Re: Don't forget to honor and respect those that earn it

[Guest guest]

Gossimer... I agree with what you've said, about being fair... but after

being soooooooo poorly treated by so many docs over so many years..... I

do admit I cop a pretty severe attitude when one talks down to me... or

hits me with the 'it's in your head, you're a woman' line.... But on that

same note.. I've had several docs that were superb... I had one that even

invited me to bring my photo albumn to each visit so that I could show

her the progress on the solar greenhouse that I designed and built on my

own... she was genuinely curious about the project... but she used it as

a guide to see how I was feeling.. the better I felt the more I got

done.. I was seeing her every month at that point.. and it made a good

marker... We always sat and talked for a few minutes so she could get a

'feel' for me.. then did the exam and ordered the labs....

I just feel that it's very important for everyone to realize that they do

not have to quietly listen to a pat answer or be brushed over when they

feel that more needs to be done to reach the root of a problem....

.... that just reminded me of another good doc that I ran across... I had

an odd backache that hit a few days after I'd been in an accident... he

chatted with me for a bit about the accident.. how I bounced around...

that stuff... and as we talked he was watching how I sat on the exam

table. I was doing a lean-prop-on-hand posture that seemed to make my

back hurt less... He asked me to pick up my hand, to not lean.. then

watched how I reacted and winced.... He ordered some blood to be drawn

and we chatted for a few more minutes.. the nurse came back with the

results.... He gave me an antibiotic....

Instead of all kinds of x-rays and such to find out the damage that was

caused by the accident he noticed a few other things and acted on a hunch

that proved to be right.... I had a case of the flu that had settled in

my back muscles. The flu virus can attack a weakened area of the body...

my muscles had been strained by the shock of the accident and were not

able to fight the virus.... I thought the guy was nuts.... Flu.. that

hits your lungs... but I took the pills for the whole course and came

back in for a follow up... My backache had gone away in just a couple of

days.... and when he checked my blood the second time my white count was

back to normal.

There are good, observant docs out there... for those not familiar with

my thyroid story.... My thyroid condition was diagnosed by an orthopedist

in less than 3 minutes of conversation... and confirmed with labs.

I also had my Synthroid dosage increased by one doc to 200 mcg.. and when

I commented that I was already on 200 mcg so to put me on 200 was not an

increase. I was called a smartass and told to continue on the same

dose... which turns out to have been more than 100 mcg too low a

dose.......

.... .anyway... there are good and bad... respect and acknowledge the

good, encourage their efforts... and tell the others (* & #(* & #(* & $%

(oooppps, sorry.. it slipped out)

Topper ()

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 22:43:46 -0000 " gossimerwingz "

writes:

> Hi everyone,

> First off, I just want to say: Not all Doctors are Bad, or Good for

> that matter. I've spent most of my life around Doctors, first, my

> father was a Doctor and I have worked with them for a great deal of

> my adult life, I think because I can talk on their level and will

> call a spade a spade when I catch them at an incorrect comment. They

> are not " Gods " , they are only human beings that have a limit, just

> like we do, and on how many hours a day they have to work with.

> What I wanted to say, in part, is about my Father (and a great many

> other Physicians). He worked 5 days a week, 12 hour shifts and then

> on Saturday would consult with other Doctors at another hospital for

> another 12 hours. Then on Sunday, after church, he would disappear

> into the den and would read all the new Medical Journals and

> articles that had come out during the previous week. We kids didn't

> see him very much; my younger sister just recently said that she

> never really got to know our Dad until he retired (from exhaustion).

> He didn't want to, he really did enjoy helping others but life

> didn't deal him a long living healthy body to reside within. In the

> end he apologized to our mother and his family for not taking the

> time to be with us.

> I guess what I am saying is that Doctors, just like the rest of

> humanity, are human. They need time away from the medical field to

> keep their head straight. Unfortunately, for some, this may come at

> the cost of the time needed for reading every single word in every

> single medical journal. That is why an educated patient is so valued

> by most Doctors. Educated patients may show an open minded Doctor

> new research about the possible conditions that the Doctor suspects

> may be effecting the patient. However, shoving the documents and

> research papers down a Doctors throat only alienates the Doctor and

> by protective instinct will just have to put their hackles up and

> can only be expected to defend themselves and their education.

> Which, in some cases, took 10 more years after the basic four year

> Bachelor degree. And to keep their license current, they have to

> take so many hours of continuing education within their specialty

> every year! And be subject to peer review.

> I could go on and on with this subject, but I hope that I have made

> my point. Most Doctors, if " handled " nicely, politely, will listen

> to an educated patient. If the patient walks angry and is abusive to

> the Doctor, guess what, the Doctor only has a few minutes, because

> of insurance regulations, and more than likely will just reflect

> back to the patient the patients anger.

> No, No Doctor is a God; I have met a few who thought that they were.

> And have had to deal with them on a professional level, as well as

> on a WC situation. It is just amazing how, when given the facts and

> research, politely, with courtesy, with respect, even the most

> Attitude stricken, stubborn a**** Doctor will take the time to

> listen and learn and work with the open minded patient.

> WE NEED TO EDUCATE OURSELVES, TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST THE DOCTOR IN >

CARING FOR OUR MALADIES. No Human can possible be a walking

> encyclopedia of current Medical knowledge.

> GIVE THESE HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN A BREAK FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

> HELP THEM, HELP YOU!

> Okay, enough of my rant for the day.

> Gossimer

[Guest guest]

chuckle, Topper you as usual have hit the problem on the head in

different words...

I have never figured out why women or men put up being put down or

talked down to. After all, We HIRE Doctors to help us keep our

selves healthy..we can just as easily FIRE the Doctor that is not

willing to show us the respect that we show them!

Please don't take this the wrong way, I myself wanted something bad

enough that I put on blinkers (a blindfold) and allowed someone to

literaly ruin 7 years of my life. (This occured during the time of

my being way underdosed and therefore I blame Hashi's for a part of

my stupidity). My backbone is much stronger as a result.

I mean after all, I have yet to meet a Doctor that knows how to

network his computer system in his office as well as to the hospital

data base. Heaven forbid if the networking technician that he called

in can't do the job, he would have fired the tech at a drop of a

hat... chuckle, so why aren't they expecting the same treatment when

they can't do their job? I think because too many people have placed

Doctors on pedestals, not realizing that there is a limit to the

Human mind and the ability to see the whole picture, not just the

single immediate problem.

Where ever/whoever that Doctor was that saw the flu in your back

muscles is a gem. I hope he is still close enough for you to call

on, on occassion for assistance.

Gossimer

> Gossimer... I agree with what you've said, about being fair... but

after

> being soooooooo poorly treated by so many docs over so many

years..... I

> do admit I cop a pretty severe attitude when one talks down to

me... or

> hits me with the 'it's in your head, you're a woman' line.... But

on that

> same note.. I've had several docs that were superb... I had one

that even

> invited me to bring my photo albumn to each visit so that I could

show

> her the progress on the solar greenhouse that I designed and built

on my

> own... she was genuinely curious about the project... but she used

it as

> a guide to see how I was feeling.. the better I felt the more I got

> done.. I was seeing her every month at that point.. and it made a

good

> marker... We always sat and talked for a few minutes so she could

get a

> 'feel' for me.. then did the exam and ordered the labs....

>

> I just feel that it's very important for everyone to realize that

they do

> not have to quietly listen to a pat answer or be brushed over when

they

> feel that more needs to be done to reach the root of a problem....

>

> ... that just reminded me of another good doc that I ran across...

I had

> an odd backache that hit a few days after I'd been in an

accident... he

> chatted with me for a bit about the accident.. how I bounced

around...

> that stuff... and as we talked he was watching how I sat on the

exam

> table. I was doing a lean-prop-on-hand posture that seemed to make

my

> back hurt less... He asked me to pick up my hand, to not lean..

then

> watched how I reacted and winced.... He ordered some blood to be

drawn

> and we chatted for a few more minutes.. the nurse came back with

the

> results.... He gave me an antibiotic....

>

> Instead of all kinds of x-rays and such to find out the damage

that was

> caused by the accident he noticed a few other things and acted on

a hunch

> that proved to be right.... I had a case of the flu that had

settled in

> my back muscles. The flu virus can attack a weakened area of the

body...

> my muscles had been strained by the shock of the accident and were

not

> able to fight the virus.... I thought the guy was nuts.... Flu..

that

> hits your lungs... but I took the pills for the whole course and

came

> back in for a follow up... My backache had gone away in just a

couple of

> days.... and when he checked my blood the second time my white

count was

> back to normal.

>

> There are good, observant docs out there... for those not familiar

with

> my thyroid story.... My thyroid condition was diagnosed by an

orthopedist

> in less than 3 minutes of conversation... and confirmed with labs.

>

> I also had my Synthroid dosage increased by one doc to 200 mcg..

and when

> I commented that I was already on 200 mcg so to put me on 200 was

not an

> increase. I was called a smartass and told to continue on the same

> dose... which turns out to have been more than 100 mcg too low a

> dose.......

>

> ... .anyway... there are good and bad... respect and acknowledge

the

> good, encourage their efforts... and tell the others (* & #(* & #(* & $%

> (oooppps, sorry.. it slipped out)

>

> Topper ()

[Guest guest]

Anyone watch the show 'Everwood'? On last nights show one of the docs got

a visit from his insurance rep.. the were suspending his coverage pending

an investigation. When he asked how long it would be the answer was

several months. His reply " But I won't be able to practice "

That hit home.... They PRACTICE medicine. They don't go to work,

they go to their PRACTICE . They don't strive to open their own shop

or business.. they strive to open a PRACTICE .

Gosh.... Please, don't misunderstand... I've shared a couple of stories

of REALLY good docs.. I have more stories of good docs.... but, for the

exception of two.... all the other docs that I saw for thyroid, or

problems stemming from thyroid.... were not treating me... I was being

talked down to, accused of 'faking it', called names, called a liar and

basically treated as a non-person. Maybe that is why it was SO easy for

me to make the choice to begin treating myself. Granted, finances are a

major factor.... but I still KNOW that I'm not going to do any worse than

any of those 'bad' docs... and the questions and guidelines that I use in

my own care is stuff that the two good docs did, observe and consider my

symptoms.

I saw the 'flu in the back' doc once or twice after that.... I gave him a

big smile and a howdy... but since being downsized from that job and

losing the insurance... I've never been able to go back to that

clinic....

I've been trying to track down the GOOD endo that worked with me after my

RAI... but havent' been able to find her... I'd like to have a bit of a

chat with her... She was excellent.. but I really want to know why she

stuck with Synthroid..... I may never know....

I'm a computer tech.. I fix folks computers... I'm not like a doc, but in

a way, I have to do many of the same things... first I have to determine

what is wrong.... I ask questions.... what did it do? when did it start?

does it happen every time you do that? when I have all the info.. then I

know what to fix... If I can't figure it out, if my first answer isn't

working.. I ask more questions.... I know techs that act god like and

never ask questions... those are the same ones that charge high prices,

get it working for a while and then come back when it acts up again.....

Funny... the folks that they keep 'milking' are the ones that end up

calling me.... and after me... they seldom, if ever call anyone else if

something goes wrong in the future.... and I'm the one they talk about

when someone else has trouble..... But I don't have the deity attitude

that those other techs do..... Am I the weird one?

.... sometimes I wonder... I fix stuff so good that I don't get to refix

it and become rich..... sigh.....

Topper () *who still dreams of winning the lottery and starting a

specialty clinic filled with great thyroid docs*

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 04:48:47 -0000 " gossimerwingz "

writes:

> chuckle, Topper you as usual have hit the problem on the head in

> different words...

> I have never figured out why women or men put up being put down or

> talked down to. After all, We HIRE Doctors to help us keep our

> selves healthy..we can just as easily FIRE the Doctor that is not

> willing to show us the respect that we show them!

> Please don't take this the wrong way, I myself wanted something bad

> enough that I put on blinkers (a blindfold) and allowed someone to

> literaly ruin 7 years of my life. (This occured during the time of

> my being way underdosed and therefore I blame Hashi's for a part of

> my stupidity). My backbone is much stronger as a result.

> I mean after all, I have yet to meet a Doctor that knows how to

> network his computer system in his office as well as to the hospital

> data base. Heaven forbid if the networking technician that he called

> in can't do the job, he would have fired the tech at a drop of a

> hat... chuckle, so why aren't they expecting the same treatment when

> they can't do their job? I think because too many people have placed

> Doctors on pedestals, not realizing that there is a limit to the

> Human mind and the ability to see the whole picture, not just the

> single immediate problem.

> Where ever/whoever that Doctor was that saw the flu in your back

> muscles is a gem. I hope he is still close enough for you to call

> on, on occassion for assistance.

> Gossimer