athena, you are greatly missed as well.  I want all my friends and more all around me.  I'm selfish!  Medipal...you too!

bluedahlia

I had a tune-up yesterday and a thyroid check.  Tune-up has me a bit wobbly which will resolve but I have the capability now to tune-down.  Haven't taken any meds since yesterday.  No sign of the thyroid cancer so I'm a happy camper!  The pink lobsters are keeping their distance too.  hehe!

Alpal

Blue - so glad your tune up went well. Anne, my daughter in Tahoe also had snow yesterday. She wasn't a happy camper when I talked with her! Going to be in the 80s here today and that's fine with me!

BarbaraA

Kind of hot here in FL today with high humidity. But a front is coming this afternoon and that should cool it down, or rather, de-humidify.

konakat

Barbara -- I wish I still lived in Boston!  Maybe, if the Bruins make it to the Cup finals I might convince myself to go down for a game.  Oh, listen to this -- a couple of years ago I was going to purchase Senators-Bruins tickets, right down by the ice and dumbass Boston Boy didn't want to go.  He was going to get a $300 ticket paid by me!  I really just wanted to wear a Senator's jersey and wave to Mom on the TV. 

Blue -- glad about your thyroid and tune-up.

My painfree days didn't last even 1 day.  I woke up at 2AM frozen with pain.  It took me 1.5 hours to get myself out of bed to get more meds.  I started to imagine that no one would find me until I had fossilized.  So, as soon as the codeine kicks in again this morning I'm heading out to get more Ibuprofen -- the only thing that gets rid of all the pain.  That's what I got yesterday and was wonderful.

Janice -- I worried about becoming addicted and my doc said as long as the morphine, etc is being used for pain, as opposed to recreation, we probably won't get addicted.  At this point I won't care if I get addicted, as long as I feel good.  Can't wait until I see the pain doc.

BarbaraA

Oh, KK, I hope you can get that pesky pain under control soon!  Maybe I can get two tix for Sat. We can root for opposites!

Blue, so glad your 'tune-up'  and be tuned-down. Great news about thyroid. Whew.

Anne, hope it warms up a bit for you.

E, you can hope for revenge on Saturday.

konakat

I guess it doesn't matter whether the Bruins or Lightening win the series.  We all know the Canucks will take the cup!  Teehee!!

3monstmama

Hy KK on the addiction thing, I have been told that people with real pain have nothing to worry about.  The morphine just binds with the pain receptors.  So don't worry and don't hold back!

Happy birthday to all those in birthday land!

Ellie1959

I sure hope you are right about the addiction thing - I am in horrible pain in my arm pit and rib on my Cancer side - not much alleviates it. I had labs yesterday - all normal but a bone scan on Monday - hurts like hell -

Medigal

Blue:  So glad your "tune-up" went well.  Like they say, "you can't keep a great gal down!"  I have been busy writing to as many of our Washington "supposed to be" representatives about what is happening to our Medicare.  DP yaks at me that I am wasting my time writing to any one but our own Senator but I write to the President, Speaker, and any one I know may be running for President in 2012.  They may not need my vote as a constituent but they pay attention at this time of the year because they know they need our votes if they are a Presidential candidate.

Last month, I actually got a response from the Speaker Boehner, faster than I got from my own Senator, Mc Connell!  I am just real concerned that more and more physicians are going to keep dropping the Medicare and Advantage patients and this is what I use for my Oncologist!  I cannot believe Canada can come up with a Healthcare system for it's people and the once great, money wasting, US, has it's elderly people walking in circles trying to find physicians who will take them.  My problem started when my original gyn closed her practice and I got on the phone calling all these in my Humana directory only to be told they don't accept any patients with any type of Medicare insurance!    Yet we are still paying hundreds of dollars a month to have both insurances!!  Sorry for the rant but you would not want to read my letters sent off today.  I am very disgusted with our government taking our tax dollars and Medicare premiums and now leaving the elderly in a "sour pickle"!     Have a nice day ladies and if you are 65 or older, PLEASE, drop at least "one" email to your state senator about the Medicare problem.  Thanks!

Alpal

Medigal, in March 2010 when my DH turned 65 we were advised to not get an advantage plan, but  supplement and drug coverage plans (separate plans). The reason -doctors in our small town were refusing to accept patients with advantage plans. Obviously, it must have had something to do with payment. You might ask the doc offices if they accept Medicare + supplement plan. Just an idea.

crazy4carrots

Medigal -- Maybe universal healthcare's time has really come for the U.S.!

Canadian docs don't care whether or not you're over 65.  They get paid the same (fee for service) whatever your age.  They make a very good living too!  The docs who go to medical school in order to become extremely wealthy sometimes move to the for-profit healthcare industry in the U.S.  Many of them return, because they hate dealing with umpteen insurance providers and having to pay staff to process the claims.  I guess they really don't like the fact that fully a third of the fee they get from their patients goes to pay overhead.  Hmmmm.

Check out what's happening in Vermont.  Its government has "seen the light".

Cheers!  And I commend you for your letter-writing campaign.  Hope you get some answers from more than Boehner.

Linda

bluedahlia

Our system can't be that bad.  It was a Canadian doctor that found M. Douglas' throat cancer after seeing two doctors in the U.S. thus delaying treatment for 9 months.

Bren-2007

KK .. I'm sorry to hear about your pain .. I'm sure Monday can't get here soon enough for you.  The last thing I would be worried about is getting addicted.  I think it's better to have massive relief from the pain.

Ellie .. Sorry to hear you are suffering too.  When do you get the bone scan results?  Soon, I hope.  Are you on any meds for the pain?  I take two vicodin a day for my chronic pain problem.

Blue .. great news on the tune-up and thyroid issue!  I hope you are not in so much pain today either.  I know it's tough on your muscles now that your are walking differently.

Athena .. I've missed you too.

Medigal .. So sorry about the issues with Medicare.  I think I'm with the Canadians and wish we had a single payer system.

Hope everyone is having a good day,

Bren

IronJawedBCAngel

I write letters and emails to McConnell, Whitfield, Boehner, and Paul.  Whitfield is always the first to respond.  Boehner responded and while the letter was fairly generic, at least he said he appreciated my taking the time to contact him.  McConnell sends several paragraphs about how we all are concerned about the budget and health care, and that he is a huge supporter of cancer survivors, but with no outline of ideas or initiative on how to deal with the problems, other than his fat cat friends and corporate buddies shall not be taxed. Paul's response was the most insulting.  After my passionate plea on behalf of cancer survivors everywhere, he outlined at great length how he has pledged to overturn Obamacare and gut every program that the sick and poor rely upon.  I very much got the impression that it was a form letter and that he did not even bother to read any of the letters I have sent.  A complete waste of my time and his, and a bigger waste of my tax dollars that he used to send the response. 

Bernie Sanders has put forth another single payer bill.  Doubt it will go anywhere, but he does seem to be creating more dialogue, especially since his speech during the shutdown debate went viral. Maybe I can move back to Vermont when they get their single payer established.  Anyone see the report that the GOP budget proposal would leave 44 million more Americans uninsured?

Athena, Blue, and anyone else going through troubles, hugs and positive, healing thoughts coming your way.  Happy Birthday wishes to all those I have missed.  Going through my own version of hell on earth this week, so just not much time to spend here.  It is what it is, and I am ok, it has just been a very long road.

 

rosemary-b

KK and Ellie Ihope your pain issues are soon relieved. It is awful that you have to suffer

Blue hurray or the good news. You have been through a lot and you've come so far.

My DH and I are going on a retreat this weekend, We leave tomorrow night. I really need some quiet tme

 I got out the rest of the summer clothes today but in Michigan ther are always a few clothes left out for cold weather-but snow brrr

edited to add because I didn't read her post first (((IJ)))

otter

Last night:  dinner from a Chinese take-out restaurant (orange chicken, honey walnut shrimp, broccoli beef, cream cheese rangoon).  The honey walnut shrimp was spectacular.

Tonight:  dinner in my M.I.L.'s "independent living" dining facility.  It will be sandwiches, because the big meal there is at noon.  The noontime meal was very good (fresh salad bar, lasagna, veggies, and bread pudding with apple rum sauce).  They do know how to feed these retired folks!

otter

Alpal

Tonight - Black Bean burritos. YUM!

rosemary-b

Homemade lasagna mm,mm good

AnnNYC

((((((((((IJBCA)))))))))))))  [hell-on-earth sure doesn't sound good -- I'm so sorry]

Blue, glad your tune-up was good, and hope the over-tuning works itself out soon -- glad you had a good Night At The Opera!

(((((((Elizabeth)))))))) and ((((((((Ellie)))))))) -- hope you're both feeling better.

Love to everybody !  Sorry not to be more up on the conversations -- it's a crazy crunch-time at work (Lindasa -- including emails back-and-forth between our office and your pals Fast Eddie, his assistant Krista, and his "boss" Dr. C.B.!) -- and the crazy crunch will last at least until the end of May...

but I ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  you all !

crazy4carrots

(((((Ann)))))  Gotta get those grant aps in before the deadline.  Take some time for yourself, sweetie.  And a deep breath now and then too!

otter

IJBCA, I totally missed your comment about the terrible week.  Hugs to you ((((IJBCA)))).  I sure hope things calm down, or straighten out, or do whatever it takes for you to feel more at ease.

otter

AnneW

KK, get on Fentanyl patches for continuous coverage of your pain. Then have something strong for breakthrough. You do NOT need to suffer, and you do not need to worry about addiction. You've got to break that pain cycle!!

Maybe it's time for us to make you some "special brownies" or something...

jancie

KK - You have to take massive amounts of morphine to get addicted to it.  I had some long conversations with the pain clinic regarding morphine, lortabs, percocet, etc.  I did tell them that I wanted to stay away from oxycontin if it wasn't absolutely necessary. 

Since it is extended release - you do need something for breakthrough pain (lortabs, percocet, etc.).  I will say at one time my pain got so bad and I still had another 3 weeks before my first visit with the pain clinic that my GP put me on 6 morphine per day.  After day 2 (since it is extended release), I had built up so much morphine in my body that I was stoned out of my mind.  I immediately cut it back to 3 a day and then called him on monday and chewed him out! 

It isn't as though getting stoned was the worst thing in the world - but it did prevent me from going about my daily activities, driving, etc. and I wasn't about to be home bound for an extended period of time.

jancie

I should also mention I have an extremely high tolerance to pain medication, anesthesia, etc. so if 6 morphine per day put me over the top - then figure 4 a day will do it for those that are normal

BarbaraA

Wow, Jancie. I am the complete opposite. If I take 1/4 of a pain pill, I am gone for 36 hours. No kidding. My body just doesn't metabolize drugs well. They gave me a shot of ativan before my surgery and I was in lala land for 48 hours. I barely remember any of it. The morning of the third day I woke up and DH said, "Thank God you are back."

bluedahlia

I don't know what they gave me after my brain surgery but I was a hoot.  I was singing (OH I wish I was in Dixie), calling my son Joe Pesche (my son is 6' talll) you figure that one out, telling all the doctors and nurses I loved them, and other stuff that I can't remember that had my family rolling on the floor. Oh ya, I also told the nurses it was 1990 + 20.

crazy4carrots

Blue -- I think you were stuck in the 90's!  Keep up to date girl!

BarbaraA

What a hoot, Blue. I can just picture you singing away while DH and son look on in amazement.

Headed out for the cut and color I was supposed to have done yesterday. I always feel so much better after I get my 'do'.