Re: my 4 hour appt. with OHP evaluation Dr.

[Guest guest]

> I was told that it is a 4 hour appointment.  I am going to

call the Dr.'s office back this morning and ask them if they

have a bed or cot or something for me to lay down on for the

relief of my back/leg pain. I simply cannot be upright

for that long. 

Hi Coleen

You are wise to call ahead to make arrangements. Is it a long

drive to and from the doctor's office?

Surely, they will at least have an examination table for you

to rest on. Take a pillow or two, and a light blanket just

incase that will make you more comfortable.

I hope all goes well. Please let us know.

Kaylene

Moderator 

[Guest guest]

hi Kaylene,

 

It is a one hour drive from my place to my appointment.  I use a pillow behind

my back in the car as the lumbar feature in the seat pushes on my sensitive

back.

 

Get this - oh my gosh, this appointment is at the Senior and People with

Disabilities Office.  Not a Doctor's office, just a building with office

cubicles with desks and chairs.

I talked to the docyot that is going to evaluate me and he said not to be afraid

of using my medication while I am there to try and stay comfortable.  I told him

I will bring my pillows to sit on and lean on.  

 

If he doesn't see that I need help by the way I am acting and answering

questions when I am up there and I get denied the Oregon Health Plan Plus I will

be distressed. I will then probably just have to admit myself to the hospital or

something.  OHP PLus has got to accept me.

Please, please, please, I am desperate.

 

I was talking to my lawyer Wednesday about my appointment and asking her if she

knew what I will be doing for 4 hours, Anyway, I told her that I am getting

scared because my mind is going from lack of sleep and pain and she told me that

I need to tell this doctor. That I hope my brain, memory, etc can get back to

somewhat normal after I get some help. 

My appointment tests will show this doctor that my mind is slipping and I have

depression, I have been crying a lot too. From frustration,

lack of good sleep, chronic pain, etc. I will have something written up for this

doctor when I see him on the 27th.

 

Just in writting this email I reread it and am noticing mistakes, this is not

like me at all. I also kept hitting backspace instead of underline. I had to

retype what I just typed, ugh.

 

Thanks for listening and being there,  I will keep my chin up.

 

Take care, Coleen

Kaylene wrote:

Hi Coleen

You are wise to call ahead to make arrangements. Is it a long

drive to and from the doctor's office?

[Guest guest]

If you are already on Social Security you'll find that it's pretty much just

a rubber stamp procedure. They just need to verify stuff.

Not asw scary as you are thinking.

Hope all goes wwell for you. I'm on it and it's a lifesaver.

" Sweet Goat Mama "

Carolyn Eddy

www.goattracksmagazine.com

[Guest guest]

hi Carolyn,

 

No I am not on Social Security yet.  I am waiting for my appeal hearing on that

one.

 

This 4 hour office visit is scary to me because of the fact it hurts me to be

upright too long.

It doesn't matter whether I am sitting or standing or walking.  It gets

miserable.  That in

a good way is good for my taking the tests because I won't be able to

concentrate and I will take a long time.  Heck, I do that everyday anyway.  I

can't concentrate and have to

reread and rethink all that I do all the time, just ask my fiance...lol....he

always tells me

to write things down right away because I will forget to do it later.  

 

The pain is the scary thing for me ( dealing with my pain during this 4 hour

appt is what is scaring me....when I just can not get comfortable at all, I

can't sit still,  it just

hurts way too much, 10 or more).......but I will go prepared, I will have my

medication at

my side and some crackers to go with my meds   oh yeah, and my soda

 

My left back/hip/leg side has really been bothering me, I imagine is my sciatic

being bothered worse than normal.

 

I will just have to be really careful with whatever I do the days before my 4

hr. appt. so I can

hopefully be somewhat comfortable during that time.

 

thanks for the reassurance, hope you don't mind my rambling.

 

take care, Coleen

 

Carolyn wrote:

If you are already on Social Security you'll find that it's pretty much

just

a rubber stamp procedure. They just need to verify stuff.

[Guest guest]

I don't think you should take it easy the day or two before this appeal.

I think you need to let them see all the pain in it's glory.

They need to know exactly what it is you are living with, if that means

sqirming, moving around, standing sitting, walking and whatever else you have to

go through to make yourself comforble, sort of, when upright, then let them see

it. If it means also taking pills through out the time, take them in front of

them.

Just my thoughts

lyn

[Guest guest]

> I don't think you should take it easy the day or two

> before this appeal. I think you need to let them see all the

pain in it's glory.

I believe that lyn is correct.

Kaylene

[Guest guest]

hi lyn,

 

You know what?  Thank You!    You are darn tootin' right!  What was I

thinking? 

You are so right.  You brought tears to my eyes.  Thanks for waking

me up!  You betcha!  sniffle that doctor is going to see me cry,

groan, squirm, sit down, stand up, walk around, and gosh knows what.  

 

He will see me taking my pills, oxycodone, ibuprophen, muscle relaxer, and

writing down each time I take them.  Every hour I take half an oxycodone,

literally. 

Luckily my nurse practitioner perscribed me valium at night so I

can try and get some rest.  Although when I do get a few hours rest I have to

take half an oxycodone and ibuprophen right away with some crackers which I keep

on my nightstand.  Otherwise I get in trouble with pain and my legs want to

crumble underneath me, literally. 

 

I will compose a diary of my daily routine and all I go through for this doctor

to read and keep and also keep a copy for myself. 

 

Thank you for reminding me and waking me up to the fact that this Oregon Health

Plan Evaluation doctor has to really see what I am going through every day. 

 

I have to be real and totally open up with him and show him because he is my

ticket to getting the help I need.  I don't know yet if I have to see another

doctor after him.

 

Every day my fiance tells me he wishes he could do something for me and he would

if he could.  He tells me it will get better, he tells me he loves me. Heck, he

just got out of hernia surgery a few weeks ago and he walking around somewhat. I

miss being able to sit down and eat meals, now I have to sit/stand, hurry up and

go lay down..

 

Thanks for listening lyn, I appreciate your email and I appreciate all the

support I get from everyone here. I need all your support, I really do. I don't

think I could make it without you all.  Even if I reply too late or sometimes

forget to reply I certainly read all the email that I can and it keeps me going.

 

love and hugs, Coleen

--- lyn wrote:

I don't think you should take it easy the day or two before this appeal. I think

you need to let them see all the pain in it's glory.

[Guest guest]

Coleen, I think if at all possible, you should have someone drive there as well.

Taking all those meds and driving has me worried for you. Perhaps your fiance

could drive you?

Anita

--- Coleen Fox wrote:

 

> He will see me taking my pills, oxycodone, ibuprophen, muscle relaxer, and

writing down each time I take them.  Every hour I take half an oxycodone,

literally. 

[Guest guest]

Yeah, I hurt so bad that the doctor asked me if I wanted to change chairs to

get more comfortable. I hadn't said anything, just kept changing positions

because I couldn't get comfortable and I didn't even notice that I was doing

it till he said something.

" Sweet Goat Mama "

Carolyn Eddy

www.goattracksmagazine.com