Tell me your story...see medical note at bottom

My friend and I have been laughing at our stupid behavior when visiting with different doctors and the stupid behavior of doctor’s offices and insurance companies and we are wondering if there are others who have stories to tell.

If you have an interesting story, please email it to me…grandberry at gmail dot com.

So, I went to the dermatologist to have a full body skin exam. There are a few things I’m concerned about that could be melanomas. There I am totally naked in the doctor’s office (except that silly little paper thing they give you) and he is doing the exam.

Me: I have had this bump on my arm that won’t go away and it has changed colors. I've had it for four months.
Doctor: That’s normal, probably a bug bite
WHAT I DON’T SAY BUT WANT TO: Are you crazy, a bug bit that lasts four months? That can’t be normal.

Me: I have these bumps on my scalp and my hair dresser tells me they look like moles (I find one and tell him where to look, he doesn’t touch it or part my hair to get a better look or anything. And my hair is clean--very clean and shiny)
Doctor: Yup, they are moles, that’s normal
WHAT I DON’T SAY BUT WANT TO: What do you mean they are normal, I have done the research and Google tells me that moles on the scalp can be precursors to melanoma. You need to look closely and be sure none of them are putting my life in danger.

I point out a few more things and then, he proceeds to check me out front and back, as I stand in the room wearing nothing but a smile and that silly paper thing they give you, and then...

Doctor: You have good skin, nothing unusual.
WHAT I DON’T SAY BUT WANT TO: The bumps and things I pointed out may all be normal, but not very sexy.
Me: Okay, thanks doctor
Doctor: I’ll see you in six months
Me: (total silence)

The doctor doesn’t even notice my silence and rushes off to earn his next $500 for a 10 minute exam.

Then I am sitting in my car—fuming—and I remember the wart on my stomach. I have a wart on my stomach the size of a tic tac, and he didn’t even notice that? I was going to have him freeze that right off, but he got me so frustrated that I didn’t even mention it and now, here I am with a very unsexy wart on my stomach…did I mention it is the size of a tic tac…and I am going to have to do the freeze job myself.

So, to recap, bump on my arm—no diagnosis (doctor visit of no value), moles on my scalp, diagnosed by my hair dresser (doctor visit of no value), wart on my stomach, unnoticed by doctor (doctor visit of no value).

And insurance paid for that…

For your information, the American Medical Association says that if you have moles on your scalp you should have pictures taken of them so you can compare and see if they change color or shape.

So, if you have a doctor story, I need it. I am collecting doctor stories. Not sure what I am going to do with them. In case I decide to publish them please include permission to use the story and if you want your name included with the story or not. Again, send them to grandberry at gmail dot com.

I don’t want the name of the doctor or insurance company, but if you have a doctor story or doctor experience or an insurance story of some kind. I am interested. Positive and negative stories are accepted.

Image from http://healthcare.zdnet.com/?p=1163

Life can be a pain in the...

When I was in high school I broke my tailbone.

I don't recall how, but I do know that I carried around a rubber donut to sit on for about a year.

It wasn't very pretty, but it got me a lot of attention :-).

Anyway, we were all in Flagstaff at a music festival and I bent over a suitcase to get something and one of the girls in our room kicked me in the buttocks.

Paaaaaaiiiiiiinnnnn....

However, when the pain subsided, I was fixed -- leaving my tailbone just slightly slanted out and easily bumped and bruised.

Flash forward (clears throat and mumbles number of years) years.

I work with this great bunch of guys. If you follow my blog, you have seen this picture before.

So, we were sitting around the Perudo table playing ... don't get all pissy because we are State employees playing a game at work ... we were on our lunch break.

I kept complaining that the chair I was sitting on was really uncomfortable, like a spring had broken and was sticking me in the same buttocks mentioned earlier.

SteveE switched chairs with me... he is such a good boy. He is sitting down in the picture with his head back.

The offending chair...Later, at home, on a chair I use all the time, same thing...

What is going on?

So, here's the deal...

Tarzan made an exercise bench and we haven't padded it yet.

I am up to 44 sit ups a day with no pad...

and my poor buttocks (the same one mentioned above) has a floor burn on it--right on the tailbone.

Ouch!

Oh, man, talk about contrast

Two weekends ago traveling in Ireland

One weekend ago camping in Arizona This past weekend in Memphis.

These last two pictures are of my dear sweet mother-in-law. I put them here as a reminder -- whoever your mother is, she won't be here, healthy and laughing forever. Please call your mother and let her know you love her. Forgive her for whatever you think she did to offend you and move on with your life with peace of mind and love in your heart. My only regret for my mother-in-law is that I didn't get to know her longer--before she got so sick. The little time I did spend with her was a great delight. Even in this frail condition, she is a delight to be around. "Hi, Mom, how you doin'?" "Hey, baaaybee, Iii'm jesss fiiiine. How you doin'?" and later "I love you baaaybee." Her heavy southern accent draws out words of love. I love her dearly.

This trip was a reminder that Tarzan and I need to enjoy my mother more while she is still healthy so we continue to amass lots of good memories to carry with us.