Surgery--Again

Had a fairly upsetting day at Bellevue. (See above.) Got my blood checked with being asked to move only three times. Not a long wait.

I then went to pick up and drop off some prescriptions. The last few times I was at the pharmacy, I had about a ten minute wait. Today they were up to number 181 when I got there. My number? 241. (See above.) There are no signs telling anybody what to do. Some people wait in line without a number. Once you're seen, you gotta go around the corner to pay and then come back and stand in another line to get your meds. Only the experienced few know these things. We serve as guides.

A fair number of people don't care if there's a line or numbers. They just walk up. Sometimes they're told they need a number, and sometimes they just get their meds. I can live with all of this usually. But today I had something else to do. I had to make the steenkin' copies.

Finally my number is up. They screwed up the prescription again. I will try to explain this, but mainly, just see the above illustration. I take an antidepressant. The doc wants me to take 15 mg a day. The pills only come in tens. She gave me two prescriptions for the same meds with different doses. (You may want to take notes.) I first tried just filling one of the prescriptions, but it was finished fast, and they wouldn't refill it for me because it was too soon. So I now have both prescriptions filled. (Are you following?) I have problems every steenkin' time. Why? Because the prescriptions are for different dates. Huh? I explained that if you have two prescriptions for thirty pills at ten mg each and you take a whole pill daily from one prescription and a half pill daily from the other prescription, they will need to be refilled on separate dates. (Are you following this? You may be tested.) They refused to fill both prescriptions. I argued as much as I could stand it, but I had to get out of there. So I now have one prescription which will be finished fast. I made it out of there in just under two and a half hours with only part of the prescription.

Test question: How many Bellevue workers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

Answer: None. They're too busy screwing up my prescription.

I had to race to meet Sheila to make the copies. She says hi back.

Got to the post office and mailed the fashtunkina package. Got home and am gonna rest before I tackle anything else.

Roger, The Access-a-Ride here is notorious for being late. After spending several hours waiting in the hospital, do I really want to wait out in the street again. I'm not including the way-to-the-hospital wait. I've had enough with the waiting.

I'm gonna go have breakfast. See ya later.

Edvard was so tuned in, wasn't he?

I just figured out there is a new driving/access service here. I'd been plotzed before - the main one has refused to get me a few times since I'm off the route (like, you're kidding?) when my eyes are scheduled to be dilated..... and that's only for direct medical driving. The new one sounds much much better. We'll see, have to fill out forms and all that.

Roberta, it just happens that I saw my clinic doc this week and convinced her that I'm doing fine with 1/2 pill a day, re bp (yes, yes, I follow the numbers). New prescription at lower wattage.. so, I happen to have this now-extra pill splitter. Do you want it, as I'm mailing you something anyway?

Waves to Sheila..

sends you a comforting hug

Oh for christ's ^^# $%^^& (OI%^%$#$@ *()&^&&%^ sake!


I think I would have been yelling the goddam place down and punching things dollink!!!

osso, I responded re the pill splitter elsewhere.

husker, Thanks. Could use a hug.

deb dollink, I can't yell. I can barely talk. And hitting? I can't grate a steenkin' potato without resting. I'd probably swing a punch and fall down. C'mon over and yell and hit for me. I'd love to watch.

I'm a saving!!!


(Way too slowly... ...can't bloody pay my bills!)

Heard from the nice young doctor. She left me a message with the results of the MRI. I already had the results of the MRI. She was supposed to tell me the results of the PET scan. But she meant well. Sigh.

Having asthma problems. Scary.

So worried about money that I'm having panic attacks. Love them dry heaves and wretched retching.

Took on a bit of work. Not sure if I can do it, but I'm gonna do it anyway. It won't come close to helping with money problems, but it will be nice to have a little bit. Of course I probably won't be paid for a month. By then, I'll be living on the street. How will I get mail? Quien sabe.

Aren't you glad I waited until I was in a positive frame of mind before writing?

we're here goil... try and rest those worries for a while. Park them as our Noddy would have said. Look at something fresh. I know that's easier said than done. Try and play for a while - anything to distract... go easy yourself. We love you.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Boida))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Just back from a hobble (and pant--asthma) to the market. Out of Oreos and Pepsi.

Hair and hat update: My hair is not exactly growing the way I had hoped or expected. The incision line is right behind the hairline. I don't think there's enough hair in front of it to cover it. The parts that were fuzzy are now spikes. Nothing will keep them down. Some of the parts that were bald are fuzzy, and some are still bald.

I've been wearing cloches in the cold weather. Gotta keep my ears warm. Someone (not Bethie) sent me two cloches--white and poiple. Toins out I knitted a lavendar and poiple scarf for myself, so the poiple cloche is poifect. Except of course inside. My head gets hot outside and even hotter inside. But I'm keeping my hat on and not scaring the children.

I started doing the job I accepted which I didn't think I could do. Now I think I can do it. Supersede doesn't have a c. . I'm proofreading pages from a book for people who will be doing business abroad. First up--Australia. Anybody we know from there? I'm halfway through New Zealand. Then I get to other Ns and some Ps. Gotta get to work.

That's very good news, Roberta. That you are in fact able to do it, given your concerns.

So sorry possum, about all the other rotten, mightily challenging stuff you're coping with. But I won't dwell. I suspect you mightn't welcome that.

No I don't know anyone from Australia. If anyone comes to mind, I'll let you know, OK?

Vunderbar!

I seriously thought it was "supercede" btw. I even just looked it up. "Supersede" it is. Who knew. (You, obviously. Go you.)

Just back from Bellevue. Went to see the endocrine people. Now I gotta take a thyroid pill (I'll add it to the ever-growing pile). Slow-low thyroid. May explain (in addition to the antiseizure medication) why I fell asleep waiting for the doctor.

I had to pick up more scrips today at the pharmacy--and drop off the new scrip. Only 30 people ahead of me. Aside from the man snoring loudly in the corner, this wasn't an overly unpleasant experience. However, I was supposed to get three prescriptions. I only got two. Why? Because the third one is distributed from the pharmacy on the fourteenth floor. There's a pharmacy on the fourteenth floor? Let's spread the torture.

Fact is the torture is worth it. The waiting is worth it. Everything is worth it. Why? The price of the prescriptions!!! That's why.

Guess how much each and every prescription is regardless of the medication. Go on. Guess. Just keep in mind that I'm at the lowest end of the payment scale. Go on. Take a guess.

$2.00?

I'm SO hoping free...

I thought it was supercede too..

osso, How did you do that? Yes, $2.00.

soz, Not free. Almost free.

I forgot to mention something important. I went out without a hat!!! No hat. I couldn't bear the thought of wearing a hat inside all freakin' day. I tried a scarf, but it bothered me. What did I do? What lots of men with bald spots do. A COMBOVER. It worked. My head felt free. It was a wonderful feeling.

Short lines, cheap drugs and a free scalp! Sounds great. The low thyroid function totally makes sense post radiation. Was this the first time they checked your thyroid levels since the radiation?

Yay for the combover and the cheap meds!!!

And may your thyroid leap in joy.

Hello.
That's all.
Hello.

Joe(I know you'll say something if you need something.)Nation

Roberta -
I go to a local general clinic that has a favored pharmacy. I think of it as a stop gap (my eye guy is elsewhere). I have medicare of all types (the supplement not for long, believe me, it's killing me to pay) and also Qms, or some acronym which means that medicaid pays my monthly medicare B fee and has something to do with my pharm, though so does aarp, which I pay for monthly too.

Anyway, I've seen my wild expenses for eye drops for five years (coulda bought a car - I paid for most of that since I had very high deductible with my insurance pre medicare) plummet recently, just as well since I've been on quite the eye drop regimen amped up for now. (It's 4 pm, which color topped bottle is it?) Not to whine, since my eyes are better, in large part due to my keen and happy present surgeon, but the drops have been helpful. (I got to watch a lot of drops not be helpful - that was a whole long term process.)

I've a long time pal and old colleague who is a tenured prof of pharmacology. We are in email communication but not about this. I'd like to talk about it with her, but better one on one than tossing emails).