PN and penmanship …

I am a golfer (with neuropathy in hands and feet). My game has gone down the tubes because of balance and gripping the clubs. It’s definitely hard on my ego, but I really try to be thankful that I’m

still out on the golf course enjoying friends and the weather🏌🏻‍♀️

PN isn't the only culprit! Welcome to the world of those with challenges - mine is a combination of essential tremor and arthritis. My previously calligraphy quality writing and draftsman precise printing are now sometimes even illegible to me. Add poor eyesight when I can't find one of my many pairs of reading glasses and it's a wonder I ever produce anything readable. Also, my tremor makes it impossible to type on my phone most days. As for forms for the doctors, if I can't type them into my portal, the CMA gets to transcribe them for me when I arrive.

All of this pales in comparison to this story about a friend. In early days of speech-to-text, my friend and programming partner became blind overnight from MS, but was determined to keep working. We explored every kind of software, and finally found one that would work for a hard core programmer - only to have MS steal his voice next! He ended his career dictating in his halting whisper to another coworker, previously our staff assistant, teaching her in the process to become a stellar programmer. After watching him surmount that, my scribble seems like no problem at all.

Sue

Hi, julbpat (@julbpat)

Oh, those doctors' forms! Dontcha hate 'em? I have to laugh, too, because a day or two before my appointment, I'll receive an email inviting me to "Save time when you arrive for your appointment! Update your information now!" Then when I'm at the front desk, the receptionist will hand me a clipboard: "We just need you to update your information." But, but, but … It seems it happens every time. 😀

Ray (@ray666)

@ray666 -- Perhaps my primary doc's office got it right. I go about every 6 months, when I arrive, they hand me the prior visit information sheet and I only need to make changes/updates such as new or removal of meds, supplements, etc. It is relatively easy and takes a few minutes. Oh yea, I also get the same e-mail, but I ignore it because they hand me the clip board anyway.

Ed, you and @ray666 gave me a chuckle this morning, and got me thinking of the standard request to bring ALL medicine bottles, including OTC, in with you to each appointment. I think “Really? You want me to destroy my organized system at home by scooping them all up and putting them in a knapsack?? They come in 90-120 day supplies, and some, like my Gabapentin and One-A-Day Multivitamin are huge and heavy!! I can barely walk without assistance and you want me to carry a 5 lb sack along with my purse and notepad & paperwork?” All joking aside, I guess I understand how important it is to have the correct & current information, and some folks don’t keep a current list available. I am thankful that not one has ever balked at me just having my memory, plus I always keep a printed list in my wallet. Like you said Ed, if they have the prior paperwork, they really only want the changes. Some questions really make me think though; like Ray had in a discussion once, how much of our family history do we really know?

Ah Debbie - I would laugh if my daughter wasn't up to her ears helping her next door neighbor with the med situation right now. I'm so glad you keep up-to-date listings with you.

Mom-in-law who lives with the neighbor was hospitalized this week for serious med non-compliance resulting in a host of problems. She had been refusing help with her meds and cares, so while she was gone my daughter (an RN) and her friend entered Mom's space and rounded up her meds...they determined she was OD'ing pains meds and ignoring all else including insulin, COPD, BP & heart meds. Too bad her doc hadn't asked for this kind of a check!
Unfortunately I have seen this first hand, and way too frequently - especially when people have multiple doctors who do not share the same patient portal.
Sue

Sue - I know you’re absolutely right. You can’t be over cautious, so you have to respect the rationale the systems use; it’s for our own protection. Before patient portals, 20 years ago, I suddenly collapsed and was on life support several days (undiagnosed heart condition). I had the great fortune of surviving, and went home weeks later with mounds of paper records. I was perplexed to read that it said my prescriptions included an old painkiller and an antibiotic. I found out that my husband just grabbed all the bottles he could find in my closet, and I have a bad habit of not properly throwing out unused or expired prescriptions. The painkiller was leftover from dental surgery 3 years earlier! These things luckily didn’t matter for my care, but I learned you can’t count on others in an emergency; keeping a list (for husband too) and having up-to-date portals now is very important! P.S. - I keep my allergies on that list too.

@dbeshears1 Debbie, just to echo on what you said, we were in NC about 10 years back and I had to take a trip to the ER, for me. Walked in with my wife and they wanted to know my meds. My wife pulled out a list of my meds, supplements and two meds that I can't take, both antibiotics and the ER nurse smiled and said thanks. She carries a list for her and me. I carry her list in my wallet just in case. Due to our frequent traveling, we've found that going to urgent care or ER happens more often as we age and at times in other states. I advise everyone to carry the list of meds for yourself and others living with you. When you need that list at a time of an emergency, sometimes you just can't think straight so have it written down and if your handwriting isn't good, print it out. Don't forget any meds that cause an allergic reaction.

Since all my obligations are on auto pay, except for one or two per month, I wind up writing usually three checks to one. That’s three checks written to get a good one that’s just about legible.