Thought I wrote about this.
The Pulmo appointment was last Tuesday.
Now he is also a pain in the ass!
I am, aside form being overweight, basically healthy.
I breath fine, I can walk up a flight of stairs and not die.
I exercise everyday.
Why on Earth they WANT to find something, anything wrong I don't know.
He has been an ass about the sleep study crap.
Anyhow, I did my two sleep studies which he ordered.
He said months ago he would then write my evaluation for me to give the surgeon.
Nope!
Another roadblock. His rules have now changed.
Are they in cahoots? I wonder!
He wants me to wear the CPAP machine for two months B E F O R E he will write the evaluation.
WHAT?
WHAT?
WHAT?
I sat there stunned!
"I did the studies, I need the notes"
Gives me a number, someone will be getting in touch with me about getting a machine (BTW, hasn't happened yet)
Well, I go to the desk, and GET my copies of the sleep studies. I don't need anything more from him to submit.
ALL OF THIS so far has just been to SUBMIT my shit to insurance for clearance.
I'll worry about getting his notes and letter another time.
I faxed the copies of the sleep studies to the surgeon.
This has been a comedy of errors. And damned frustrating!
I work in this industry. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for someone with no medical background.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
I am firing my PMD.
I went to both the Pulmo and my PMD last week.
I have been so insensed I could not write about the experience clearly.
Walked into another monthly visit which should have been my last.
Should have walked out with a nice tidy little letter and a few copies of my progress notes from the last 6 months.
Last visit (June) I gave her the outline letter the Bari surgeon wants. It is simple. List the 6 months weight, attach copies of 6 progress notes along with an evaluation/recommendation for LapBand.
I gave her a month! I have been in the medical field for over 15 years. Seven of those years were behind the scenes dealing with patients charts and studies/audits. I KNOW it takes a few days to get everything together.
When I gave her the sample letter-outline she said she could not do it "today". Got it, I understand.
I DID, however expect it to be done a MONTH later!
Okay. so I step on the scale, she smiles and notes the weight then asks me," how are you coming along in the surgery process"? "Uhm, I cannot even SUBMIT Doc until you give me the progress notes and the referral for LapBand!" "I can't do that today" she says again.
Then she takes out a script and jots down the 6 weights on it along with the ICD code for morbid obesity. WHAT THE F*CK!? I told her that the surgeon will not accept this.
"You know I do not approve" she said. "I know" I told her again.
I am now seathing. I want to rip her head off. Okay, the fix is simple, she is now fired. She is no longer my doctor.
Upon going to the desk to schedule my next appointment (which she wants just before surgery, HA! If I ever get her fkn copies!) and ask the girls for copies of my last 6 progress notes. I work with and know many doctors and will just go get a new one. I have all of my sub specialty results proving some co morbidities. Take that with the progress notes and I should have no problem. Right?
W R O N G!
NONE, none, not one progress note has been transcribed yet, NONE, since January!
WHAT?
She uses a tick sheet. Sort of a cheat sheet which she later, I guess, dictates the notes to be transcribed.
Uhm, SIX months?
Yes she works alone now, but uhhhh I am relying on her notes for this submission.
It's been a week.
If by next Monday the surgeon doesn't have my paperwork form my PMD I will enlist one of my Dr. friends to put some heat on her.
The surgeons coordinator is pretty organized and I suppose is used to working with difficult doctors.
Writing this I am getting pissed off again.
I'm off most Thursdays so perhaps I need to make a phone call!
I have been so insensed I could not write about the experience clearly.
Walked into another monthly visit which should have been my last.
Should have walked out with a nice tidy little letter and a few copies of my progress notes from the last 6 months.
Last visit (June) I gave her the outline letter the Bari surgeon wants. It is simple. List the 6 months weight, attach copies of 6 progress notes along with an evaluation/recommendation for LapBand.
I gave her a month! I have been in the medical field for over 15 years. Seven of those years were behind the scenes dealing with patients charts and studies/audits. I KNOW it takes a few days to get everything together.
When I gave her the sample letter-outline she said she could not do it "today". Got it, I understand.
I DID, however expect it to be done a MONTH later!
Okay. so I step on the scale, she smiles and notes the weight then asks me," how are you coming along in the surgery process"? "Uhm, I cannot even SUBMIT Doc until you give me the progress notes and the referral for LapBand!" "I can't do that today" she says again.
Then she takes out a script and jots down the 6 weights on it along with the ICD code for morbid obesity. WHAT THE F*CK!? I told her that the surgeon will not accept this.
"You know I do not approve" she said. "I know" I told her again.
I am now seathing. I want to rip her head off. Okay, the fix is simple, she is now fired. She is no longer my doctor.
Upon going to the desk to schedule my next appointment (which she wants just before surgery, HA! If I ever get her fkn copies!) and ask the girls for copies of my last 6 progress notes. I work with and know many doctors and will just go get a new one. I have all of my sub specialty results proving some co morbidities. Take that with the progress notes and I should have no problem. Right?
W R O N G!
NONE, none, not one progress note has been transcribed yet, NONE, since January!
WHAT?
She uses a tick sheet. Sort of a cheat sheet which she later, I guess, dictates the notes to be transcribed.
Uhm, SIX months?
Yes she works alone now, but uhhhh I am relying on her notes for this submission.
It's been a week.
If by next Monday the surgeon doesn't have my paperwork form my PMD I will enlist one of my Dr. friends to put some heat on her.
The surgeons coordinator is pretty organized and I suppose is used to working with difficult doctors.
Writing this I am getting pissed off again.
I'm off most Thursdays so perhaps I need to make a phone call!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
re calibrating....and Nike+ ipod sensor
grrr
Nike + is supposed to log the last five walks/runs!
The code is copied correctly, it just has issues...
Anyhow, recalibrated the Pod. I am walking faster and my stride has changed.
Also, the pod had been off by as much as .3 miles once I went over 3 miles.
NOT good when I get to be real serious about logging.
It was .03 difference today after 2.68 miles. I can live with that for now.
Nike + is supposed to log the last five walks/runs!
The code is copied correctly, it just has issues...
Anyhow, recalibrated the Pod. I am walking faster and my stride has changed.
Also, the pod had been off by as much as .3 miles once I went over 3 miles.
NOT good when I get to be real serious about logging.
It was .03 difference today after 2.68 miles. I can live with that for now.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Finally
Finally got through to the Pulmonologists office, his Bklyn office anyhow.
His other office number would ring off the hook.
SOMETIMES I would get the service but they can only tell me what office hours they have.
Tuesday appt to get final results form the two sleep studies along with an order for CPAP machine I suppose.
I just need the damned letter/evaluation for my insurance.
He suggested PFT's the last visit months ago.
What a sham.
I still think he and the sleep lab owner/Dr. are either related or friends.
Called the surgeons office to make a psych appt. The Psychologist no longer goes to their group to see patients.
ANOTHER roadblock.
Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something?
I am dropping lbs very quickly. So quickly in fact that I ask Marty to test the scale. Nope, it is correct.
WTF? I am eating basically what I always have ( I never ate poorly..just too big of a portion).
I am exercising my ass off though....but nothing too crazy.
The only difference with this attempt and the last five or ten are:
My back, although it hurts, is not a constant 10+. It actually hovers around a 3-4-5 on most days.
My foot (R) and heel pain still flare up but only in the O R.
I am trying to get more sleep.
If anyone has a clue as to why weight is coming off now...I'd be interested.
Oh, the biggest changes are I am utilizing MANY tools in this weight loss attempt.
1} Nike+ Ipod sensor
2} Omron Pedometer
3} Polar F11 HRM
4} Uploading and tracking on all of the above websites
5} Spreadsheets tracking all data
6} Food diaries
7} Frequency
They do get overwhelming when I think about all of them...but when I am hooked up I actually like the data tracking.
His other office number would ring off the hook.
SOMETIMES I would get the service but they can only tell me what office hours they have.
Tuesday appt to get final results form the two sleep studies along with an order for CPAP machine I suppose.
I just need the damned letter/evaluation for my insurance.
He suggested PFT's the last visit months ago.
What a sham.
I still think he and the sleep lab owner/Dr. are either related or friends.
Called the surgeons office to make a psych appt. The Psychologist no longer goes to their group to see patients.
ANOTHER roadblock.
Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something?
I am dropping lbs very quickly. So quickly in fact that I ask Marty to test the scale. Nope, it is correct.
WTF? I am eating basically what I always have ( I never ate poorly..just too big of a portion).
I am exercising my ass off though....but nothing too crazy.
The only difference with this attempt and the last five or ten are:
My back, although it hurts, is not a constant 10+. It actually hovers around a 3-4-5 on most days.
My foot (R) and heel pain still flare up but only in the O R.
I am trying to get more sleep.
If anyone has a clue as to why weight is coming off now...I'd be interested.
Oh, the biggest changes are I am utilizing MANY tools in this weight loss attempt.
1} Nike+ Ipod sensor
2} Omron Pedometer
3} Polar F11 HRM
4} Uploading and tracking on all of the above websites
5} Spreadsheets tracking all data
6} Food diaries
7} Frequency
They do get overwhelming when I think about all of them...but when I am hooked up I actually like the data tracking.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Monday
New day, new week...keep on keepin' on.
Loads to do. Need to get on the Cardio's back regarding getting my precertification for the Thallium Stress test.
Totally forgot to make the psych appointment. I'll call tomorrow.
My surgeons office has a Psych who comes in and gives the evaluation. Hey! Whatever works.
The Dell crapped out on me when I was in Myrtle.
I have tried to reload Windows at least four times.
We wiped out the hard drive and tried all the tricks of the trade.
This is when it is advantageous to have Marty be in the field. He wasn't, however, able to fix it.
Off to Dell in the mail.
Pisses me off that a brand new computer does this. It's a machine afterall.....it's supposed to work.
If the computer age happened during our parents young adulthood you KNOW they would be workhorses...and would last for YEARS!
Everything is made like crap anymore.
Body has made a new setpoint which is nice.
A long weekend of not so careful eating has not caused me to gain weight.
NICE!
Now it's time to turn things up and get down another ten.
Ta'
Loads to do. Need to get on the Cardio's back regarding getting my precertification for the Thallium Stress test.
Totally forgot to make the psych appointment. I'll call tomorrow.
My surgeons office has a Psych who comes in and gives the evaluation. Hey! Whatever works.
The Dell crapped out on me when I was in Myrtle.
I have tried to reload Windows at least four times.
We wiped out the hard drive and tried all the tricks of the trade.
This is when it is advantageous to have Marty be in the field. He wasn't, however, able to fix it.
Off to Dell in the mail.
Pisses me off that a brand new computer does this. It's a machine afterall.....it's supposed to work.
If the computer age happened during our parents young adulthood you KNOW they would be workhorses...and would last for YEARS!
Everything is made like crap anymore.
Body has made a new setpoint which is nice.
A long weekend of not so careful eating has not caused me to gain weight.
NICE!
Now it's time to turn things up and get down another ten.
Ta'
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Echoooooo
Had an Echo this morning.
Tech showed and told me of a Tricuspid regurgitation.
GREAT, something else.
"Everyone has leaks though" she said.
Yes they do but when you see YOURS on the monitor it is a little disarming.
Called to find out about my Stress Thallium appointment and was told that I have to call the Dr.
I was to be given a pre cert # and I wasn't.
Well fuckadoodle. It's the holiday weekend. No one is around in the office.
Went to my primary last Thrusday. It was SUPPOSED to be my 6th month visit...and the springboard into submitting my paperwork to the insurance company.
Nah, she (my Dr) has other plans it seems.
She is VERY much against this surgery. She has been very vocal about it.
If she gives me more trouble about going forward I will just take my 6 months of weight tracking progress notes, fire her as my primary and trot on over to another Dr. Thank goodness I work in the industry and know many of them.
The Pulmo's office keeps calling me to make an appointment. The results form my second sleep study are in..... I have called the freaking office for a WEEK and no one answers. SOMETIMES the service answers...they just tell me when the office is open.
I chose my PCP because a few years ago my PCP who was also my Endocriologist (the best Dr I have had aside from my OB/GYN) started to only see peds. On my mothers recommendation I started seeing her Dr. Eh....no great impressions but I am my Dr in my eyes..and she would "do". She has her own agenda though. Likes HER referred testing sites and sub specialists. Perhaps it is because I am in the healthcare field but many of the Drs she has sent me to are sub par ( IN MY OPINION and experience). The place she sent me for the sestamibi and Dexa...CRAPOLA, her old partner who I had to see when she was unavailable... CRAPOLA...and the Pulmo(I would and should have gone to another) CRAPOLA....and last but not least....the Cardio ...CRAPOLA..I knew him a decade ago (less fat than I am now) and he was less grumpy and more attentive...maybe he just doesn't like fat people...maybe he is just an old bastard....
Man I am grumpy...but these are not the team I would be choosing.....I am changing PCPs after this banding crap is over....maybe a few months out though so she can see the results and change her mind.
So, I'm taking my tired, tricuspid leaking self to bed early. I have a splitting headache.
No walking tonight unless the pain goes away.
Tech showed and told me of a Tricuspid regurgitation.
GREAT, something else.
"Everyone has leaks though" she said.
Yes they do but when you see YOURS on the monitor it is a little disarming.
Called to find out about my Stress Thallium appointment and was told that I have to call the Dr.
I was to be given a pre cert # and I wasn't.
Well fuckadoodle. It's the holiday weekend. No one is around in the office.
Went to my primary last Thrusday. It was SUPPOSED to be my 6th month visit...and the springboard into submitting my paperwork to the insurance company.
Nah, she (my Dr) has other plans it seems.
She is VERY much against this surgery. She has been very vocal about it.
If she gives me more trouble about going forward I will just take my 6 months of weight tracking progress notes, fire her as my primary and trot on over to another Dr. Thank goodness I work in the industry and know many of them.
The Pulmo's office keeps calling me to make an appointment. The results form my second sleep study are in..... I have called the freaking office for a WEEK and no one answers. SOMETIMES the service answers...they just tell me when the office is open.
I chose my PCP because a few years ago my PCP who was also my Endocriologist (the best Dr I have had aside from my OB/GYN) started to only see peds. On my mothers recommendation I started seeing her Dr. Eh....no great impressions but I am my Dr in my eyes..and she would "do". She has her own agenda though. Likes HER referred testing sites and sub specialists. Perhaps it is because I am in the healthcare field but many of the Drs she has sent me to are sub par ( IN MY OPINION and experience). The place she sent me for the sestamibi and Dexa...CRAPOLA, her old partner who I had to see when she was unavailable... CRAPOLA...and the Pulmo(I would and should have gone to another) CRAPOLA....and last but not least....the Cardio ...CRAPOLA..I knew him a decade ago (less fat than I am now) and he was less grumpy and more attentive...maybe he just doesn't like fat people...maybe he is just an old bastard....
Man I am grumpy...but these are not the team I would be choosing.....I am changing PCPs after this banding crap is over....maybe a few months out though so she can see the results and change her mind.
So, I'm taking my tired, tricuspid leaking self to bed early. I have a splitting headache.
No walking tonight unless the pain goes away.
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