Covid may be messing with my DRG Trial

Posted by lorirenee1 @lorirenee1, May 15, 2020

Hi all, Last night, my pain doc's nurse called me to possibly schedule my DRG trial for next week, but that she was still working on some things. She said she would call me back today, and now, she just told me that Covid Guidelines make me too old to have my trial at this time, but was still "working on it," whatever that means. I am 68, and the cut off age in Illinois, due to Covid, is 65. Us older people are considered at risk, and most likely, I would imagine, docs don't want law suits. Meanwhile, the nurse says she is still calling me back today, and to keep hopeful. My pain doc still wants to do it, but the surgical wing follows the law. Meanwhile, the tears are coming like a turned on faucet. I just had a third of a marijuana gummy, because it seems to not only help pain, but mood. I could use that right now. It takes about an hour for the gummy to kick in. What a way to live. Pain, high, more pain, more marijuana......and now, I am too old for a trial under Covid law. I will keep everyone updated. This sucks. Lori Renee

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@rwinney

@lorirenee1 Excuse me for butting in but, good for you Lori! Prime example of being our own advocate. Way to go! People in pain don't really need extra rollercoaster rides but, it happens and we have to keep persevering for our benefit. Bring on July 9th!!

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@rwinney Absolutely, Rachel and Lori!! Self advocacy is a huge deal, especially working with doctors with a god complex Every provider should be required to give every patient a brochure telling them how to self advocate.

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@jimhd

@rwinney Absolutely, Rachel and Lori!! Self advocacy is a huge deal, especially working with doctors with a god complex Every provider should be required to give every patient a brochure telling them how to self advocate.

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That's a great idea Jim. Kind of like Health Care - Self Advocacy for Dummies.

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@jimhd, @rwinney, @lorirenee1 and others, Have you seen or heard about The Patient Revolution? -- https://patientrevolution.org/ There is a lot of good information on the website.

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@johnbishop

@jimhd, @rwinney, @lorirenee1 and others, Have you seen or heard about The Patient Revolution? -- https://patientrevolution.org/ There is a lot of good information on the website.

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@johnbishop Interesting. Yes, money and goals unfortunately get in the way of care and concern. Or Dr. burnout, staff shortages, over worked/under paid, job sharing. All reasons, I believe, our health system drops the ball on patients who cant look out for themselves.

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@rwinney

@johnbishop Interesting. Yes, money and goals unfortunately get in the way of care and concern. Or Dr. burnout, staff shortages, over worked/under paid, job sharing. All reasons, I believe, our health system drops the ball on patients who cant look out for themselves.

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We had the opportunity to meet Dr. Victor Montori who started the patient revolution site and wrote the book about it. Really a caring and patient oriented doctor - interesting too.

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@johnbishop

@jimhd, @rwinney, @lorirenee1 and others, Have you seen or heard about The Patient Revolution? -- https://patientrevolution.org/ There is a lot of good information on the website.

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@johnbishop I will definitely check this out. Thanks so much! YOU DA MAN!!!!! Lori

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@rwinney

@johnbishop Interesting. Yes, money and goals unfortunately get in the way of care and concern. Or Dr. burnout, staff shortages, over worked/under paid, job sharing. All reasons, I believe, our health system drops the ball on patients who cant look out for themselves.

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@rwinney I agree. I believe it is management in companies pushing the medical staff i.e. doctors, nurses, and therapists to meet the quota for the number of patients seen in a day. It depends on the setting but I strongly think it is not about the quality of care anymore. It is about $$$ and not the patients. I understand companies need to make enough money but to the point where they push their staff to not even have time for breaks? Many times the medical staff take the extra time in order to keep their patients safe at the expense of not taking a break. They are the uncredited heroes who have to listen to patient complaints. Little do the patients know most of the complaints they have are due to management decisions. What has happened to healthcare? I believe most individuals, i.e. medical staff care and not the companies.
At the bottom of the services, we have the healthcare providers i.e. doctors, nurses, and therapists who have to a abide by management in order to keep their jobs. I have seen this through my work experience. That is why I am an advocate for myself and my 90 year old mother. The medical staff simply does not have the time.

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@avmcbellar

@rwinney I agree. I believe it is management in companies pushing the medical staff i.e. doctors, nurses, and therapists to meet the quota for the number of patients seen in a day. It depends on the setting but I strongly think it is not about the quality of care anymore. It is about $$$ and not the patients. I understand companies need to make enough money but to the point where they push their staff to not even have time for breaks? Many times the medical staff take the extra time in order to keep their patients safe at the expense of not taking a break. They are the uncredited heroes who have to listen to patient complaints. Little do the patients know most of the complaints they have are due to management decisions. What has happened to healthcare? I believe most individuals, i.e. medical staff care and not the companies.
At the bottom of the services, we have the healthcare providers i.e. doctors, nurses, and therapists who have to a abide by management in order to keep their jobs. I have seen this through my work experience. That is why I am an advocate for myself and my 90 year old mother. The medical staff simply does not have the time.

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It's like a lot of things that have degraded so much since I was a kid in the (gulp) fifties. It was truly a different world. My doctor back then had his own practice down the street on the 2nd story of his big old Victorian house (can you imagine) and I walked to my appointments sometimes. One time I was out running through a field with a friend and snagged my hand on barbed wire and ripped a small hole in it. I walked all the way (must have been 2 or 3 miles at least) to his house. He dropped whatever he was doing and sewed me up. Boy what a different era that was!

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@jesfactsmon

It's like a lot of things that have degraded so much since I was a kid in the (gulp) fifties. It was truly a different world. My doctor back then had his own practice down the street on the 2nd story of his big old Victorian house (can you imagine) and I walked to my appointments sometimes. One time I was out running through a field with a friend and snagged my hand on barbed wire and ripped a small hole in it. I walked all the way (must have been 2 or 3 miles at least) to his house. He dropped whatever he was doing and sewed me up. Boy what a different era that was!

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You can certainly see the difference with healthcare through the years. People had a different mentality. More people back then worked together and helped each another unlike today. For instance, I was upset yesterday with the local grocery store. My husband and I are very cautious about the coronavirus so we always wear masks, follow social distancing, and go at opening times to avoid crowds. We want to protect ourselves AND other people regardless of who they are. We certainly don’t want to be responsible for causing people harm to possibly die from the coronavirus. Yesterday at checkout a male in his 30s came right up to us with no mask holding a few groceries. My husband let him go ahead of us to make his purchase and kindly reminded him to wear a mask because it became mandatory the day before. Needless to say, he did not care. How rude! I can understand for himself but what about protecting others? The grocery store said they could not do anything about enforcing the rules in their stores. I was surprised when the chain sends emails to me explaining their measures in making their stores safer. What happened to “we are all in this together” slogan? I called corporate and complained. I was told they would look into the matter.

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@jesfactsmon

It's like a lot of things that have degraded so much since I was a kid in the (gulp) fifties. It was truly a different world. My doctor back then had his own practice down the street on the 2nd story of his big old Victorian house (can you imagine) and I walked to my appointments sometimes. One time I was out running through a field with a friend and snagged my hand on barbed wire and ripped a small hole in it. I walked all the way (must have been 2 or 3 miles at least) to his house. He dropped whatever he was doing and sewed me up. Boy what a different era that was!

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@jesfactsmon Just reading your post I also remember the 50,s our Dr was right next door to the playground I use to go to and would stop in just to say Hi He always had the time for kids and adults then now you don't dare do that . Good memories Hank

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