Prayer request

[Monocrom]

That's what I'm saying! Not only does big pharma have NO effing clue what these drugs actually do before testing, they're LITERALLY doing what the quacks used to do with snake oil, narcotics, and "magic dirt".

I'll happily take the quacks and Snake Oil peddlers any day of the week. At least their tonics never caused someone to be forced into gender re-assignment surgery or die.

 

[Candleometry]

I'll happily take the quacks and Snake Oil peddlers any day of the week. At least their tonics never caused someone to be forced into gender re-assignment surgery or die.

Those are two drastic extremes.

 

[jtr1962]

As far as Viagra, yes; originally created to help women with breathing issues. Someone said, "Let's see how well it works on men."

Yeah, the rest is history. They even redeveloped Viagra to be more potent, for men.

What they don't mention is a little side-effect called gangrene at the crotch for some men who take Viagra. Oops!

Or the idiots who think if one is good two or three or five is even better. I recall watching on TV about a person who went to the hospital with an erection lasting more than 24 hours. They had to stick a needle in his weiner to drain the blood. The cause? Too much Viagra.

 

[Candleometry]

Or the idiots who think if one is good two or three or five is even better. I recall watching on TV about a person who went to the hospital with an erection lasting more than 24 hours. They had to stick a needle in his weiner to drain the blood. The cause? Too much Viagra.

It happens quite often along with other things we won’t talk about here. Trust me.

 

[Monocrom]

It happens quite often along with other things we won’t talk about here. Trust me.

Yeah.... Like working on the bathroom and realizing you've got too much caulk.

 

[TPA]

This is a very interesting conversation to follow. The variety of beliefs, experiences and knowledge.

I've had to fight to stay alive throughout most of my life. When you're forced to do that at a young age, it changes who you are and how you approach life.

I'm "that guy": The one who questions everything, even things which are taken for granted as true. I have to see it for myself and understand it for myself.

The one who sat in maths classes, challenging proofs, actually finding solutions for those 'no solution" problems. The one who sat through Organic Chemistry without ever studying or using the formulas they gave us. When I had a GI doc say I had Celiac disease, my default was to go on a massive 2-week gluten binge, which actually made the symptoms go away temporarily, so I definitely proved it wasn't Celiac.

 

[TPA]

Hi all,
Asking for prayer again.

We're back at Mayo...and... are both spent. Mayo is a cut above the other hospitals I've been to around the country, however, it's still part of the US Hellcare system, and still has many of the same problems endemic to that system. My fiancée is still no better than before. If anything, her breathing is becoming worse. Not getting a lot of action from the Mayo doctors other than "schedule a follow-up" with their soonest opening being in 3+ months. She can't wait that long. They did a thoracentesis on Friday and no relief nor improvement at all. We chatted with the nurses at the dialysis center today and the consensus is to take her into the ER. Yesterday was her birthday and she couldn't even make it from the door of the restaurant to the car. :( Enough is enough.

Upon reviewing her records 2 weeks ago, I think I've come up with a plausible explanation as to what happened and is happening, and it appears that it is fixable via surgery, but not a nice surgery. Because the doctors back home and at Mayo have ****ed around for so long, the window of opportunity is closing, so I'm pushing hard to get this resolved now. I think taking her to the ER is the only option we have to get doctors to take this seriously. We don't want to do that, but I don't see any other choice.

My health's taken quite a hit in this, especially with her not sleeping, I'm not sleeping, trying to take care of her. Among other issues I'm dealing with.

Resolution and rest are what we need. It's been a long 9 months, and we're at wits end.

 

[bluflaam777]

I'm not reading your post until after I pray. Then I'll pray some more ...knowing God speaks ...I'm listening.

Heaven's Love !

 

[Monocrom]

Sorry to hear about the latest news regarding both her and yourself.
Prayers will be sent. Also, needs must. If the only way the doctors will help her without screwing around is to take her to the Emergency Room.... Then that's what needs to be done.

 

[jtr1962]

I second taking her to the ER. That might be the only thing which makes the doctors realize how serious her condition is.

 

[Mrs Bykfixr]

I am just reading this. I apologize for being so late in on this conversation. I will definitely send prayers for both of you. I definitely understand your frustration and am so sorry the two of you have been going through all of this for so long. God is with you both and I will pray for healing and rest for you both. If there is anything I can do to help, I’m not that smart in these matters, please let me know what you need and you will have it! Please know that God is watching over you.

 

[TPA]

A huge Thank You to everyone who has prayed with us. We're nowhere near healed, but the wheels are turning. Praise God. Literally.

I took her to Mayo ER Tuesday — by then she'd deteriorated beyond what I could manage in a hotel room. The experience was positive: reasonable pace, good progress updates, doctors who listened. She was admitted.

Wednesday brought 4+ hours of actual face time with multiple doctors — sometimes several at once. That level of access is rare in most US hospitals. Engagement varied; some seemed annoyed, others interested. One doctor spent over an hour with us. He wasn't initially on board with my theories, but together we built a framework: rather than chase one cause for everything, we broke her symptoms into 3 separate clusters to pursue independently, since multiple factors are likely at play.

I met resistance on testing, but they did place a chest tube for a day. What drained out was significant to me — doctors dismissed it as normal, but given her history, I pushed back. By Friday, one doctor (who wears an understated WWJD bracelet, btw) reluctantly agreed it warranted further investigation, likely surgery (hopefully laparoscopic). She'd improved enough to be discharged Friday evening, and he's arranging a surgical consult for early-to-mid June — starting as a laparoscopic look-see/biopsy, with the option to proceed with surgery immediately if needed.

A physical solution to a physical injury — what a concept. For 9 months, doctors blamed physiology rather than the fall she had 24 hours before this all started. Prior to Mayo, two hospitals and 10 doctors produced nothing. 3 months with Mayo hadn't gotten us any closer. Today changed that.

Is my hypothesis right? I don't know. But it's plausible — and so far, no one, including Mayo, has offered a better one.

Please continue to keep us and the doctors in prayer. This isn't the ending yet. But at least is starts a new chapter, and is one step closer to getting part of her (our) life back.

 

[Monocrom]

It's just shocking to me that so many so-called learned doctors either couldn't do anything, or simply refused to do anything.

 

[jtr1962]

Doctors simply DO NOT listen to what their patients tell them. My mother went through this all the time with them.

You also have the fact most doctors have such a large caseload these days that they can't spend all that much time with any one patient. The best advice is to hope you never get sick enough to need a doctor. Just three days in a hospital made me realize how bad US health care really is.

 

[TPA]

It's just shocking to me that so many so-called learned doctors either couldn't do anything, or simply refused to do anything.

That's exactly the problem. They think education somehow means knowledge and wisdom. Doctors make terrible pilots and businessmen. DDD's, Dumb Doctor Deals, were a staple and steady cash flow stream in our office, untangling the messes various doctors got themselves into.

I've often said that doctors should be forced into trade school and work in a trade for a year before touching a patient. Learning how to logically troubleshoot something, whether it be HVAC, elevators, electrical, diesel engines, would help them greatly. Especially when in many trades, call-backs are on YOUR OWN dime, not the company's, so there's a health incentive to get it right the first time.

Doctors simply DO NOT listen to what their patients tell them. My mother went through this all the time with them.

That's been the way for at least 30 years, in my experience. Ms. TPA's blood pressure can't be measured with an automated cuff, full stop. She doesn't have hypertension, never has.

So many places refuse to take a manual reading, so I now have her refusing to allow them take her BP unless it's manual. They'll tout how great the machines are, how they're calibrated, etc. Even at Mayo last week in the ER, they insisted, so we insisted they get a manual cuff out first. They brought out the manual cuff but still insisted on the machine first, then took it manually. The machine consistently read 40-50 points higher on her systolic for the whole 4 days she was there. After we get through the first 3 issues on the list, we'll investigate that and see why and if it's actually a problem. The Mayo doctors did conclude that the manual cuff, lower numbers, were indeed the correct ones.

I'm glad we established that given she'll be having surgery later this month. The anesthesiologist will need to make note of it.

Treat the patient, not the machines, not the tests.

You also have the fact most doctors have such a large caseload these days that they can't spend all that much time with any one patient. The best advice is to hope you never get sick enough to need a doctor. Just three days in a hospital made me realize how bad US health care really is.

Anyone who thinks the US has a good healthcare system has never been truly sick.

I learned that one in my teens when I was in a hospital and a doctor was telling me what he wanted to do. I was in terrible shape, and I told him flat out, "even though my body is totally wasted right now, that sounds like a really bad idea." The doctor assured me, "It's our standard treatment protocol." I told him I thought their standard protocol was absolutely stupid. Within the next 24 hours I'd end up coding because of it. Fortunately by the time Cardiology arrived my heart was beating and I was breathing again, but they took me over to the Cardiology department, and made me a Cardio patient for the rest of my time in hospital, refusing to let the other ward and other doctors have me back.

My parents found this out the hard way with my dad's hydrocephalus turned brain haemorrhage. The haemorrhage was caused by a medication error by a doctor. Even the hydrocephalus was missed by three separate neurologists. I present the image wherein I noticed the hydrocephalus below. You don't have to be a neurologist, or even a doctor, to know a big 'ol hole like that has no business being in the brain.

and here's what it looks like when filled with blood:

Both totally preventable. Both missed by multiple doctors.

Medicine is one of those areas where I hate being right. I have some medical education, but am not a full credentialed doctor myself. I used to get passing grades on practice USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge tests as an undergrad. I actually started tutoring med students on these as an undergrad. How the heck is some kid, before even setting foot in medical school, able to get passing grades on what are Year 2 and Year 4 medical school tests? And that's with me working 3 jobs, including heading out of town/state weekly for work, so school was not my primary focus. I don't see myself as anything special.

BTW, a passing grade on these is only ~60%.

The bar is set waaaay too low, and it shows.

 

[bluflaam777]

[All professionals] should be forced into trade school and work in a [their] trade for a year [5yrs min] before touching a patient [going into practice alone].

Entertainment 'requests' this - in learning my trade I was told that it takes at least 5yrs of 'in-field' practice under apprenticeship before even being considered a 'pro'. And even then one can be stifled into a private practice without real world quals. This is just a musician.

...and docs aren't required to do at least the same?

 

[TPA]

I have no innate musical talent. I've always been on the other side of the glass in the studio. No prerequisites there, although it usually works out as some form of on-the-job training. I know there are schools which teach this stuff, but I've never set foot in one. For that matter, I've never taken a single course on anything which I've been employed over the years.

When I said working a trade trade I truly mean, those interested in becoming doctors truly should be forced to work trades and service-work outside of medicine, not within the healthcare system. Learning to logically troubleshoot things seems to be non-existent in the US healthcare system.

In the USA, it's typically:
1) College (4 years)
2) Med school (4 years) (USMLE exam Step 1 & Step 2)
3) Residency (3-7 years) They're paid "doctors" at this time but are under the supervision of another doctor. Most are 3 years. Surgery and specialties, 4 years. Surgery, 5 years. Neurosurgeon, 7 years. (USMLE Step 3 taken during this time)
4) Medical License. Upon getting a passing score on Step 3 and completing their residency, they're allowed to go off on their own.

Some states only require 1 year of post-med-school training, but I don't believe there are any residency programs which allow for that.

 

[bluflaam777]

^I'm with you mate. If an entertainer takes 5yrs to be considered a pro by the pros of the profession, then the med field should take all of that and more just to start dealing with the public.

One of the greatest countries on the planet have let the very system that made us great, make us ...certainly in need of course correction on some certain topics.