Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Decisions - Decisions!!!!!!!

Decisions - Decisions!!!!!!!
Well I am in interesting dilemma! Due to (KEEP AUSTIN WEIRDS) Socialized Health Care System, I have found myself between the proverbial Rock and Hard Place!.
You see, I have this little prescription bottle for my Anti-Seizure medicine that read NO REFILLS. No problem, you say! Just call the Doctor and they will call it in if you really need it. That would be the way it would work in most cases, but in Austin!!! The only tpye of Doctor that will make decision on the Anti-Seizure medicine is a Neurologist! So, ask your Neurologist and they will take care of it! I would, but I have no Neurologist! Why Not? You ask! Because in Austins system that I am, You have to have a Primary Care Doctor refer you to a Neurologist! So, have them refer you to one! And quit boring me with this stuff! Ah! Hear comes the Rub. I have been trying to find a Primary Care Doctor that is accepting New Patients for almost a month now! I went to an appointment last week hoping that I would have success finally! Willing to overlook the fact that English was not the language of choice, I decided to "Grin and Bear It" praying for a solution. While waiting for my turn, a white man came out in the parking lot to talk a "patient" whom he had just seen! Shirt tail half out, "Plumbers Crack" just waiting to get a glimpse of the sunlight. Then basically I hear Mr. Gerirea you can back now!
Talk about mixed emotions! What kind of Grade Point Average do you have to maintain in order to get JOB in a place like that. I shouldn't be so hard on him, because basically I think he prescribed the right prescription "Don't come here, I only work 9 - 5 and you never know which (or is witch)doctor you will see". So, on to the next on the list. Just to add a little suspence, I am now less than 2 weeks away from running out of the Anti-Seizure medicine. More calls, more calls, more not accepting new patients, then finally one says they will see me, OK when can I come in for my first visit? April, she says! Look at the calander and do the math! Looks like 'I am up a well known creek, without the the proverbial paddle".
Whoa Nellie!!!!!!!!!!
I think I've had about all of Austin that I can "Live With" pun intended.
Pick up the phone call a past client who works for a Doctor in Kerrville, after telling her in a sentence about the tumor, (Lucky her, she didn't have to endure the long version like you have) She said!!!!!!! Drum Roll Please! We are awaiting our final approval to be a Primary Care Doctor! We not going to Advertise it to the Outside world but, come on in, if it takes another six months for us to get paid, don't worry about it, just get in here now! I'll handle it! I wonder if the Doctor knows! Actuallay I used to do his PC work for him and his practice. (Maybe he did really believe me when I told him it was WindowsXP and not me that erased all of his Patient Records (Just Kidding!))
So, for the Short Part of the story!
I am in the process of getting ready to re-locate back to Kerrville!
It's a little scary because I still have little or no use of my right hand, can't drive and can't do a lot of things because of being over-medicated and being dizzy most of the time. My mother is pretty apprehensive about it. but knows that I am a survivor and is trying to come terms with not being able t watch over "her baby" right now!
Yet, she already has her hands full taking of my Dad, who was in the same hospital in Austin for almost a month because improper monitoring of his medications "Does anyone else see a pattern here?"
Either Way! within a couple of days "KerrPatch Here I Come"
On side note, When I first got of the hospital, I was walking the property here 4 to 6 times per day, as a result (I think) of being improperly monitored on my meds, now 1 trip per day is about all I can do.
I think the best thing that will come with this decision is that is will give me the "Perfect" reason to get Second Opinions on everything that has been done so far!
Thanks again for your indulgence!
Kendall

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Steroids and Treatment update

Before I get started with the recommended treatment, I would like to tell a little bit about steroids.
The Dr. started weaning me off the steroids yesterday over the next 2 weeks. My first thought was (Great, now I can change my name back from "Cheetah" after having to eat so many bananas all the time). So, I skipped my 6 pm dose and went about my evening. I got sleepy earlier than normal, so I tried to watch some TV and fell asleep. I awoke at 2 am (2 hours past my next scheduled dose) in a world similar to (1984), gasping for breath and angry and fearful that someone was trying to kill me. Only problem, I was the only one there. I immediately took my next dose and found that they are are fairly fast acting. I woke again at 4 am, still feeling like someone was after me, this time I just started the coffee pot, and decided I may not go to sleep again for the next 2 weeks. I'm making sure that my family has their Taser guns loaded. (Kinda makes you wonder why all the Wrestlers, dress funny and scream and holler at their fans and opponents! If you see me doing that, just shoot me and put me out of my misery.)

Now to the Treatment.
Sometime in the next 2 weeks I should start a 6 Week daily visit to the Tropical Resort of my choosing.
I will go there for cocktails and very customized tanning sessions. (When I signed up online, I thought I was joining ClubMed aargh!!! I really hate SPAM you just never know if that link you click on is a virus or not)
They will first do another enhanced MRI and build special helmet or something that will be used to protect the good parts of the brain and allow the radiation to be more focused on where they see the bad tissue. They did the normal disclaimer in advance as to "No Guarantees" The only guarantee they do have is that I if don't do this now, in a short period of they will have to go back in, cut out more tissue (as it is still growing) and present me with a diminished set of options. So, in a nutshell (no pun intended).
That's what I'll be up to for while. I would invite along for the ride, but I think most of you would prefer waiting for Spring to arrive and getting your tans naturally while doing the yard. But don't be jealous of my early tan.

Soon, I will start a Blog and send you a link for it, that way you won't be pestered by my emails and can just log in to get updates.
I've never Blogged before so it will give me something new to learn.

Thanks Again for all of the comments and prayers that have been expressed, each means than you think.
Kendall



Hopefully, I will be seeing the Radiologist today to see how good she thinks she can aim at the tumor!
I think I won't be able to actually start any treatments for a couple of weeks due to having too much dye in my system due to mis-scheduling an MRI by the neurosurgeon. That raises an eyebrow! At any rate, hopefully I'll get more info tomorrow!


Above is an image of where the tumor either was or is! I'm not sure at this time!
Later, maybe I can compare!


Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!
Kendall