Has This Happend To You?

Something very strange happened to me last night... It kind of freaked me out.. I would love to hear from you to see if you had ever experienced this....

I went to the movies with my oldest and saw Paranormal Activity 2 - afterward met the husband for dinner at Coco's came home went to my computer to answer a few emails and my vision was completely bizarre... I saw waves and bright lights moving around - I could not read - seriously... Went into the family room and tried to watch TV and could not focus - it seemed as if everything I looked at was cut in half - one side normal the other side warbled. This lasted about ten to fifteen minutes... I was back to normal and then it hit again - this time -I'm not sure how long because I went to bed....

I went to the internet to see if I could find answers -this is what I found..

Does This Mean That Turning 45 Is Making Weird Stuff Happen???

My To Do List - Women Only Style

This month I decided to get the things I hate to do out of the way.... I am so late on these tasks and if we do move out of California - I would absolutely hate to go to a stranger..

I am guessing this list will be for Women Only - whenever I mention girly stuff to my husband - he still squirms.. you would think after 21 years of marriage and two daughters he would be immune..... funny boy.

My yearly look see with my gynecologist.... Okay - I'm late on this check up.. about five (5) months late.... I do have a good excuse kind of ... sort of.. You see my gynecologist quit... He just up and left one day to Minnesota or some foreign country like that.. So now I have to find a new gyno - but in the mean time I made an appointment with my oncologist gynecologist....

About six (6) years ago - I was diagnosed with a rare form of treatable cancer... But because of this - I am suppose to see a gynecologist every six months.... (I'm late...) What makes the appointments awful is this.. Not only do I have to put up with the metal crowbar with the god awful click to open areas that should be closed.... (I am always fearful I might sneeze..) The doctor performs a vinegar test on me... What that is - he saturates my vulva with vinegar and shines a bright light and uses a huge microscope to get a better look... (lights camera action)... What the vinegar does is turns any abnormal cells white... If there is something he does not like - then it's biopsy time... Let me tell you - when I walk out of the place - I go very slow.... man it hurts... I feel like I had won the lottery if I don't have a biopsy...

Ultrasound - In addition to the gynecologist appointment - I have an appointment for a trans vaginal ultrasound. As you can imagine that won't be fun... Years ago - I had a cyst on my left ovary - it was supposedly the kind that you get during ovulation - but now I feel it all the time... Sometimes it's very painful that radiates to my back and sometimes it's just a dull ache... Because of all my "girly" problems (and there are a lot) my oncologist has told me several times that whenever I am ready he could perform a hysterectomy to take away my pain... My excuse has always been I don't have time... Then when my monthly bill comes up - I curse myself for not having it done..... Not sure if now is a good time either... if we move...

Colonoscopy this a lot of fun! NOT.. Okay - I know I am only 44 years old and I really am not a hypochondriac... About 4 years ago - my family and I went to the Bahamas... While there I noticed blood in my stool... At first is was a little and then it got pretty heavy... When we got back to the states - my doctor had me get a colonoscopy - What was found was three (3) very large polyps - the kind that can turn into cancer - They even gave me pictures (no, I will not share them -ick) ... Thankfully they were all removed... I went the following year and one was found and removed. I was told to come back in two (2) years... Well two (2) years was last September... What is awful about this - is not really the test... I'm sleeping during it or I don't remember it... What is awful is the prep work the day before.... drinking thick snotty water that is suppose taste like lime... and cleaning out the bowels... YUCK!!!

So I have been the great procrastinator and now is the time to take action... I'm guessing that after everything is done... I will breathe a sigh of relief - knowing that all is done.....

Seeing A Doctor When You Need Too

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time can go by when you're busy... My last post was on Halloween and today is Veteran's Day - November 11th. Since Halloween there has been 3 cases of Swine Flu in my home - my 11 year old, my 13 year old, and me.... yes - at 44 years old I had my very first flu - thankfully it was very mild... no fever - just body aches and the coughing.... The coughing is awful... My 11 year old had a case similar to me but my 13 year old had it pretty bad - by bad I mean she had a fever up to 103.5 - but thankfully the fever only lasted 2 days and today 11 days later we are almost fully recovered... In addition to the Swine - I celebrated my 44th birthday... Celebrate or mourn not quite sure on that one.. hmm - had a very nice day...

During the time that the girls and I were sick - I started to think about how lucky I was that I had immediate access to my doctor.. any doctor for that matter. We have a PPO plan - I have no idea what that initials mean but I know with this plan I have never had to wait for an authorization for any treatment..... for any doctor.... I just go... I seriously believe that if I had a HMO several years ago - I would not be alive today.....

In 1994 - I developed pregnancy induced hyper-tension... then it escalated to preeclampsia - then the loss of our daughter.... During the preeclampsia - I was in the hospital for three (3) weeks that time... Less than a year later - I had a fever of unknown origin which turned into kidney failure - During this time - I was able to see my doctor right away - I was put in the hospital right away.... and there was never.. not once any red tape.... any authorizations to worry about....

As you know - my sister Debbie is going to have brain surgery on November 19th... My sister has a HMO and for over twenty (20) years she has been jumping through hoop after hoop after hoop in hopes of finding out what has been making her pass out.... Making her lose time.... I cannot count the times that she has had to wait months for an authorization to go through and then the day finally comes when she can see the medical professional that is suppose to help her only to come home disappointed.... needing more authorizations.. for more tests.. different doctors.. By the time the authorization came through and the tests were done.. so much time had passed that not one doctor knew what the other one was doing.... they each had a different opinion... they each were over worked... and my sister had been juggled around through the HMO system... with no answers and no results.... by the grace of God - a wise doctor in the emergency room (after she had passed out on a public golf course) thought it would be a good idea to do a MRI of her brain..... the MRI showed several lesions that are believed to a product of MS.... of course in the HMO system the doctors have not 100% diagnosed her with MS.... well you know there are about 1543 authorizations - tests and doctors to see.... but because of the MRI tests they found the tumor... I want to personally thank that ER doctor.... for making a "Big Boy" no authorization required decision.... If the ER doctor had not had the MRI done - you know what - I just don't want to think about the what if...... too scary to even contemplate...

I am so very fearful of Obama's health care reform.... It feels to me that the government is trying to take away another freedom..... of course that is not the way it is presented..... I picture the new health care reform being much worse than an HMO...... I picture it being long wait times... wrong over worked doctors..... I picture it being like the DMW - long lines - going no where.... government employees who really don't give a hoot about you..... Have you ever met someone nice at the DMV??? Have you ever been helped immediately at the DMV with an appointment???

What do you think?