June 12th-18th Week in Review
Warning entry is filled with bitching and ranting. 
9am Monday like our usual routine now Dad drove me to Woodland hospital, Brighton for my weekly CBC blood draw, got poked twice in the hand because they gave me the guy tech again. He is just not good enough to get my rolling veins, so a 2nd female tech drew my blood. Then went to other side of hospital and dropped off paper work at hematologist office for Dr.Winegarden to fill out ( part of paper work to try get Medicaid.) Also got copies of all my tests since April and had copies faxed to neurologist and rheumatologist.
11 am I met my neurologist Dr. Begum. She works out of professional building part of St. Joseph hospital, Howell. At 1st she was a little intimidating and her accent so thick I had some problems understanding her, but she has a rather good “bed side manner”. I had a long visit with her she performed all kinds of neuro tests on me. She then ordered a urine sample and blood drawn to test for variety neurological /immune illness. She also ordered a MRI and MRA brain & spinal column scans, but no facility in Livingston will do the combo. So they are making calls on there end to diff medical facilities and I have to call county health plan to get an approval or waiver or whatever.
The tech at St. Joes got me in one poke but OMG it hurt, they sucked out 7 tubes. Then I had to give urine sample, oh joy. I filled my cup and just as I was about to put the lid on I had a hand spasm and I dropped it! Luckily dropped right in toilet so no mess, but I couldn’t squeeze any more out. It was 1am so Dad and I went to Big Boy nearby had soup and salad bar, and I chugged down 3 glasses ice tea, 3 glasses of water. Then we went back and I gave the urine sample. Then we went and dropped Medicaid paperwork off to Dr. Nemeth my primary doctor in Whitmore lake. Then we went home and I passed out for an hour because I was so exhausted.
Tueday and Wednesday I visited Rob. He has repeatedly told me that Tuesday day we would just be relaxing and having “us” time. Evening I had promised Melissa we would have dinner with her and “hang out”. I got to his place around 11am. Around 1 am he tells me we better get moving, he had told his nieces that WE would take them out. I was a little annoyed, because my fatigue and pain were horribly bad Tuesday and he should have consulted me 1st before making plans for US. But I gave in and though maybe lil walking would be good. On way to his niece’s house he starts telling me we are gonna stop here at this “ghetto” strip mall, then THE mall and here, here, etc. I told him NO we are going to the Mall and that’s it. He started to get all huffy and pouts like a little kid. I had to explain to him I know it’s only been 2 weeks since I have seen you, but I am in a lot worse condition. I’m not trying to be bitchy I just CAN’T do that much activity.
I did have fun at the mall with his nieces and him. We checked out lot of stores, and picked up some great sale/ clearance items. The girls kept “stealing” my cane from me when I was standing still or sitting. They didn’t take it from me when I am walking, they were not trying to make me fall they just like to poke Rob or each other with it.
Rob bought me a few things like a $40 satchel style bag/purse for only $8.50 on clearance and some strawberry daiquiri shimmer body lotion cuz he really liked how it smelled. The girls kept trying to talk us into taking them to dinner and I had to remind Rob 3 times we already had dinner plans, his nieces so have him wrapped around there finger.
We dropped them off at home around 6:30pm, went back to his place & called Melissa. She said she’d come pick us up around 8 and we went to Applebee’s. Then afterwards back to Rob’s to ”hung out”.
I was so exhausted I thought I’d be able to sleep better. NOPE, still bothered by insomnia, didn’t help me that Rob’s room is always too hot, and his mattress is like the cheapest thing on market. No padding, I can feel every spring, I tossed and turned so much I pulled the fitted sheet right off the bed.
Wednesday I woke up stiff and in really bad pain, not only was I feeling the deep bone/joint pain, muscle aches but now the skin prickles, bug crawling feeling has turned into extreme sensitivity and “surface” pain. Rob was being affectionate and began to rub my leg, I was thinking’ I know that is supposed to feel soothing but that feels like rusty blades scrapping my skin.’ What I actually I said “please don’t do that it hurts.” That’s when it dawned on him, just how bad my condition has gotten. We spent most the day, just relaxing watching movies.
Dinner time pissed me off. His Mother had called and asked his sister if the nieces and she were coming to dinner, they said NO. Robs Mom wanted Chinese, she gave him $20 for it so I agreed to picking up Chinese from HER favorite place. SO Rob, his mom and I eat Chinese, but his dad wanted subway. It’s was little after 5 rush hour traffic, drove to subway got his dads sub, then stopped at Meijer because his dad wanted fritos, and picked up a diet soda for me. Then we went to Chinese place ordered the food. Rob forgot that there was construction(Michigan one way streets) so I could not go back the way we came, So I’m getting all irritated and anxious with the heavy traffic and driving a long unfamiliar round about way to get back. We get there Rob cusses says His sis car is in the parking lot! I say don’t stress if there’s not enough you and I can go eat something else. When we step inside they tell us did you get both orders? What we made another order didn’t you pick it up too? No. I said No I wasn’t going to go get it. Was thinking why his sis doesn’t go get it she keeps getting FREE meals, least she can do. Rob pulls me back out the door, we have to go do same round about thing to get Chinese this order he had to pay for with his money. Each time the orders totaled around $20. The food was crappy and made me sick. His sis took leftovers home with her, even though her family comes over for chinese or orther take out at least twice a week I’ve never seen her pay for any. I tried to explain to Rob that I HATE that he lets his family walk all over him, use and abuse him. I will NOT accept that behavior and I’m not going to allow myself to be treated that way and he needs to change his attitude because I don’t want to be dragged into things I don’t agree to. I don’t care if they think I am a bitch, life is to short to deal with this bull$#@!.
Thursday morning I dropped Rob off for his commute to work and drove home. I spent most the day recuperating and making phone calls. So my MRA & MRI have been approved by my health plan to be done and in some hospital in Southfield. Though I still may have to pay some “facility fee”? Neurologist office said they were contacting the facility and I should get a call, about setting up an appointment.
Friday I went to see the rheumatologist. My appointment was at 11am, but Dr. Dowd was running at least 40 min late, Dad always has to be early so we were 20 minutes early. So we had to sit forever in the waiting room. Dad had forgotten his book, so he was really fidgety.
Finally the nurse took me to get weighed 
, to an exam room, took vitals & asked me a bunch of questions. Then a resident doctor came in interviewed and prodded me and left. Then Dr. Dowd with resident in tow came in. Dr. Dowd asked me a whole bunch of questions, occasionally talking about me in 3rd person as he explained things to the resident and gave me a thorough very painful exam. Afterwards he told me he wanted me on a special diet, ordered 15 blood tests, and gave me prescriptions for mega dose vitamin D and magnesium. He said that every overweight patient he has treated with similar symptoms, have shown to have these vitamin deficiencies and when corrected symptoms got better or went away.
Dowd’s practice has a lab right there in his office, so just draw my blood there right? I told his techs I was a very hard poke, both techs took a try one in my hand, one in arm, both missed, so then I got sent to the Woodland hospital where I’ve been getting blood draws. They had to get 11 tubes out of me, and didn’t want to use a hand vein cuz it’s more likely to collapse so 2 more techs and 2 more pokes in arms, both misses, so finally got one in my hand and sucked my blood out. It was 2 pm by then, the only thing I had eaten was oatmeal at 930am, and bottle of tea while waiting for blood draws. So hunger, pain and massive blood draw had made me a bit dizzy. The
Tech gave me an icepack, made me drink crappy city tap water and sit for a while before I could leave.
Then we went to the store (Dad wanted milk & lotto tickets) and to the pharmacy, pharmacist could not understand what dosage magnesium prescriptions was for, was only 3pm but Dowd’s office had already closed and on voice mail. So pharmacist said he’d just hold prescription and call doc Monday and I’ll pick it up then.
I’m not sure why but by evening my feet had swollen up, especially my right, the skin was so stretched and painful I though my foot might explode. Probably had to do with the chairs in Dowd’s waiting room, they were hard wood chairs that cut into the back of my legs, I have the same problem with our kitchen chairs if I sit on them too long.
Today since it was to be over 90 F and dreadfully hot and humid for Michigan. Mom precooked the ribs and made potato salad early in the day when it was cooler. We were using the grill for dinner. Dad went out and bought me some salmon (it was on sale) and more veggies. I wanted to marinate the salmon, had bottle of teriyaki marinade, used knife cut plastic safely seal off and then half bottle pour down the front of me, it had been sealed with plastic but not screwed on! Even after taking a shower I still smell a bit like teriyaki. LOL
Now that I have been ordered to eat a move semi- Veg diet by a doctor my Dad is actually on board and being more supportive. Doc’s diet plan: No salt, No red meat, No processed meats, No cheese, NO pasta, bread, cereal, No eggs, Small amounts of lean meat & fish, limited whole grains & beans, LOTS of veggies and fruits.
Dad went to play cards, and Jenkins went to visit a friend. So it was only Mom and I for dinner so we invited sis Amber and nephew Aaron over. There was so much food left over even though sending some home with Amber and saving a LOT for Dad. So when Lily came to the door we gave her a big rib, it was one that got a bit charred. Lily is what Mom named the raccoon that comes to visit everyday. She is our “garbage disposal” any leftovers that no one else will eat we give to Lily, when we put them in the garbage she’s made a mess dumping the cans.
Tomorrow I’m going with the parental’s to church to see my brother perform. Its one of those more modern churches, will full band. “Hip” music and they perform skits and such to keep people more entertained. Afterwards we all are going to fathers day brunch.
So that was the week of June 12th- 18th
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