goofycow Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Hello Boys & Girls: I haven't whined on this board for a while so thought I might complain about my first visit to primary care in over 2 years. I only went today because mental health finally nagged me into it. Anyway, seems like it was the same old, same old. I told them about the nasty acid reflux thing i have developed in the last few years. That it would wake me up at night. Have difficulty swallowing. Blank stare. Told them about & showed them my severely bent right pinky finger. Told them it hurts & lately it gets numb on the right side of my right hand & tingles all the way up to my right elbow. Also told them that my left pinky finger wasn't bent yet but was starting to hurt like the right one did before it started bending. The lumps around the middle joint of said right pinky look so disgusting, doc didn't want to touch it. Another blank stare. Also when they tried to take my vitals, the old Goat volunteer sat & watched while I screamed in agongy as the blood pressre cuff was trying cut my arm off. When I realized he wasn't going to do anything about, I ripped the cuff off myself. And what is the purpose of putting that little oxygen thingie on the tip of your finger anyway?? He wrote down I had a reading of 92 from that thing??? Never got an explination of what that met or what it was measuring. He just seemed to think I was a wimpy female who can't take pain. (He could have a point there ;) ) The doctor seemed conmcerned about my blood pressure, my weight etc. I tried to explain to her that I had been treated for eating disorders while on active duty & I probably wouldn't have much luck losing wieght until they treated the eating disorder. Another blank stare. Made me wonder why I bothered to come in the first place. So, all in all I did get to use my VA bennies today. And had an outstanding rest of the day. End of babble. Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadIt.com Elder Josephine Posted July 27, 2007 HadIt.com Elder Share Posted July 27, 2007 liz, I was wondering how you were doing. Sounds like that doctor visit was the usual. I have come to the conclusion either way you go with the VA you will have an eating disorder. Mine, I didn't weight enough. They are never satisifed. Oxygen level seemed a tad on the low side. How is your breathing? How is your depression? You didn't mention that one. All and all you sound pretty healthy. Always, Josephine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofycow Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Dear Doctor Josephine: Happy to get a clear bill of heal from you, even though I have already lost the use of one dgit on my right hand and that I have difficulity swallowing. I am sure you are also correct when you say I had a normal session with a VA primary care doctor. As for my depression......HAHAHA!!!!!! It is down in the basement. I do not care if I live or die. In fact, I would much rather be dead than living the life I am living now. I felt that it was an intrusion on my privacy that I had to even see a doctor. My husband commited suicide by not seeing a doctor. i want to do the same. By the way, why do you have so much cred on this board when other members ignore my questions or treat me like a "wannabe" Liz ???thliz, I was wondering how you were doing. Sounds like that doctor visit was the usual. I have come to the conclusion either way you go with the VA you will have an eating disorder. Mine, I didn't weight enough. They are never satisifed. Oxygen level seemed a tad on the low side. How is your breathing? How is your depression? You didn't mention that one. All and all you sound pretty healthy. Always, Josephine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GwenW Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Hi Liz, It sound like your doctor visit was about Par! Sometimes it seems there is no point in even going. I remember the "good old days" when going to the doctor really did make you feel better! I go for my checkups and still fill like crap! Well, I do have a few good days, and I cherish them. I think I am way too young...LOL- 54, to have so many aches and pain on top of depression. And living with a husband that has severe depression sure doesn't make it any easier. (I hate to complain because he has been through so much, but we try our best to take care of each other.) I hate to hear about your husband passing on, but please don't give up. Know that you and your husband are remembered in my prayers. I'm here and while I don't do much phone talking, but email me. Like I said, I have my bad bouts like most of us here, but know that people here care and will do all they can to help! Gwen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadIt.com Elder Josephine Posted July 28, 2007 HadIt.com Elder Share Posted July 28, 2007 Dear Doctor Josephine: Happy to get a clear bill of heal from you, even though I have already lost the use of one dgit on my right hand and that I have difficulity swallowing. I am sure you are also correct when you say I had a normal session with a VA primary care doctor. As for my depression......HAHAHA!!!!!! It is down in the basement. I do not care if I live or die. In fact, I would much rather be dead than living the life I am living now. I felt that it was an intrusion on my privacy that I had to even see a doctor. My husband commited suicide by not seeing a doctor. i want to do the same. By the way, why do you have so much cred on this board when other members ignore my questions or treat me like a "wannabe" Liz ???th Liz, If I never acccomplish anything else in my life, I always want others to know that I trully care about them. I don't think the others on the board want to treat you or make you feel that they treat you as they do, but there are some tough ones on here and refuse to hold anyone's hand. I consider it a Pleasure to be able to do this for someone. I am never too busy to set my life aside and realize other's needs are far greater than my own. The lady that posted after me is a very caring person. She wrote me such a Special Personal Message, when I was so upset over the passing of the real " Josephine". She was my Precious Pom. Please keep in touch with us more. I have several on the board that send me personal messages and they know who they are and they mean so much to me. They help to bring me out of the gutter, for I know that they are supporting my claim, and I may be loosing it, but I can handle that, I just couldn't handle the loss of a dear friend to me, YOU! Send me a Personal Message anytime as I will always be here for you. Got it? Dr. Josephine. HA! HA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofycow Posted July 29, 2007 Author Share Posted July 29, 2007 The sad part is I probably wouldn't have gotten any better care from the private sector, at least not in the Fort Smith AR area. i just won't go back as I do not see the point of going thru this again. In order to see a primary care doc, I have to ride the VA van because I have to dope myself up with valium to even get the nerve to see the doc. Then there's the whole issue of driving "under the influence". Of course I have to drive myself 10 miles one way to even catch the van. Here is what I met by how other members of the board treat me when I ask a question. I have joint and back problems that i think are service connected. In fact there are entries in my active duty medical records about being seen about these problems. Sometimes they would x-ray but nothing ever turned up. Sometimes they gave me motrin but most of the time they(corpsmen, doctors) just wrote the problem off due to my being a woman or trying to get out of work. When i mentioned trying to put in a claim for service connection for these problems, the advice I got from Hadit members was not to be "greedy" because I already had 100% due to IU. Some even suggested that my claim would clog the system for more deserving vets. Other member have asked the same question with the same 100% and were advised to go for it, get every penny you can from VA. Of course I am afraid to put in any additional claim because I am afraid that VA will review my current disabilities. And mental health has made sure that I can no longer get an increase in rating because they have labeled me with having personality disorders. In my 20 years of svc, the Navy never found issue with my personality. They gave me a TS clearance & PAID me to reenlist on 2 separate occassions. Now I'm scared that a casual review of my VA medical records might result in a rate cut. Anyway, that's my long rant for today. Sorry if I came across as being a BI-itch the other day. Must be that borderline thing going on. Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts