Since my hands first went numb last October I have been trying to find out what is wrong and get some kind of medical help and answers. I went to emergency thinking I was having some kind of heart problems causing the blood not to circulate to my hands. They determine it was not a heart attack and not a stroke as the numbness was in both hands. I was released and sent back to my regular doctor who referred me to a nurologist. When I called the nurologist the girl in the office said they were not accepting any patients without suppmental insurance. I had lost my job some time again and was in the process of loosing my house and there was no way of getting insurance on my meager $610.00 SS payment. I was afraid by the time I got help in Phoenix, I would already be out of my house. My daughter wanted me come of California and I could at least take the grandkids to school. When I went to SS in California they said I was not illegable for help as they were going to count my daughter helping me out with the rent as income. In the mean time the numbness kept crawling up my arms into my spin and the back of my neck. Finally they gave me a Medi-Cal card that would help. I moved in Feb. and now it was April. The appointment they gave me was June 3rd. Feeling like I couldn't make it until June 3, I went to a 24 hr clinic and was referred to a nurologist. Since Oct, I have been to emergancy twice, had a heart stress test, five doctors and three nurologist and have not had one suggestion on what to do about this. Just..."No it's not this, it's not that." No mention of diet or exercise suggestion, not one treatment. And they wonder why health care expences is astromomical.
My nurologist cancelled my last appointment as I need one more test an MRI before they could determine anything. An MRI that I probably should have gotten the first time I went to emergencyor the numness in my hands and pain in my back.
Delay, delay, delay making more expense and more money for hospital and doctors. I feel like all these delay will cause permanant damage to the nerves in my hands, which might have been fixed with more speed. I wonder how many thousands more are subject to his same kind of non-treatment. I feel like shooting myself... for the first time in my life I understand suicide.
I am hopeful they will call with the appointment for the MRI in five days like they said they were going to. If not I get to call back and call back trying to find out what went wrong...again.
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I am sorry to read how this long delay is wearing you down and causing you to feel low. I am sure any of us with such an injury and such symptoms would feel the same way if we had to go as long as you have without getting any answers. It's like you suffered an injury at a bad time it appears, in Arizona as well as Calif. But once you have been seen and gotten the critical MRI things might move faster. So sorry for how stressful this is getting to be. Gerry
ReplyDeleteI couldn't post awhile ago, but now I can!
ReplyDeleteHang in there, the MRI will happen and you will find out just what can be done, if anything. I know there are numb feet and hands with diabetics. My feet have been a bit of a problem, but not my hands. You will find out...don't get too down. Have faith. Struggle on!
Aunt Linda, hang in there, I know how frustrating getting to the bottom of a health issue can be. Its an excruciating process, but hopefully, in the end, you can get some relief. We are all thinking about you, and I love, have always loved the way you write, especially the poems. You are the only poet I read all the way through immediately. Every line, every word. You are an inspired poet, you have the gift. Keep sharing your poems with the world, even if the whole world isn't always listening, there are parts of the world that truly do listen to what you have to say and cherish it.
ReplyDeleteIt hardly seems real that your terrible perdicament doesn't get some serious attention and help. No wonder you get discouraged. I was watching a program called medical mysteries and these two different women went on and on without a diagnosis. Finally one found out it was a simple, easily fixed thyroid problem. I'm hoping yours is simple and happens soon.
ReplyDelete, he says hiI have had experience a year of rather intense pain and nothing could be done but wait out the healing process and hope to keep other ailments from happening. You need to tract your symptons from the beginning and try to figure out what might be the cause. You may find that you have a vertebra in your neck that is causing the numbness. You have used your hand excessively in your sculpturing, working with clay, write down for the doctor everything you can think of that might contribute to your condition. It will help in finally diagnosing it. I can't believe that you are thinging that an end to it all might be the best solution. Did you get the article I sent you about the woman who finally diagnosed herself then it was confermed that she had MS. she was getting nowhere with the doctors but herillness was complicated. Her symptons were similiar to yours.
ReplyDeleteWe are all going to experience life changing things,(as being retired, not being around people, etc has been an adjustment)
Being alone isn't the best situation but it seems that for this time in your life it has come to be what you need. I wish I was there to help you navigate the health care system. Have yu an appointment yet for the MMR? We learn what base we have to hold on to, how to finish our life. I am watching Floyd slowly die. he knows he is dying and is miserable. Its very fortunate that he is lucid and able to think and follow what is going on. When he couldn't walk when we went to a funeral,I have been thiinkking of a wheelchair, but trying to get those things in and out of a caris not easy. we will have to play this out day by day. He calls his friend, Jack, they talk for a few hours, same stuff over and over, but alot about dying, hoping what has been the basis of the Mormon religion is true and they will meet their relatives again. But what if???
are you doing all you can to get healthy, lost any weight? Not easy to do but I hope you can do it. I didn't like seeing you heavy, you had such a beautiful, sexy body. Can it be found again, or at least made to feel that way?? Here is Floyd He says hi,too bad we can't be out to the races> Hang in there baby sister, you are not to be the second in line out of this world.