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@debbraw Your comment brightened my day in that you recognize how I am feeling and didn't invalidate how I am feeling for now. Discouragement, for me, has always been an obstacle and being such a passive person I typically walk away or just throw in the towel. Coming here helps me to realize I am not alone in my struggles. I want to be the encouraging person. Being on the receiving end is difficult for me. I am beginning to realize admitting fears and weaknesses is not always a form of self-pity. Thing is I continue to try even when I don't want to at times. Navigating the medical system with all of the restrictions can be disheartening. I like to believe there are medical professionals that are well qualified and try the understand the hoops they are required to go through. These large corporations run their lives and have ceased caring about quality and only seem to care about quantity. Being a doctor has become a 9 to 5 job where emergencies are not tolerated well. It is hard to get adequate medical care when a doctor is strapped to a laptop and watching minutes tick away. I so want to believe they still have caring in their work and are not simply punching a time clock to get a pay check. I know I have little to no trust in the medical care I am receiving. When questions are not allowed or possible options discussed and I am dismissed from an appointment by a laptop closing and told I can check out I feel lesser than. Maybe next time I will try a body slam-and yes, I am kidding about the body slam. My last appointment with the PCP I had a list of questions, symptoms, etc. I arrived prepared to be efficient and expedite my appointment of 40 minutes and maybe received 10 minutes. Hard not to have an attitude!!!
I am grateful in other areas and keep plugging along. The thing that keeps me going is my little grandson and knowing I am the only blood family his daddy and him has-big responsibility on my part.
Yes, I am still doing paper mache props for his dinosaurs and army men as well.
Thanks for a place to come and be honest for a while. A scary world out there. I am able to help some of the residents in this apartment complex with understanding how to text and other things. It saddens me as most of them are at more of a loss than I am when it comes to technology. I know I am impaired in this area and can understand the fear and inadequacy others are feeling.
Living in a world where equality for all is means being treated like a criminal. Just how it is in this world of equality.
Replies to "@debbraw Your comment brightened my day in that you recognize how I am feeling and didn't..."
@parus I am glad you posted. The dilemma of adequate and mindful medical practices seem to have gone out-the-window.In my experience, when I had an HMO insurance, the doctors were just as you described. Now using a PPO plan, I find they are somewhat more aware of their attitude. May I ask if you have seen this in your experience? How do you think your doctors would respond if they were told by you, what you have shared here? I am grateful for your honesty!
Ginger
@parus You are certainly not alone in your feelings about the current medical communities. I always use the portal to communicate rather than calling for the same reason -- I have a written record of what was said. The portal messages at my PCP, although the said recipient is the doctor, are responded to by a nurse or medical assistant, and it has at times taken over a week to get a response! Portal messages to my doctors at MGH are generally responded to in the same day, or the next day, and at times the doctor has actually called me to respond! What a difference in the level of care.
I am also generally a very positive person but this fracture has me very discouraged, not characteristic for me. I have been in pain now since my fall on July 21 and it is getting to me, particularly since I think if my osteopenia had been addressed this might never have happened. I think we all have our limits, but things will get better. You are fortunate to have a grandchild to keep your spirits up. I am way too old to not have grandchildren! Now that my son is married to a lovely woman who is looking forward to having a family I think I won't have to wait much longer. 🙂 Of course they will be about 2000 miles away but we will have to work that out.
Oh, and I wish I had a green thumb, even a little finger would do!
JK
Hello @parus
I hope that all goes well for you today with the biopsy. I do want to let you know how touched I was by your post. You are a remarkable in that you have grown so much in your approach towards your problems and difficulties. You set the bar high for others who struggle with courageous behavior and acceptance of how unfair life can be at times!
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@parus... you are the LEAST self-pitying person I have seen on here so don't be thinking that. I know, I know that technology can be an elephant that is just about to stomp on you, but I'm going to suggest this anyway. Does your PCP have a portal where you can contact them electronically? If so, try that for your questions. I have had good luck with it. Just fyi, when you send your questions in thru the portal, they go to the physician's asst. Yeah! Somebody reads them, gets answers and preps the doctor. Just this year I've started sending my questions in advance thru the portal and I have been thrilled with the results. (And i'm not just talking about Mayo where doctors are always caring and attentive... my husband is in another medical system and it works well there too.) Ok.. so go get your biopsy, post some pictures of your new paper mache props, and let us know how things are going. You know you have friends here and we don't like going too long without having you connect with us. Hugs!