This and That and Talk - My Transplant

@davebarnes, I hope that this week goes well for both of you. It is good that you have each other for strength and support. Rosemary

@ contentandwell and @hopeful33250 - I completely agree with JK but I must add that sometimes even the best of doctors are going to struggle with issues. While I think there is a lot of benefit going to a teaching hospital, or hospital where the specialists will work together, sometimes things are just really difficult to determine. After my daughter died we were referred to a metabolic specialist and he said if he had seen our daughter in the ER he probably would have not put all the pieces together. I do not think he was just saying that to make us feel better. There were so many more common things to think were the problem that by the time he might have found the answer it would have been too late. The same thing happened when another family member was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. The blood work was inconclusive so the most logical/common diagnosis was made and surgery was done to "fix" the hip pain and for awhile the pain was alleviated. When the problem reoccurred they realized their first diagnosis was incorrect but the second diagnosis was so much more rare that they did the most logical thing first. Sometimes doctors need to eliminate the most obvious solution when tests are not available or inconclusive. It is hard for us as patients, who want answers, to realize that being a doctor is as much an art as a science. I also find it eye opening when I learn that there is not a test for every diagnosis - there is so much doctors do not know. Having said that, you should never give up searching for answers, as JK put so well "You have to be your own best advocate."

@lcamino Lynn, I understand, I never knew anything about how Medicare does a lot of stuff before being on it. I did know the basics because I was involved in writing computer systems for MEDEX, a supplementary program that BC-BS has or had and was part of a team writing a system for all of the Blue Cross plans in the country to use, but all of that was many, many years ago.

The Medicare site and the Mayo site both seem to advocate wellness visits. Medicare pays for those whereas they will not touch physical exams except for the first one when you initially get on Medicare.

My husband also had great insurance working for Raytheon. The Medicare supplemental is not great though. I keep trying to convince him to get a plan like mine but he thinks his is fine. Of course it's fine, he's never sick!
JK

Honestly Lynn, @lcamino I really have to push myself. I enjoy the water class once I get there, there's a great group in there but it can be very difficult to push myself to go. If not for the great group of folks, mostly women, it would be more difficult to go.
I skipped today because I was going to a big outlet in the next town and knew I would be doing a lot of walking. I only hit about half of my daily goal on my fitness tracker but once in a while that's enough. I will go in the morning tomorrow. I try to get there at least five times a week because if I don't I make myself ride my recumbent bike and that is so boooooorrrrrrrring
JK

@lcamino Very well written! You provide a good perspective. Teresa

@contentandwell I appreciate your update - we are all learning a lot about fungus from your posts. It sounds as if this doctor noticed something about the other foot as well. I realize that it will take several laser treatments, but I was just wondering if you could you notice any difference after the first treatment? Teresa

@hopeful33250 @lcamino I am still a bit skeptical about all of this wondering if the drugs may have just weakened my toenails causing them to detach since another detached and the first podiatrist said that it definitely was not fungal. I didn't think to ask the second one. This one has now detached also. I never knew when it detached completely but it looked odd and sure enough I found the nail on my bedroom floor! I will continue with the treatment "just in case".
JK

@hopeful33250 It's hard to say because with the old nail gone now and the new one already growing in it looks odd but not sure if that is from the treatment or just the way it would look regardless. Just above the new nail there is an irregular band of white, looks like a dead area, so maybe that's from the laser.
JK

@contentandwell That is interesting, JK. Have you asked your transplant team about that possibility? Teresa

@contentandwell, @hopeful33250, @lcamino, This current toenail discussion has jarred my memory!
I remember that during my pretransplant days, I was severely jaundiced, and my fingernails took on that dark hue, too. I did not think much about it at the time. But as soon as I came out of my transplant surgery, one of the first things I remember hearing from one of my sons, was, "Mom, your aren't yellow anymore!" Well, my nails remained darker than the rest of me. As time went on, I noticed (quite happily) that I was forming new nails - and they were my 'normal' coloration. However, some nails came in smoothly with new one under the old damaged one - like roofing shingles. On others there was with a rough joint where they met. The new ones grew in but were weak. At my 5 month visit after transplant (postponed from 4 month due to sons' wedding) the transplant dermatologist that saw me said that it would be okay to take biotin to strengthen them.
I transplanted in April of that year, and in November, I went on a trip that included some hiking. Last week, I was again hiking, and as I was lacing up my hiking boots, I remembered that I had to wrap tape around my toenails to keep those rough joints from catching on my hiking socks! And even a couple of my fingernails needed layer s of clear strengthening polish to prevent them from coming off too early (ouch). I also remember that I needed to wrap tape around a couple of them...interesting what un pleasantries we choose to block from our memories!
I have always assumed that this was a result of my body reacting to the severity of my own complications, or the medication, or surgery meds, etc. I never even considered the possibility of a fungus. Fortunately for me, it apparently was not an issue. JK, I am impressed that you have taken the self determination to get this checked out and treated. In my ignorance, can I ask what led you and podiatrist to consider and test for fungus?
Thanks for keeping us informed on this!
Rosemary