Before breast cancer, I was perfectly happy with out cable tv and without recording certain shows. I would stay up late and watch shows and I would use commercials for food and bathroom breaks.
Now I am a DVR/Tivo junky. I have probably nearly 20 shows I record and watch while too tired to do anything else. I am a fan of reality TV. (There I admitted it.) I prefer cooking shows, HGTV and Lifetime movies (but sometimes I think they take the same plot and recreate a new movie).
I realize technology has changed in the last six years as well but I am dependent.
Last night to my dismay I found out on Facebook that a favorite show had started a new season weeks ago and I DIDN'T KNOW IT!'We recently switched from a DVR to a Tivo due to technical issues and had to set up all our recordings again. Apparently I am not perfect. I will have to watch two episodes online before catching up on the TV.
See my dependency? Its a good thing I only work three days a week so I have time to watch all my shows.
I knew it wouldn't last
What was I thinking? Last week I blogged about privacy and not having a doctor appointment, other than a therapist appointment until October. I should never have opened my mouth. I did have a dentist appointment last week which has resulted in another dentist appointment tomorrow (no cavities).
I broke down yesterday and called my back pain doctor. In spite of the procedure at the end of June, I have discovered I have a lot of pain in my upper back pretty much non stop. I don't know what is going on with my back but it hurts and isn't giving up.
When I called to make the appointment with pain management, I expected to find there ws nothing available for several months - which isn't uncommon with that doctor. When they said next Tuesday at a convenient time, I practically fell off my chair. He usually has a months long wait list. I just got lucky I guess.
Well maybe we can figure out why my stupid back persists in hurting in this most annoying of fashions.
I broke down yesterday and called my back pain doctor. In spite of the procedure at the end of June, I have discovered I have a lot of pain in my upper back pretty much non stop. I don't know what is going on with my back but it hurts and isn't giving up.
When I called to make the appointment with pain management, I expected to find there ws nothing available for several months - which isn't uncommon with that doctor. When they said next Tuesday at a convenient time, I practically fell off my chair. He usually has a months long wait list. I just got lucky I guess.
Well maybe we can figure out why my stupid back persists in hurting in this most annoying of fashions.
Today I am a normal person
First I overslept (but still have time to blog - a tiny bit). I forgot to take all my pills last night so I have to figure out which ones I should take this morning vs which ones I should skip but I have to wait 1-3 hours before I can take any of them after my synthroid. That was after I put my pill box back together after dumping three days worth on the floor and having to sort them all out again. I think I am still missing two pills but as long as the cat doesn't eat them I can cope.
I wanted to leave for work early but that doesn't look like its happening. I have showered. I have not eaten breakfast - I will do that when I arrive at work. I did make lunch for both of us. I have not yet brushed my teeth or my hair but my gym bag is packed.
Last night I was running around the back yard in my PJs at 10 pm with a flashlight looking for the damn cat who got out the basement door. This morning I get an email from my next door neighbor that she has a raccoon on her back porch. I would generally not worry about the raccoon but since my cat is 18 years old, blind, deaf, and can't smell, he wouldn't know a raccoon until he walked right up to it.
Damn. I am now really late. Off I go as a normal person.... or as normal as I can ever be.
I wanted to leave for work early but that doesn't look like its happening. I have showered. I have not eaten breakfast - I will do that when I arrive at work. I did make lunch for both of us. I have not yet brushed my teeth or my hair but my gym bag is packed.
Last night I was running around the back yard in my PJs at 10 pm with a flashlight looking for the damn cat who got out the basement door. This morning I get an email from my next door neighbor that she has a raccoon on her back porch. I would generally not worry about the raccoon but since my cat is 18 years old, blind, deaf, and can't smell, he wouldn't know a raccoon until he walked right up to it.
Damn. I am now really late. Off I go as a normal person.... or as normal as I can ever be.
Test Dilemma
This week a new recommendation came out that people at high risk for lung cancer - particularly current or previous heavy smokers - should be screened for lung cancer with CT scans. This is another way that cancer can be detected at an earlier more treatable stage.
'Great,' we say. On the surface this seems like a good idea - catch a cancer early on and save more lives. Advanced testing options which have become relatively more accessible and affordable over the years have opened up testing options for millions.
But, and there is a big fat BUT here, does the additional screening add false positives which equal expense and stress for the patient? This is the same argument for women who have had breast cancer that they all should have MRIs in addition to mammograms each year to screen for recurrence.
All this wonderful new testing does great things. They find things that are something 'bad' and catch it early. They also find things that are big enough to see but too small to do anything about. And where does that leave the patient?
Medical advances are great but sometimes the advances exceed the capabilities that are required to diagnose and treat the findings.
This does not even touch on the issue of over testing and the emotional toll. Whether a positive or negative result, the testing experience is an emotional roller coaster ride for the patients. False positives and false negatives are realities in the results. Non test is 100% fallible so these do take place.
Me, personally, I am a big fan of the lets waiting and watching at this point. Unless I have symptoms I am not bounding off to see the doctor. I don't want more tests. I am happy this way.
'Great,' we say. On the surface this seems like a good idea - catch a cancer early on and save more lives. Advanced testing options which have become relatively more accessible and affordable over the years have opened up testing options for millions.
But, and there is a big fat BUT here, does the additional screening add false positives which equal expense and stress for the patient? This is the same argument for women who have had breast cancer that they all should have MRIs in addition to mammograms each year to screen for recurrence.
All this wonderful new testing does great things. They find things that are something 'bad' and catch it early. They also find things that are big enough to see but too small to do anything about. And where does that leave the patient?
Medical advances are great but sometimes the advances exceed the capabilities that are required to diagnose and treat the findings.
This does not even touch on the issue of over testing and the emotional toll. Whether a positive or negative result, the testing experience is an emotional roller coaster ride for the patients. False positives and false negatives are realities in the results. Non test is 100% fallible so these do take place.
Me, personally, I am a big fan of the lets waiting and watching at this point. Unless I have symptoms I am not bounding off to see the doctor. I don't want more tests. I am happy this way.
Health discrimination
Discrimination can be in many forms. Sometimes its overt and sometimes insidious (I can use big words today but needed spell checker's help) and sometimes hidden away. But now health discrimination based on weight? That's taking it a bit too far.
A chef from South Africa was told by New Zealand authorities that he was too fat to live there. He has been there for six years and has lost 66 pounds since arriving. He now weighs 286 lbs which is not healthy unless he was really, really tall. Upon renewing his annual work visa, he was told his weight would cause health problems and they didn't want him. A little ironic since obesity is a big problem with 30% of New Zealanders being obese....
This is clear health discrimination. So what if I decided to move to New Zealand with my health background? Would I be welcomed? I have many more health problems than being fat. I would be a burden to any health care system....
So seriously New Zealand. Really? If 30% of your population is obese maybe its time to work on your national health guidelines instead of singling out a chef who has actually lost a fair amount of weight.
----------------------
Now on to happier news. I always wonder if anyone reads my blog and anyone cares about what I write. But apparently people do read it and do care. I am honored to say my blog was just named as one of the top 24 breast cancer blogs of 2013 by Healthline. I have a perky new label on the right and you can read about all the other blogs which also named here. I recommend following them to keep up on some great stories with coping with breast cancer.
A chef from South Africa was told by New Zealand authorities that he was too fat to live there. He has been there for six years and has lost 66 pounds since arriving. He now weighs 286 lbs which is not healthy unless he was really, really tall. Upon renewing his annual work visa, he was told his weight would cause health problems and they didn't want him. A little ironic since obesity is a big problem with 30% of New Zealanders being obese....
This is clear health discrimination. So what if I decided to move to New Zealand with my health background? Would I be welcomed? I have many more health problems than being fat. I would be a burden to any health care system....
So seriously New Zealand. Really? If 30% of your population is obese maybe its time to work on your national health guidelines instead of singling out a chef who has actually lost a fair amount of weight.
----------------------
Now on to happier news. I always wonder if anyone reads my blog and anyone cares about what I write. But apparently people do read it and do care. I am honored to say my blog was just named as one of the top 24 breast cancer blogs of 2013 by Healthline. I have a perky new label on the right and you can read about all the other blogs which also named here. I recommend following them to keep up on some great stories with coping with breast cancer.
The FDA - a little background
We all love to hate the FDA. I mean they are the people that take food off the market, have all these rules and things that make food cost more, delay the acceptance of new medications, and cause pharmaceutical companies to have all these years of research driving up their 'costs' (which get paid by patients in the end, one way the other).
So why do we have an FDA? How did that happen? I never really knew or thought much about it. I just thought it was another one of those big Washington based alphabet agencies making rules and spending the public's money.
I try to assume that people are going to do the right thing and not rob, steal, or corrupt. People generally do mean to do their best and help others. But this is not always true, hence the reason for all the government and policing.
Meat packing plants were a wealth of horrors. Its surprising more did not die from food from them.
It is a well known fact that the nineteenth, and probably earlier, centuries were full of patent medicines where you might kill yourself thinking you were healing yourself. Who knew what was in them. These were exposed in an article called "The Great American Quackery" which ran in Colliers Magazine in 1905. This resulted in the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.
Finally in 1938, after over 100 people died from taking a patent medicine full of a toxin, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed which required manufacturers to prove their products were safe. This lead to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration.
So that is your little history lesson for the day. I am heading out for a dentist appointment on this rainy morning....
So why do we have an FDA? How did that happen? I never really knew or thought much about it. I just thought it was another one of those big Washington based alphabet agencies making rules and spending the public's money.
I try to assume that people are going to do the right thing and not rob, steal, or corrupt. People generally do mean to do their best and help others. But this is not always true, hence the reason for all the government and policing.
Meat packing plants were a wealth of horrors. Its surprising more did not die from food from them.
It is a well known fact that the nineteenth, and probably earlier, centuries were full of patent medicines where you might kill yourself thinking you were healing yourself. Who knew what was in them. These were exposed in an article called "The Great American Quackery" which ran in Colliers Magazine in 1905. This resulted in the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.
Finally in 1938, after over 100 people died from taking a patent medicine full of a toxin, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed which required manufacturers to prove their products were safe. This lead to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration.
So that is your little history lesson for the day. I am heading out for a dentist appointment on this rainy morning....
A simple test
Right now the only way for a doctor to diagnose fibromyalgia in a patient is to press on a bunch of tender points. If more than so many of them are sore, the diagnosis is fibromyalgia. How easy. Not.
First of all when a patient shows up complaining of pain, other tests are done to rule out all sorts of other conditions. This can take time. As in months or years even.
It takes three to five years for a patient to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. That is a really long time to live in pain. And often fibromyalgia is diagnosed with other conditions.
I was told I have fibro and have rheumatoid. We are trying to get the RA under control so we can then focus on treating the fibro pain. I was also told that it is often impossible to distinguish pain caused by RA vs. the pain caused by fibro.
I am in the state of still trying to get the RA under control so we can talk fibro pain.
But now there is good news. There is a new diagnostic test to diagnose fibromyalgia. It is supposed to be 99% accurate. The problem is that it costs $744 and most insurance companies do not cover it. [That needs to change.]
And even more good news there are two more tests being developed that look at blood markers to diagnose fibro. These are still in development but represent lots of progress.
I will talk to my doctors about the new test and to my insurance company. Because the diagnosis criteria are relatively vague, in my mind, I think I would prefer a solid yes/no test. And if it could reduce the three to five year time frame to diagnose fibro for others, even better.
First of all when a patient shows up complaining of pain, other tests are done to rule out all sorts of other conditions. This can take time. As in months or years even.
It takes three to five years for a patient to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. That is a really long time to live in pain. And often fibromyalgia is diagnosed with other conditions.
I was told I have fibro and have rheumatoid. We are trying to get the RA under control so we can then focus on treating the fibro pain. I was also told that it is often impossible to distinguish pain caused by RA vs. the pain caused by fibro.
I am in the state of still trying to get the RA under control so we can talk fibro pain.
But now there is good news. There is a new diagnostic test to diagnose fibromyalgia. It is supposed to be 99% accurate. The problem is that it costs $744 and most insurance companies do not cover it. [That needs to change.]
And even more good news there are two more tests being developed that look at blood markers to diagnose fibro. These are still in development but represent lots of progress.
I will talk to my doctors about the new test and to my insurance company. Because the diagnosis criteria are relatively vague, in my mind, I think I would prefer a solid yes/no test. And if it could reduce the three to five year time frame to diagnose fibro for others, even better.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
