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Medical Marvels

I spent the morning at the emergency room with Mike.  He had suffered with swollen and painful feet though last summer.  It finally went away, but then came back this past few days.  He was in such agony last night that he decided to go to have the situation checked out.  After three hours and numerous test, including one for Lyme disease (results will take a couple of weeks for that one), we were informed that he has swollen feet that are painful.  Hmm.  That was the exact complaint he gave when we checked in.  I just wonder how much it will cost to confirm his (non-medical) opinion.  So now he has one more drug added to his list of the other ten.  At least it is just short term.

He gives me funny looks when I suggest Reiki or Qi Gong.  Could either possibly be less effective than "modern medicine"?


Comments

  1. You realize fast that medicine is still an inexact science.

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  2. I've heard good things about Reiki, but I don't know about Qui Gong. I do the exercises as part of my Tai Chi every Thursday. They keep my joints moving so they don't lock up, but I don't know if it would alleviate foot pain. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Mike.

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    1. Thanks. I knew there was somethingwrong when he asked me to bring him aspirin and a blanket the other night. He never asks to be waited on like that.

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  3. I think some of the ancient medicines are a lot better than modern medicine which often seems to be a lot of guess work. I do hope he feels better soon.

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    1. My brother swears by Reiki. I have three friends in VT who practice it--one exclusively on horses.

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  4. But you have only encountered the pleasant half of modern medicine. The other half will start coming in the mail. Insurance disallowances, not using in network providers, you provided the wrong insurance information (is it not amazing how they take your card make a copy of the front and back and then you are told that your provided the wrong group number), the prescriptions did not allow substitutes and your pharmacy provider does not carry this particular drug. Then you spend hours on the phone listening to melody-less plinking of a piano or guitar with exhortations about how important your call is to them and all service representatives are currently helping other customers. Then some one comes on the phone and says in a sing songy falsetto "May I help you very much?"

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    1. Thanks for openning up the nightmarish memories of my recent quality time spent with Dell tech support! I recently had to call Macy's and was asked to "please hold through the silence while I connect you to that department." How refreshing.

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  5. I'm thinking the ER may not have been the best place to deal with this problem. It doesn't sound like a quick fix, one shot problem you have there. It may be time to find yourself a Florida family practice doctor & start there.

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    1. You are absolutely right. However, there is a strange quirk of our VT-based insurance (that will end in June) that in order to go to an out of network doctor (i.e. any doctor outside of New England), we must be referred there by an emergency room doctor. Such efficiency! And we wonder why medical costs are so high.

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  6. I had to laugh at the diagnosis. It reminded me of when I went to the dermatologist about my reoccurring rash for which I could not pin point a cause. He diagnosed it as a "rash of unspecified origin." I thought that is exactly what I called it. He gave me an ointment for the rash to add to my other prescribed ointments.

    My mother, age 96, has Reiki done on her feet every two weeks. I can't believe the difference it makes in her circulation and overall well being.

    I do agree with Linda. A family practice should probably be consulted if this continues.

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    1. We now have a referral to a doctor here for follow-up. And, you can bet I will be dragging him to his primary care doctor when we get home. It is quite clear to me that Mike does not share all the pertinent information. He told the ER doctor about a tick bite, but failed to mention COPD and polycystic kidney disease. Minor details.

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  7. Good grief, at least they could have thrown in a 12 letter Latin word to spiffy up the diagnosis.
    I will have to go Google Reiki and Qi Gong. Both new to me.
    Hope Mike's problem is soon solved.

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    1. Well, we did get a summary sheet that lists Edema (aka swelling) and Arthralgia (pain in a joint), but the jdoctor did not use those words. I am sure she knows the terms because, like a Doogie Howser, she must have graduated from medical school at the age of 16.

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  8. Olga, Mike's diagnosis reminded me also of one given to my 10 month old daughter when we rushed her to the emergency room in the early hours of the morning because she wouldn't stop crying and her eye was puffy and the tears were bloody...??? The Emergency doctor checked her out, told us she had 'bloody tears' and to take her to the Pediatrician the next day. THAT was their diagnosis "BLOODY TEARS".

    It turned out she had developed a sinus infection on the side of her brain and had to have massive dosages of antibiotics for the next few weeks. She did fine, but we never forgot that trip.

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    1. Oh, my, Rian. That is awful! I know of so many (a few too many, actually) stories where it was the parent's gut that something more serious was underlying a rash or bloody tears and their follow-through saved the day.

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  9. Yeah, he probably needs an orthopedic doctor or a podiatrist, not an ER visit. Sometimes, the insurance companies are crazy. Should we nominate Linda for Surgeon General?

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    1. She has always seemed to have a level head on her shoulders...so she probably wouldn't go for it.

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  10. I'm so sorry to hear about Mike -- and your ER misadventures! I hope they find the cause. My own husband had a similar situation -- it was gout. I teased him saying it used to be called the rich man's disease, so how come I didn't enjoy the lifestyle??
    Peace,
    Muff

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    1. Actually, we were thinking it was gout for a while, but it was not. My prescription is that he needs to shed some pounds, drink way more water, and invest in good walking shoes...but who listens to me? The swelling is going down and he is feeling better.

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  11. We are big fans of acupuncture, but I don't about the others. I'll have to look into them.

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