Irritable Patients

Got my blood test today - haven't found out the count (or last weeks for that matter) but I'm sure it's fine.

The waiting area for the lab was packed full - I was 8th down the list of people not yet helped - so I took a seat and stared into space. A man in the room, late 30s, self important - was being so pissy. Kept looking at his watch then sighing LOUD - then he'd stand up and look at the sign in sheet - then sigh again - then mutter LOUDLY "this is ridiculous"...at one point he yelled out "I have TESTS you know!!!"

Now, I'm sorry...it's ALWAYS busy waiting for your lab draw...They tell people to get to the lab 1 hour before your appointment and I've never waited that long. So Mr. Impatience - get there earlier next time!

They called his name and then a second later called my name. His lab tech couldn't get blood out of him so I had to wait while my lab tech stuck him... The whole time he's grumbling about how long it's taking. Well...I'm sure he would rather them not rush...

Just irritates me...most of the people at the hospital are so nice and just know that waiting is part of the deal...every once in a while you get a snarky patient - and they just look like asses...

No one will jump on your bandwagon!!!

On another amusing insurance note: I haven't been billed by the hospital pretty much all year. I owe them at least $300. My insurance pays 90% of the negotiated amount and I pay the other 10%...so it works like this:

Hospital bills out $100 for a lab test
Insurance negotiates a price of $30 for lab test
Insurance pays $27 (90% of $30) to hospital
I get billed $3.00 for lab test from hospital.

My insurance has worked this way for 2 years and I'm still not getting billed correctly. The hospital is charging me 10% of the billed amount. So that would be $10 for a lab test instead of the $3. This wouldn't be a huge deal except I get these tests every week.
52 x$10 = $520
52 x $3 = $156

bottom line - definitely keep all of your correspondence from your insurance company.

Transfusion Today - I had a mean nurse

Just had my 2 unit fillup today. So the countdown clock starts again...This time I made it 8 weeks between xfusions... I'm hopefull that I can go longer this time and maybe see some success with the Cyclosporin! I don't care if I get into normal ranges but if I can hang out in the 9s for the next few years - I'll take it.

Had a terrible experience today - totally reinforces that you have to be your own advocate. My usual nurse was gone and I got stuck with a fill in from the inpatient side. She didn't let me pick my own seat and stuck me and my mom in the middle of this really congested side of the hospital because it was more convenient for her. So after a few minutes...I just got up and told her that I was taking a chair on the opposite side where we had more space. She got pissy but relented (not like I was going to change my mind anyway). Then I explained to her that most nurses couldn't stick me - she poked around for a while and then went to get another nurse that I knew could do it. While Nurse 2 was poking around, Nurse 1 (now known as mean nurse) kept coming by and saying "are you done yet?" and getting in my face like it was my fault! Nurse two was about to stick me when I got hit with a panic/anxiety attack and started hyperventilating...so nurse two left to give me a minute and mean nurse came around kind of chastizing me and started poking aroundon my arm again..I'm still in a bad state - obviously not ready - when she slaps a tourniquet on my arm and says "I'm going to stick you here NOW"..I said "No I'm not ready" (politely)...then she grabs the needle like, I dare you to stop me, and I said again "NO!"...so she grabbed my arm and starts and I yank my arm away and said "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO STICK ME"... So she stomped off. Luckily Nurse 3 (who I've had before) saw this and told both nurses that she was taking over. She calmed me down and got me the first try. Mean Nurse only came over once more to tell Nurse 3 that I wouldn't let her stick me. If I see her again - I'm steering clear.

Later on , Mean Nurse had taken an IV out of the guy sitting near me and told him to just keep pressing on the cotton. He asked for a pressure bandage and she told him that he didn't need one! He finally just insisted on it. I'm sorry - you don't need a pressure bandage??? She is obviously insane.

Anyhoo - I'm sure you parents already do this - but if you see your child getting upset with a nurse or any other medical staff,...insist on
A) taking a break for a few minutes and/or B)changing the staff member. The whole process is upsetting anyway - you don't need to feel attacked.

I'm still pissed about it. I haven't decided whether to complain to the nurse manager or not. Bottom line is - if I see her coming towards me - I will refuse to deal with her.

Hope everyone else had a good day! I'm just glad to be home...

8.3 again...

For the last three weeks I've been fluctuating: 8.3 to 8.6 to 8.3 (which is where I was yesterday).

I actually saw my doctor yesterday...I see him maybe once a year for an exam...otherwise we just do the blood tests. Anyhoo all of my organs were in the right place and not enlarged. He also drew 6 VIALS of blood for tests (hello, do you remember I'm ANEMIC!!!)

Two things:
1. I'm going in for a transfusion tomorrow. I'm a little high to be transfused but I'm on vacation out of state next week and we both felt a lot more comfortable filling me up a bit.

2. When my count plateaus again in the 8's - I'm going to start a trial of Cyclosporine. 300mg/twice a day for 6 weeks. Maybe it will help... I'm interested in trying something.

So that's all the news for now!