Can Spouse Get Medical Leave Time Off to go with me to AP?

[sjess]

Dear AF,

Thanks for the information. It really helps to know what to expect going there.

I have been working on gathering my papers together. I have all them at home because I got so tired of the doctors asking me for my medical information, like when did you have this test done and have you been on this medicine. It really aggravated me 'cause I thought that was what that thick file in his hand was supposed to be for! So I decided to get all my records gathered up so I would have the information available and organized and it has really come in handy for this.

BTW, I was supposed to go see Dr. S on Jan 25th but an ice storm that knocked out power for 5 days prior to my appt. and a blizzard on the day I was supposed to go prevented me from seeing him. I'm scheduled to see him now on Feb 15th. Hope the weather is better then!

Thanks so much,
Sharon

[Parisa]

Sharon,

In general, doctors hate to look through files and read paperwork.  This actually came in handy for us at one point where we didn't really want our rheumatologist to know the extent of my husband's Lyme treatment.  He had been in the hospital and the doctors there detailed his IV treatment in a report.  We dutifully handed the rheumatologist all 30 pages of labs, reports, etc. covering his hospital stay.  The rheumatologist leafed through it and handed it back.  I felt we had done our part, if he didn't care to know the details then that was his fault.

If there is something important I want a doctor to know I always have a copy ready and I always bring the whole medical file with us just in case we need something I didn't think of beforehand.

[Kim]

Sharon,

In addition to bringing all my records when I went to Iowa, I also typed a one-page summary so that he could more easily get the picture of progression.

Take care…..kim

[A Friend]

[user=40]Kim[/user] wrote:

Sharon,

In addition to bringing all my records when I went to Iowa, I also typed a one-page summary so that he could more easily get the picture of progression.

Take care…..kim

Sharon, Kim, All,

About bringing lab reports covering several months before first visit, I was so glad I did that on my first visit to Dr. K.  I had really drifted downward into being a sick chicken by the time I first saw her (pain all over for a long time, a suspicious dental x-ray, pain running from it to my left ear, and more — the dental thing cleared up after her treatment began, and the dentist had tried to talk me into a root canal or an implant.  I'd read a post by Dr. TM who had had an almost identical problem with a front lower tooth; remembered the post, and declined both dentist's suggestions.  Re-found the post and began doing what he had done.). 

When Dr. K came in to meet me (after her nurse had logged in my information), I had a notebook beside me on a chair, and we began to talk about things.  Without a word about the notebook, she leaned forward, picked it up, and opened it and began turning the pages of the lab reports.  She almost immediately opened the notebook rings and started removing page after page from it.  And she said, she needed copies of all of it for her files.  After our discussion, she told me something important had not been addressed, and she felt sure this was causing the building problems I'd been having. (This problem had been overlooked during the several months before my former AP retired.)  She put me on amoxicillin every 8 hours around the clock for 30 days, and asked me to return.  By then I was feeling like a new person.  At this 2nd visit, she said I apparently had done  very well on Minocin at one time, and suggested we try it again on the MWF regimen. 

Because of that lab report being with me, and because of her thoroughness (which the rheumatologist in a post up above displayed a “lack of”), my immediate problem was addressed.  It was immediately before I saw Dr. K for the first time (when I'd had unrelenting pain all over my fascia and bones, increasing for many months), that I'd discovered my pH indicated severe acidosis (5.0-5.5), and began learning what to do to get it in a normal range… which would mean the acidic wastes were being neutralized and/or expelled.  After the amoxicillin therapy and then getting back on Minocin, and then adjusting diet and other helps to get (and keep) the acidosis under control, I've become a pretty happy camper since that first visit with Dr. K.  Hooray for that telltale lab report! 

AF

[sjess]

Kim,

I found a write-up written by the rheumy who saw me at Iowa City that has a good overview of the progression of my illness and treatment. I thought I would include that as well as the test results in my papers for Dr. S.

You guys are really on top of things with your records and researching and taking your testings and treatment into your own hands! I really hope this AP treatment works 'cause I'm not sure I can do all that with the lyme and the celiac. I guess I could; I'm just tired of dealing with it and want it to go away. That's so admirable how you have worked at finding out what's wrong and working to get well.

Thanks for the advice and inspiration,
Sharon

[Parisa]

Sharon,

All of this is just one step at a time.  The important thing is to head in the right direction.  In a while after you have started AP and the dust has settled you will have more energy to turn your thoughts toward celiac and Lyme testing. 

You have taken things into your own hands.  You are going to an AP doctor.  Many people won't even take it to that point. 

[Kim]

Sharon,

You'll quickly learn that it is very empowering to be your own health advocate, a role none of us asked for but were forced into to save our lives, literally.

Parisa is correct, it's too overwhelming to deal with everything at once so just keep plugging away and ask for help when you need it. 😉

Take care…..kim

[Author]

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