Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Doctors Week

Actually, Doctors Week is every week for me it seems. I've been non-stop busy for the past couple of weeks. Geoff and I took Aja up to college this week for orientation, and while we were up there, Geoff's step-father passed away, and we ended up taking him to the airport and driving the 600 miles home without him.

Aside from being sad about the loss of such a wonderful man, I'm upset that I couldn't make it to the services. Geoff wouldn't hear of it, and he's right. I would have done nothing but send myself into a flare if I tried to push myself in order to make it to Virginia in time for the funeral.

Today I'm going to the cardiologist for my check-up. It's good timing because it feels like my heart has a life of its own lately. Tomorrow I have a colonoscopy. I've been having blood in my stool and chronic diarrhea, so the doctor has to check that out.

Since Geoff is out of town, Aja is going to be my ride from the colonoscopy tomorrow. I never understand what the doctor tells me after surgery. Usually Geoff is there to ask questions. I guess that I'm going to have to try to catch up with my doctor when I come back to my senses.

I always try to end with advice relevant to my experience, and I'm having a hard time coming up with something. Oh wait, I got it! I used to have a doctor who used to give me a colonoscopies while I was wide awake. That was the most miserable experience ever. The first time my new doctor gave me a colonoscopy and told me that I would be put to sleep for it, I wanted to go and punch my old doctor in the face. If you're ever offered a choice between pain and comfort, choose comfort.

Take care Lupies.

LupieKat

3 comments:

Sophie - LFA said...

Can you pass this along via your blog, and to all your contacts?

Lupus Foundation of America Needs Your Help -- Urge Your Senators to Cosponsor S. 1630, the Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act

Go to http://capwiz.com/lfa/home/

Click on the link "Urge Your Senators to Cosponsor S. 1630, the Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act," enter your zip code in the box called “Call Now” and click on the “go” button. You’ll then be presented with the contact information for your senators, as well as get talking points for what to say when you call.

Please ask your family, friends and coworkers to call on your behalf as well.

Lyrically speaking said...

thanks for sharing this blog with us about Lupus...I will stop by again, keep writing

ar said...

Hi!

I wanted to pass along a new Lupus resource.


It is through a website www.lupus.physiciansforpatients.com


It is a community of lupus folks that interact online to give one another support.



There is a dedicated physician on the site to answer questions for the patients.


We originated as a group of doctors dedicated to helping people online in a way to help with high health care costs. The idea is to give a free resource to people that need alternative opinions and information. There are a lot of people that have limited access to health care (can’t find a specialist in their area, long wait times, etc.). This way it is easier for a smaller number of physicians to help a larger number of people.



Dr. Shanahan is the doctor. He is board certified in Rheumatology and trained at Duke University



In addition, we will be incorporating 'health trackers' soon! This tool can be used by the patients to track their symptoms and to see what may be contributing to them.



Physicians for Patients will also be looking for associations (trends in complex data sets of the cumulative data collected in this large community of patients. This is done in an automated anonymous manner). This is the exciting part! Our hope is to identify correlations between symptoms, daily activities, medications, and the environment. This will help us to better understand Lupus and hopefully to guide us to new potential treatments.


I am also hoping that you like the site and help us to spread the word about what we are trying to do (any group messages that can be sent/ links/ blogs are much appreciated) In order for us to make some new head way into better understanding lupus through identifying new correlations we need quite a large people to participate.



Best regards,



Art







Art Kaminski MD

President, Physicians for Patients