Hey everyone,
I figured out a way to get some treatments paid for, or anything else I would need. I'm a member of this awesome bartering website, where you can offer services or goods in exchange for other services or goods. I sold my guitar and now have enough credits to buy something else. Mechanics, dentists, massage therapists and other professionals are on the site and available for trades. My roommate has so far used her "dibbits" to get two massages and have a personal trainer for 2 weeks. These are legitimate professionals who are just offering a service so they too can get services. Pretty cool, huh?
In any case, there are naturopathic doctors and acupuncturists on the site. If I can get people to sign up and use my referral code, then I can get 20 dibits per person. Plus, if you sign up, you get around 50-60 dibits from the start and get a massage :) The site is for the Seattle folk mostly, but if you want to help me out you could join anyways ;)
Thanks!
Dibspace Referral Code
Showing posts with label financial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label financial. Show all posts
November 9, 2010
November 7, 2010
Plan for Surgery, PET results...
A big sigh of relief. The PET scan made up my mind for me- The cancer is localized, I'm not dying, there is no need to flee or give up on treatments right now. I am actually pretty at ease right now with my medical situation- I may be crazy but the surgery on Wednesday is no big deal to me. YES it's major surgery and I will be out while my doctor carves into me. But I've been through this before. Now I know that there is only one tumor. It doesn't seem to be attached to anything but fat, and therefore pretty easy to remove. The incision will even be right over my old one, and much smaller. Everything seems straight-forward. Now it's just a matter of coordinating. My roomies are going to tale me and be there during to give my parents updates. I'm pretty sure I will be there 3 days again. No big deal.
So now it's time to deal with my other problems. Finances. I can't believe what a mess I am in. I don't think it's ever been so bad. I don't want to complain, but I must comment on how horrible Citibank is right now. I got a bill last month for over $450 for my first loan payment. I called and was like "WTF?" - I just graduated- don't I have a grace period?" Well... apparently you ARE allowed one grace period for the 6 months following departure from school- HOWEVER, I used this time up when I had to take a leave of absence for treatment. Even worse, I also used up 3 months of the only one forbearance allowed on this loan. Because this is a private, living-expense loan, I cannot defer, have additional forbearances, or even change to a graduated-payment plan based on unemployment or financial difficulties- all things which I have been able to do with all of my federal loans. Even with CANCER I still have to repay my loan- $450/month. I called twice and spoke to two supervisors, all who told me sorry, but they couldn't do anything. #$%$^%&%!!!!! WTF? I heard this and basically went off on these people, telling them that they should be ashamed of themselves for even working for such a heartless, shitty company. Not really the customer service reps fault, but STILL!!!
Well I can get a job, right? Hmm. I'm sure you all know how the economy is. I unfortunately have one huge problem getting any old job. I absolutely HAVE TO keep my health insurance. It's based on income- if I make any more than $1100 a month then I lose it. This is equivalent to working for minimum wage, full-time. If I took a job as a barista or worked in retail or something (jobs which under other circumstances I would be working my damnest to get) I would also lose my food stamps- a substantial amount that I depend on. So I would make $1100 a month (which would barely cover rent, utilities, and that absurd Citibank bill) and have NO insurance- owing $$$$ for surgery and future treatments. Is it worth it? NO WAY!
The situation is extremely frustrating- I cannot work as an NP because I haven't taken the test and have been too overwhelmed making life-or-death decisions lately to even study for the test. I can't get an RN job for the life of me because I have no experience. I was pretty sure I could snag one of Planned Parenthood's open positions when I did become certified, but they have filled them since I did my clinical there. Even more depressing right now, I pretty much landed a high school gymnastics coaching team position, but had to turn it down when I found out I needed surgery. I can't spot teenagers after major abdominal surgery.
And my car decided to stop working... the 6-month premium was due... Basically this is what has been on my mind lately. Not the fact that I am having major surgery. Ridiculous, huh?
So now it's time to deal with my other problems. Finances. I can't believe what a mess I am in. I don't think it's ever been so bad. I don't want to complain, but I must comment on how horrible Citibank is right now. I got a bill last month for over $450 for my first loan payment. I called and was like "WTF?" - I just graduated- don't I have a grace period?" Well... apparently you ARE allowed one grace period for the 6 months following departure from school- HOWEVER, I used this time up when I had to take a leave of absence for treatment. Even worse, I also used up 3 months of the only one forbearance allowed on this loan. Because this is a private, living-expense loan, I cannot defer, have additional forbearances, or even change to a graduated-payment plan based on unemployment or financial difficulties- all things which I have been able to do with all of my federal loans. Even with CANCER I still have to repay my loan- $450/month. I called twice and spoke to two supervisors, all who told me sorry, but they couldn't do anything. #$%$^%&%!!!!! WTF? I heard this and basically went off on these people, telling them that they should be ashamed of themselves for even working for such a heartless, shitty company. Not really the customer service reps fault, but STILL!!!
Well I can get a job, right? Hmm. I'm sure you all know how the economy is. I unfortunately have one huge problem getting any old job. I absolutely HAVE TO keep my health insurance. It's based on income- if I make any more than $1100 a month then I lose it. This is equivalent to working for minimum wage, full-time. If I took a job as a barista or worked in retail or something (jobs which under other circumstances I would be working my damnest to get) I would also lose my food stamps- a substantial amount that I depend on. So I would make $1100 a month (which would barely cover rent, utilities, and that absurd Citibank bill) and have NO insurance- owing $$$$ for surgery and future treatments. Is it worth it? NO WAY!
The situation is extremely frustrating- I cannot work as an NP because I haven't taken the test and have been too overwhelmed making life-or-death decisions lately to even study for the test. I can't get an RN job for the life of me because I have no experience. I was pretty sure I could snag one of Planned Parenthood's open positions when I did become certified, but they have filled them since I did my clinical there. Even more depressing right now, I pretty much landed a high school gymnastics coaching team position, but had to turn it down when I found out I needed surgery. I can't spot teenagers after major abdominal surgery.
And my car decided to stop working... the 6-month premium was due... Basically this is what has been on my mind lately. Not the fact that I am having major surgery. Ridiculous, huh?
November 6, 2010
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us
Thoughts, feelings....
This is from an unfinished blog entry I wrote BEFORE the PET scan. Sorry if it is morbid and depressing- this is just what I was thinking at the time. I was debating publishing this at all, but then I just decided to go for it.
READ WITH CAUTION:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: a few weeks ago, 4am:
What do you do when you know you are going to die? What do you think about? Where do you start?
I know I am going to die from this. I know it. It fucking sucks because I have just found myself. At 29 years things have just started to come together: school is finished. I love my house, my friends. My best friend is finally on the West Coast. And I discovered festivals. Happy lands. Places where I am truly happy, something which I have been searching for since I was 16. Nature is all around me. I belong here on the West Coast. I am happy.
Now I am at a turning point. Expectations for myself. Expectations of other people. Happiness for myself. Happiness of other people. Who do I please? I am a caring person, I need to make my closest friends and family happy. I take care of them and they take care of me. But I have so much I need to do in this time.
I saw the ocean last month and it changed my life. Granted my mind was a little altered and running high after a festival... I need to be at the ocean. I need to explore the sealife, surf, swim, feel the rhythm of the waves, feel the hot sun on my body as I lay in the sand. THIS IS WHAT I AM MEANT TO DO. And then travel. I was meant to travel. I am an explorer, a toucher, experiencer, feeler. I need external stimuli. I do love that I know this about myself. I need to explore.
So what do I do with this knowledge is my dilemma. Decisions. Decisions that cannot wait any longer.
Do I just say fuck this nurse practitioner thing? I am doing something good for society and giving back, making a difference. But was just going through the hell of school enough experience I needed in that area? Am I done with that part of my life?
After talking to a friend about their work in childcare, I realize that I miss coaching SO much. I can't believe I ever stopped. I hate SU and all the sacrifices I have made in the past 4 years. At the same time, it is school that made me stronger, strong enough to be able to deal with cancer treatment. School GOT ME TO SEATTLE. I never will regret that.
I am meant to work with kids. I am great at it. I get them. I treat them like adults which is something that their parents or other people dont. I respect them. They make me happy. Their innocence reminds me that everything can be ok. I need to be around that now.
Can't you see how confusing this is? Decisions! I'm rambling and my mind is running in circles. Planned Parenthood gave me the happiness that coaching did. Right now that may be the sole reason why I could remain a NP. But I have to take that test! That damn thing is sitting in the back of my mind, but almost forgotten because of my financial trouble, complications with a breakup, and all of this cancer stuff. I seriously think that I am waiting for the results of the PET to make this decision. Because it may not be worth it. I may be dying NOW.
Normal people don't think about dying. I know some depressed people do, not that's normal. And I used to. For so many years in my worst depressions I have thought about ending my life. Now I am fighting to live. How ironic.
Soooooo.... what do I want to do?
Choices: (clearly must be a bulleted list)
I need my sister. I miss her more than anyone else right now. I really have no one to talk to about all of this. No objective people who will just listen to me and let me have my "unreasonable" dreams. No involvement with my ex. No lecturing me about finances. No urging me to restart treatment as opposed to living the rest of my life in happiness. My sister can be my favorite person in the world yet we never talk. I love her so much and I never get to see her. She is so far away. But I can never move home.
Crazy talk. Still no resolution. So much going on. I need a personal assistant so bad. I need so much help and I'm not sure how to get it. I can't do this right now on my own. I'm a fucking mess.
Would having money change everything? I hate money and capitalism, and so don't want to run my life. But yet again it does. Money is the root of all evil. I have made so many poor decisions out of desperation for money. Why did I leave coaching? Partly because of money. If I had money right now would things be that much greater? At this point maybe yes. I could hire a personal assistant. I could have the best fucking cancer treatment ever that may actually save my life. I could live all of my dreams of travel, being near the ocean- even flying my parents out and supporting them while I'm dying of cancer. Ahhhhhhh why does money have to matter so much? @#$#^$%&%^&%^&%$!!!!!!!!!!
I just need to stop considering and DO. Stop talking the talk and walk the walk or whatever. I guess I need a sign. Or maybe I just need to pay attention and act on all the signs that have been out there all along.
To be continued....
This is from an unfinished blog entry I wrote BEFORE the PET scan. Sorry if it is morbid and depressing- this is just what I was thinking at the time. I was debating publishing this at all, but then I just decided to go for it.
READ WITH CAUTION:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: a few weeks ago, 4am:
What do you do when you know you are going to die? What do you think about? Where do you start?
I know I am going to die from this. I know it. It fucking sucks because I have just found myself. At 29 years things have just started to come together: school is finished. I love my house, my friends. My best friend is finally on the West Coast. And I discovered festivals. Happy lands. Places where I am truly happy, something which I have been searching for since I was 16. Nature is all around me. I belong here on the West Coast. I am happy.
Now I am at a turning point. Expectations for myself. Expectations of other people. Happiness for myself. Happiness of other people. Who do I please? I am a caring person, I need to make my closest friends and family happy. I take care of them and they take care of me. But I have so much I need to do in this time.
I saw the ocean last month and it changed my life. Granted my mind was a little altered and running high after a festival... I need to be at the ocean. I need to explore the sealife, surf, swim, feel the rhythm of the waves, feel the hot sun on my body as I lay in the sand. THIS IS WHAT I AM MEANT TO DO. And then travel. I was meant to travel. I am an explorer, a toucher, experiencer, feeler. I need external stimuli. I do love that I know this about myself. I need to explore.
So what do I do with this knowledge is my dilemma. Decisions. Decisions that cannot wait any longer.
Do I just say fuck this nurse practitioner thing? I am doing something good for society and giving back, making a difference. But was just going through the hell of school enough experience I needed in that area? Am I done with that part of my life?
After talking to a friend about their work in childcare, I realize that I miss coaching SO much. I can't believe I ever stopped. I hate SU and all the sacrifices I have made in the past 4 years. At the same time, it is school that made me stronger, strong enough to be able to deal with cancer treatment. School GOT ME TO SEATTLE. I never will regret that.
I am meant to work with kids. I am great at it. I get them. I treat them like adults which is something that their parents or other people dont. I respect them. They make me happy. Their innocence reminds me that everything can be ok. I need to be around that now.
Can't you see how confusing this is? Decisions! I'm rambling and my mind is running in circles. Planned Parenthood gave me the happiness that coaching did. Right now that may be the sole reason why I could remain a NP. But I have to take that test! That damn thing is sitting in the back of my mind, but almost forgotten because of my financial trouble, complications with a breakup, and all of this cancer stuff. I seriously think that I am waiting for the results of the PET to make this decision. Because it may not be worth it. I may be dying NOW.
Normal people don't think about dying. I know some depressed people do, not that's normal. And I used to. For so many years in my worst depressions I have thought about ending my life. Now I am fighting to live. How ironic.
Soooooo.... what do I want to do?
Choices: (clearly must be a bulleted list)
- Pack up and leave for an amazing overseas adventure. I can meet up with my friend in Thailand and India and then travel the rest of my life avoiding my debt. Very Very VERY appealing
- Move to the ocean. Hawaii? Cali? Again with the travel and overseas?
- Fuck the medical field and nursing and start coaching again living in debt
- Go off the grid and be a traveling bum with a performing arts troupe. Or better yet, a bunch of burners. Just live the life, even if hard, but packing up and seeing where life takes you. Like the movie "In The Wild." Burn my IDs and credit cards and give up my possessions to live out of a backpack. Inspiring..
I need my sister. I miss her more than anyone else right now. I really have no one to talk to about all of this. No objective people who will just listen to me and let me have my "unreasonable" dreams. No involvement with my ex. No lecturing me about finances. No urging me to restart treatment as opposed to living the rest of my life in happiness. My sister can be my favorite person in the world yet we never talk. I love her so much and I never get to see her. She is so far away. But I can never move home.
Crazy talk. Still no resolution. So much going on. I need a personal assistant so bad. I need so much help and I'm not sure how to get it. I can't do this right now on my own. I'm a fucking mess.
Would having money change everything? I hate money and capitalism, and so don't want to run my life. But yet again it does. Money is the root of all evil. I have made so many poor decisions out of desperation for money. Why did I leave coaching? Partly because of money. If I had money right now would things be that much greater? At this point maybe yes. I could hire a personal assistant. I could have the best fucking cancer treatment ever that may actually save my life. I could live all of my dreams of travel, being near the ocean- even flying my parents out and supporting them while I'm dying of cancer. Ahhhhhhh why does money have to matter so much? @#$#^$%&%^&%^&%$!!!!!!!!!!
I just need to stop considering and DO. Stop talking the talk and walk the walk or whatever. I guess I need a sign. Or maybe I just need to pay attention and act on all the signs that have been out there all along.
To be continued....
March 6, 2010
First 3 month checkup soon, work, school updates
Second checkup is this coming Friday. I'm kinda nervous. I'm going to get my blood test on Monday, so that I can have my doc tell me the results rather than me calling in 3-4 days. I don't feel any different and don't have any symptoms, but I keep questioning whether what I know what bloating really feels like. I don't think I'm bloated. It's been so long since I've had PMS that I forgot that whole part :)
One thing I have been following is my weight. I always have weighed myself- I used the number within a couple of pounds to measure whether I need to eat a little better or work out a little harder. People give me that "but you're not fat!" crap and that I shouldn't care, but I always remind them that the reason why I am not fat is that I pay attention. Anyways, it's weird with my condition now, because my weight is really important to follow now. I don't want to lose pounds because that was the main symptom that led me to seek medical help. I don't want to gain weight because that means it may be water weight or bloating from ascites. To complicate things, I have been working out a little more so I am building muscle and my weight is increasing a bit. So as of now, I don't really know what my base weight should be. What I do know is that at the beginning of January, after going home for the holidays, I gained about 9 lbs.(thanks Midwest :( ). Now I have slowly lost that weight, but is that ok? How much of it can be attributed to eating better and working out? Fortunately it has been stable in the past month. Still interesting though.
Hmm.. what else. I have a on-call RN job at a Psych organization. I basically give meds and chart and that's about it. Stuff that they are overpaying an RN to do, as it is an LPN job. Well I had 5 days of training and a staff meeting, and NO OTHER HOURS. Nobody is going on vacation. It's actually a fun job and the clients are great, but I need money. Still searching... At least I have my foot in the door. I figure that I only have to work 3-4 shifts a month to live on. Just think of how much I could have been making in these past 9 months :(
I wouldn't have to take out MORE school loans and wouldn't be so bored all the time.
As far as school goes, I am registered for my clinical course and found out one of the clinics I will be working at- it's exactly the same doctor who I was working with last winter when I was diagnosed! I'm relieved because he knows my whole situation and so I don't have to explain why I may be a little behind. I hope the information comes back quick. I have been studying up but it's not the same as actually practicing medicine..
Ok more updates to come soon!
One thing I have been following is my weight. I always have weighed myself- I used the number within a couple of pounds to measure whether I need to eat a little better or work out a little harder. People give me that "but you're not fat!" crap and that I shouldn't care, but I always remind them that the reason why I am not fat is that I pay attention. Anyways, it's weird with my condition now, because my weight is really important to follow now. I don't want to lose pounds because that was the main symptom that led me to seek medical help. I don't want to gain weight because that means it may be water weight or bloating from ascites. To complicate things, I have been working out a little more so I am building muscle and my weight is increasing a bit. So as of now, I don't really know what my base weight should be. What I do know is that at the beginning of January, after going home for the holidays, I gained about 9 lbs.(thanks Midwest :( ). Now I have slowly lost that weight, but is that ok? How much of it can be attributed to eating better and working out? Fortunately it has been stable in the past month. Still interesting though.
Hmm.. what else. I have a on-call RN job at a Psych organization. I basically give meds and chart and that's about it. Stuff that they are overpaying an RN to do, as it is an LPN job. Well I had 5 days of training and a staff meeting, and NO OTHER HOURS. Nobody is going on vacation. It's actually a fun job and the clients are great, but I need money. Still searching... At least I have my foot in the door. I figure that I only have to work 3-4 shifts a month to live on. Just think of how much I could have been making in these past 9 months :(
I wouldn't have to take out MORE school loans and wouldn't be so bored all the time.
As far as school goes, I am registered for my clinical course and found out one of the clinics I will be working at- it's exactly the same doctor who I was working with last winter when I was diagnosed! I'm relieved because he knows my whole situation and so I don't have to explain why I may be a little behind. I hope the information comes back quick. I have been studying up but it's not the same as actually practicing medicine..
Ok more updates to come soon!
September 25, 2009
Leave of Absense
I think this will be the second to last post for awhile unless something new comes up. Everything seems to be going ok on the cancer front. I have an appointment with my gyn onc on Monday so I will update about that. I am so happy to be done with everything and my big sunburn on my back is finally starting to heal, although now it looks like some kind of fungus because it's lighter than the rest of the skin on my tan back. I also got my port removed a couple of weeks ago so I am most excited about that. No more alien probe/tumor on my chest!
Other than that I have come to another major roadblock in my life. After talking with the nursing program director and dean (or yelling rather), it turns out that I won't be returning to school until spring quarter which is in March. Fuck that. I was told that I would be able to finish up with independent study, doing clinicals this fall and winter and then being done by March. The director instead tells me now that they have no one to teach the one-hour seminar included with the course, and so now I have to reenter the program with the upcoming cohort at the same time I took time off. They said it was "for the best" so I could allow myself to heal fully. Honestly, this is the dumbest thing I have heard in awhile because taking 6 months off IS NOT good for my education at this point. I need continuous clinical experience- with a big break like this I am likely to be extremely behind. I'm scared that I will be so behind that I will again have to repeat the course. WTF?!? Fuck Seattle U. I'm so done with their fucking program.
Sucks cause now I have no job and no school, meaning that my loans go into repayment mode soon. And I lose all the loan money I have been using to live on. Of course I told this to my dean and they apparently don't give a shit.
So now I am figuring out what to do with myself. Yesterday I returned from a 2 week visit to the Midwest to see my family and friends. Now in a week I am going on a road trip along the west coast from Seattle down to L.A. with a good friend. Should be another 2 weeks. Like I have anything else to do... I have been looking for jobs but so far have been denied new graduate opportunities because there are only 1-2 openings at the major hospitals around Seattle. I have no experience for the rest of the nursing jobs, plus no one is willing to hire an RN who will just quit as soon as she finds a nurse practitioner position. So frustrating.
Well that's all for now. Hope everyone out there is well.
Other than that I have come to another major roadblock in my life. After talking with the nursing program director and dean (or yelling rather), it turns out that I won't be returning to school until spring quarter which is in March. Fuck that. I was told that I would be able to finish up with independent study, doing clinicals this fall and winter and then being done by March. The director instead tells me now that they have no one to teach the one-hour seminar included with the course, and so now I have to reenter the program with the upcoming cohort at the same time I took time off. They said it was "for the best" so I could allow myself to heal fully. Honestly, this is the dumbest thing I have heard in awhile because taking 6 months off IS NOT good for my education at this point. I need continuous clinical experience- with a big break like this I am likely to be extremely behind. I'm scared that I will be so behind that I will again have to repeat the course. WTF?!? Fuck Seattle U. I'm so done with their fucking program.
Sucks cause now I have no job and no school, meaning that my loans go into repayment mode soon. And I lose all the loan money I have been using to live on. Of course I told this to my dean and they apparently don't give a shit.
So now I am figuring out what to do with myself. Yesterday I returned from a 2 week visit to the Midwest to see my family and friends. Now in a week I am going on a road trip along the west coast from Seattle down to L.A. with a good friend. Should be another 2 weeks. Like I have anything else to do... I have been looking for jobs but so far have been denied new graduate opportunities because there are only 1-2 openings at the major hospitals around Seattle. I have no experience for the rest of the nursing jobs, plus no one is willing to hire an RN who will just quit as soon as she finds a nurse practitioner position. So frustrating.
Well that's all for now. Hope everyone out there is well.
June 17, 2009
This week
I'm in a not-so-positive mood at the moment. I'm just crabby because I have been feeling bad and not sleeping well. And I'm getting pretty bored laying around all day- even if 70% of the time it's on the lake. At least I am getting tan. Yesterday I officially started my job hunt- I'm missing coaching so bad that I'm dreaming gymnastics. I hope there will be at least one team coaching position open, but I have to factor in the fact that I would have to work around scans and radiation AND clinicals. What a pain. I'm looking for nursing jobs as well, but it's the same deal with scheduling- PLUS the fact that I haven't really done clinical RN stuff in a year. I just need to get down and apply because at least I can start with options to choose from.
I decided that I'm going to be a painted cyclist in the Solstice Parade this year. I recruited some friends as well. For people outside of Washington, one of the Seattle artsy neighborhoods- Fremont- puts on a huge Solstice parade every summer, along with a street fair and "art cars" (cars decorated with the most random things) exhibition. One of the highlights of the parade is a group of at least 300 bikers who come out first- all in body paint and "au naturale," The painting jobs are usually pretty amazing, and people also decorate their bikes and helmets in streamers and paper mache figures. Last year there were two ladies painted like American flags, bumble bees on tandem, and a group of 3 Waldo's cycling around. I decided on a space theme and so tomorrow I'm going to buy some colors of textile acrylic paint. I won't say anymore about the experience until it's over- but this Saturday is the ride. Solstice is my favorite part about Seattle summer and this weekend should be awesome.
Well tomorrow is my cardiac echo and I will definitely report back on those findings as soon as I get them. As far as Thursday's CT scan- I'm not going to know anything until Monday's appointment with my gyn onc and I will report as soon as I know. (So no calling every second mom and dad!). I also should get my latest CA-125 count. Oh- I talked to the nurses and got the CT scan ok'd to include my neck. So now I can get a double check on the thyroid lump that's still there. The doc said it was just a lymph node and it isn't hard like a tumor, but I still want to be sure.
I decided that I'm going to be a painted cyclist in the Solstice Parade this year. I recruited some friends as well. For people outside of Washington, one of the Seattle artsy neighborhoods- Fremont- puts on a huge Solstice parade every summer, along with a street fair and "art cars" (cars decorated with the most random things) exhibition. One of the highlights of the parade is a group of at least 300 bikers who come out first- all in body paint and "au naturale," The painting jobs are usually pretty amazing, and people also decorate their bikes and helmets in streamers and paper mache figures. Last year there were two ladies painted like American flags, bumble bees on tandem, and a group of 3 Waldo's cycling around. I decided on a space theme and so tomorrow I'm going to buy some colors of textile acrylic paint. I won't say anymore about the experience until it's over- but this Saturday is the ride. Solstice is my favorite part about Seattle summer and this weekend should be awesome.
Well tomorrow is my cardiac echo and I will definitely report back on those findings as soon as I get them. As far as Thursday's CT scan- I'm not going to know anything until Monday's appointment with my gyn onc and I will report as soon as I know. (So no calling every second mom and dad!). I also should get my latest CA-125 count. Oh- I talked to the nurses and got the CT scan ok'd to include my neck. So now I can get a double check on the thyroid lump that's still there. The doc said it was just a lymph node and it isn't hard like a tumor, but I still want to be sure.
March 31, 2009
Spring Break unexcitement
I haven't written in awhile because I am have been back in Urbana, Illinois for my spring break. The weeks before finals I had a random idea to spend 5 days in Hawaii. Tickets were cheap, but I had never been and had no idea where to look for a place. I put it off and by the beginning of finals week they had gone way up. I would have gone but it was stressful just finding a place to stay- I had no idea what island to go to and what hotels/hostels were good. But then my mom got sick so I changed my plans and tried my hardest to get a flight last Monday. No luck- I tried to get charity fares but there was nothing for a week. What's the point of that?!? Damn spring break. I finally forked out 600 bucks to fly out on Wednesday. I missed my first flight which made me miss the last flight to Urbana and so I had to take the bus home. Ugh. Sooo boring. But I finally made it home. My sis was up with her bf and he had shaved his head for me! My sis was pissed but her looked good. Anyways, it was nice to see my sis and all but I was completely focused on my mom...
So last week (morning of finals of course) my mom went to the ER with a really bad cough and some confusion/dizziness. Apparently on the way to work she was swerving a bit and actually got pulled over for it. She went to work anyways and her co-workers got her to go to the ER. Turns out she has bilobar pneumonia. The next day she was on a ventilator and had an SatO2 of 85% or something. I was freaking out and so that's why I tried to fly home early. I had no idea how bad it was until I got to the hospital. She looked AWFUL. She was heavily sedated and on high flow oxygen and two antibiotics. Her hands and feet were badly swollen, as well as her neck. What was really awful was seeing her tongue- it was hard from hanging out of her mouth for days. I cried when I saw her and had to leave the hospital after about 20 minutes.
The next day I saw her and she had developed a fungal infection and some sores on her legs. The doctor said she was getting worse and I asked the nurse to see her xray. Of course the first one said she couldn't show me because of HIPAA. The next one was like no big deal and showed us. I couldn't believe it- I remember seeing xrays in clinical and my patients had just little spots in their lobes. My mom had at least 70% of BOTH lungs full of crap. The whole xray was white.
It was hard for my dad and I not be the annoying family member trying to control her care. The docs couldn't culture anything from lungs or blood. We both got online and researched what could be going on and came up with a hypothesis that she could have legionella. I guess it doesn't always culture out unless you do a special test. This was plausible because she's a florist and spends a lot of time in the cooler which could house Legionella. Anyways, both of us had a lot of questions and probably annoyed the crap out of the doctor. I think they deserved it though- I guess her first doctor rotated with another one every week. As soon as the new one came on her ordered a bronchoscopy to check out her lungs. I guess they were full of pus and he was able to flush out a lot of it. Anyways I was pissed because the first doctor could have done this. She also didn't have compression boots on which bothered me. They were giving her heparin though so that was why. Should you have both? I guess I was most concerned that when she did get through this that she was at risk for clots. This totally bothered me...I was hoping that she would be off the vent some time while I was home but he said that she would probably be on the vent for 4-6wks! So upsetting because all I wanted to do was talk to her. At least have her know I was there.
The rest of the time at home was ok- I hung out with my sister and her boyfriend mostly. The house was pretty weird without my mom around. Pretty depressing. My sister's coworkers wouldn't cover for her so she had to work a little while I was home. She also had an orgo test the day I had my flight home so she had to study as well. Definitely a horrible spring break for the both of us. We did have some fun though- we all had a night trying on the wigs. My dad looked hilarious! My best friend from high school, Eleza, also came to visit from Chicago for a night. We went out to check out all the new bars. Of course we ran into someone from high school.. weird cause she didn't recognize me with the wig- something which I always forget. Feels the same to me, ya know!
Well miraculously my mom started getting better on Monday. Her lungs were clearing and the doctor predicted that she might be off her vent Tuesday or Wednesday. They also were reducing her sedation. All I wanted was for her to be off the damn thing before I left. Well she wasn't. That's probably what bothers me the most. I went to see her yesterday morning and she actually opened her eyes! I made her a picture collage and so I got to show her that. She most likely won't remember me being there which is sad, but at least I got to see her getting better. She looked better- the swelling had gone down and her lungs were only diminished in the bases which was awesome! She didn't respond much while I was there except she shook her head at the nurses when they asked her if she had any pain. It was nice to see her eyes open and know that she at least somewhat knew I was there.
So I got home yesterday with little sleep and after a 2 hours delayed flight. (Never fly through Ohare in the winter or spring). I went straight to bed and slept for almost 24hrs (with the help of some ambien). When I awoke there were at least 8 missed calls from my sis and dad- apparently my mom had a mini-stroke. Exactly what I was worried about the whole time. I guess they did their neuro check and she had reduced grip strength in her right hand, as well as an inability to raise her right foot. She also was tracking her eyes to the right. They did a CT scan which showed a small stroke in the left hemisphere in the Wernicke area. There was also a lot of inflammation. The Wernicke area (I remember this from psych classes) is the part of the brain that processes speech. So the docs and all of us were really worried that she may have problems understanding language. They were confused, however, because usually strokes in one side of the brain produce deficiencies in the opposite side. They ordered a MRI scan and as of right now the neuro doc hasn't told us the results... My dad and sister did say that earlier she had some left sided weakness as well which had resolved a little. She also could track her eyes to the left. So she sounds like she's doing better. My sister went in and was talking to her and she responded by trying to speak a little . She also was moving around a lot and could dangle her legs. It's unclear whether she has language deficits because she won't be able to speak for a week or so because her vocal cords are pretty swollen and inflamed from the tube. I remember how that feels- I was on a vent during my 3 hours surgery and the next day I was hoarse and it hurt pretty bad to swallow and speak. I wonder what a week and a 1/2 feels like it... My sister thinks my mom will recover just fine after seeing her this morning. I love the positivity- DAD YOU SHOULD be more positive! ;) My mom got better fast and so I think she will recover functioning soon. The only thing she will have to worry about is the fatigue and I have no pointers about that except maybe stealing some Adderral...
So that's my current update. I flew home to see my mom and she will be soooooo pissed that she missed me. I guess I will have to fly her out! I totally want to sue the ER doctor for not doing a chest xray. They could have caught this so much sooner and maybe she wouldn't have even had to be admitted to the ICU. Fuck that. Doctors can be so cocky. Cover your ass. The Urgent Care clinic I worked at sent anyone with a bad cough to get an xray even before they saw the doctor!
You would think that if someone is dizzy and losing cognition that it would alert them to the fact that her cough is serious! Make me want to be a better practitioner. I think that's what I have learned the most from all of this and from my own experience being the patient. Get advice and consult with other practitioners because it's so easy to make mistakes and only think inside the box. And make sure you are available. At least I am getting something from all of this.
I think my luck is on the upside. Finally. It seems to come in threes and this whole mom thing completes the series. (I'm counting our rental house going under foreclosure as number one). The last bout of bad luck started at the same time in 2007- Within 3 months I got kicked out of school, kicked out of my house, and let go from my job... I should totally play the lottery!
Oh and speaking of good luck- when I got home I had a pile of medical bills (which finally came).The first letter was from Basic Health insurance saying that they had looked over my MRI request again and approved it! It was denied previously because Country Doctor didn't send them all the required information. This had started a world of worry because that was actually the ONLY thing that I had asked my primary care doctor to refer me too- Everything else I self-referred, including the surgery which they COULD deny if they were assholes because it wasn't pre-approved. Well I opened at least 3 more bills that showed that my insurance had been billed for all the specialty services and tests that I had received. I guess the lifetime limit on the insurance was only $1500! I'm guessing without insurance this whole thing may be $100,000 so that was awesome too. Finally, the best news was that the SCCA had approved my application for charity care. They determined that they would take on 100% of my responsibility towards my bill on June 25th. I guess that means anything that I didn't pay by then. How awesome is that! I don't know exactly what that means- like will they pay for stuff now- but that is still awesome news! I'm hoping that it will pay for the surgery with the 20% coinsurance because the UW is linked to the clinic. Otherwise that bill is going to be enormous!
Well I am starting classes tomorrow again and so I gotta study. I feel pretty good right now. Monday is treatment # 3. It's not for sure because if my counts are low than I will have to delay it. I missed my blood test this past Monday and so I'm not sure what they are. I will probably get another tomorrow. I'm supposed to talk with the doctor after the 3rd treatment so that will be good. She wants me to do radiation and another surgery to remove my uterus and I have decided not to do both. I guess I don't understand the point of irradiating my whole abdomen when they don't' even know if the cancer is still there. How do you target a few little clear cells? I probably will get another CT scan though which will tell me. They only did my abdomen and pelvis last time which I think is stupid because it could be anywhere considering it traveled through the bloodstream. I'm going to demand it. Not that I really want to know. I haven't asked about my CA-125 results as I don't really want to know those either. I will get them on Monday regardless.
Well wish me luck. I will write more now that I'm back on the computer for school. Break was sure nice without my cellphone on me and very little email checking! So nice to escape technology sometimes... (although TV was a dominant factor at home).
Amber
So last week (morning of finals of course) my mom went to the ER with a really bad cough and some confusion/dizziness. Apparently on the way to work she was swerving a bit and actually got pulled over for it. She went to work anyways and her co-workers got her to go to the ER. Turns out she has bilobar pneumonia. The next day she was on a ventilator and had an SatO2 of 85% or something. I was freaking out and so that's why I tried to fly home early. I had no idea how bad it was until I got to the hospital. She looked AWFUL. She was heavily sedated and on high flow oxygen and two antibiotics. Her hands and feet were badly swollen, as well as her neck. What was really awful was seeing her tongue- it was hard from hanging out of her mouth for days. I cried when I saw her and had to leave the hospital after about 20 minutes.
The next day I saw her and she had developed a fungal infection and some sores on her legs. The doctor said she was getting worse and I asked the nurse to see her xray. Of course the first one said she couldn't show me because of HIPAA. The next one was like no big deal and showed us. I couldn't believe it- I remember seeing xrays in clinical and my patients had just little spots in their lobes. My mom had at least 70% of BOTH lungs full of crap. The whole xray was white.
It was hard for my dad and I not be the annoying family member trying to control her care. The docs couldn't culture anything from lungs or blood. We both got online and researched what could be going on and came up with a hypothesis that she could have legionella. I guess it doesn't always culture out unless you do a special test. This was plausible because she's a florist and spends a lot of time in the cooler which could house Legionella. Anyways, both of us had a lot of questions and probably annoyed the crap out of the doctor. I think they deserved it though- I guess her first doctor rotated with another one every week. As soon as the new one came on her ordered a bronchoscopy to check out her lungs. I guess they were full of pus and he was able to flush out a lot of it. Anyways I was pissed because the first doctor could have done this. She also didn't have compression boots on which bothered me. They were giving her heparin though so that was why. Should you have both? I guess I was most concerned that when she did get through this that she was at risk for clots. This totally bothered me...I was hoping that she would be off the vent some time while I was home but he said that she would probably be on the vent for 4-6wks! So upsetting because all I wanted to do was talk to her. At least have her know I was there.
The rest of the time at home was ok- I hung out with my sister and her boyfriend mostly. The house was pretty weird without my mom around. Pretty depressing. My sister's coworkers wouldn't cover for her so she had to work a little while I was home. She also had an orgo test the day I had my flight home so she had to study as well. Definitely a horrible spring break for the both of us. We did have some fun though- we all had a night trying on the wigs. My dad looked hilarious! My best friend from high school, Eleza, also came to visit from Chicago for a night. We went out to check out all the new bars. Of course we ran into someone from high school.. weird cause she didn't recognize me with the wig- something which I always forget. Feels the same to me, ya know!
Well miraculously my mom started getting better on Monday. Her lungs were clearing and the doctor predicted that she might be off her vent Tuesday or Wednesday. They also were reducing her sedation. All I wanted was for her to be off the damn thing before I left. Well she wasn't. That's probably what bothers me the most. I went to see her yesterday morning and she actually opened her eyes! I made her a picture collage and so I got to show her that. She most likely won't remember me being there which is sad, but at least I got to see her getting better. She looked better- the swelling had gone down and her lungs were only diminished in the bases which was awesome! She didn't respond much while I was there except she shook her head at the nurses when they asked her if she had any pain. It was nice to see her eyes open and know that she at least somewhat knew I was there.
So I got home yesterday with little sleep and after a 2 hours delayed flight. (Never fly through Ohare in the winter or spring). I went straight to bed and slept for almost 24hrs (with the help of some ambien). When I awoke there were at least 8 missed calls from my sis and dad- apparently my mom had a mini-stroke. Exactly what I was worried about the whole time. I guess they did their neuro check and she had reduced grip strength in her right hand, as well as an inability to raise her right foot. She also was tracking her eyes to the right. They did a CT scan which showed a small stroke in the left hemisphere in the Wernicke area. There was also a lot of inflammation. The Wernicke area (I remember this from psych classes) is the part of the brain that processes speech. So the docs and all of us were really worried that she may have problems understanding language. They were confused, however, because usually strokes in one side of the brain produce deficiencies in the opposite side. They ordered a MRI scan and as of right now the neuro doc hasn't told us the results... My dad and sister did say that earlier she had some left sided weakness as well which had resolved a little. She also could track her eyes to the left. So she sounds like she's doing better. My sister went in and was talking to her and she responded by trying to speak a little . She also was moving around a lot and could dangle her legs. It's unclear whether she has language deficits because she won't be able to speak for a week or so because her vocal cords are pretty swollen and inflamed from the tube. I remember how that feels- I was on a vent during my 3 hours surgery and the next day I was hoarse and it hurt pretty bad to swallow and speak. I wonder what a week and a 1/2 feels like it... My sister thinks my mom will recover just fine after seeing her this morning. I love the positivity- DAD YOU SHOULD be more positive! ;) My mom got better fast and so I think she will recover functioning soon. The only thing she will have to worry about is the fatigue and I have no pointers about that except maybe stealing some Adderral...
So that's my current update. I flew home to see my mom and she will be soooooo pissed that she missed me. I guess I will have to fly her out! I totally want to sue the ER doctor for not doing a chest xray. They could have caught this so much sooner and maybe she wouldn't have even had to be admitted to the ICU. Fuck that. Doctors can be so cocky. Cover your ass. The Urgent Care clinic I worked at sent anyone with a bad cough to get an xray even before they saw the doctor!
You would think that if someone is dizzy and losing cognition that it would alert them to the fact that her cough is serious! Make me want to be a better practitioner. I think that's what I have learned the most from all of this and from my own experience being the patient. Get advice and consult with other practitioners because it's so easy to make mistakes and only think inside the box. And make sure you are available. At least I am getting something from all of this.
I think my luck is on the upside. Finally. It seems to come in threes and this whole mom thing completes the series. (I'm counting our rental house going under foreclosure as number one). The last bout of bad luck started at the same time in 2007- Within 3 months I got kicked out of school, kicked out of my house, and let go from my job... I should totally play the lottery!
Oh and speaking of good luck- when I got home I had a pile of medical bills (which finally came).The first letter was from Basic Health insurance saying that they had looked over my MRI request again and approved it! It was denied previously because Country Doctor didn't send them all the required information. This had started a world of worry because that was actually the ONLY thing that I had asked my primary care doctor to refer me too- Everything else I self-referred, including the surgery which they COULD deny if they were assholes because it wasn't pre-approved. Well I opened at least 3 more bills that showed that my insurance had been billed for all the specialty services and tests that I had received. I guess the lifetime limit on the insurance was only $1500! I'm guessing without insurance this whole thing may be $100,000 so that was awesome too. Finally, the best news was that the SCCA had approved my application for charity care. They determined that they would take on 100% of my responsibility towards my bill on June 25th. I guess that means anything that I didn't pay by then. How awesome is that! I don't know exactly what that means- like will they pay for stuff now- but that is still awesome news! I'm hoping that it will pay for the surgery with the 20% coinsurance because the UW is linked to the clinic. Otherwise that bill is going to be enormous!
Well I am starting classes tomorrow again and so I gotta study. I feel pretty good right now. Monday is treatment # 3. It's not for sure because if my counts are low than I will have to delay it. I missed my blood test this past Monday and so I'm not sure what they are. I will probably get another tomorrow. I'm supposed to talk with the doctor after the 3rd treatment so that will be good. She wants me to do radiation and another surgery to remove my uterus and I have decided not to do both. I guess I don't understand the point of irradiating my whole abdomen when they don't' even know if the cancer is still there. How do you target a few little clear cells? I probably will get another CT scan though which will tell me. They only did my abdomen and pelvis last time which I think is stupid because it could be anywhere considering it traveled through the bloodstream. I'm going to demand it. Not that I really want to know. I haven't asked about my CA-125 results as I don't really want to know those either. I will get them on Monday regardless.
Well wish me luck. I will write more now that I'm back on the computer for school. Break was sure nice without my cellphone on me and very little email checking! So nice to escape technology sometimes... (although TV was a dominant factor at home).
Amber
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