Enhanced Malabsorbtion and No Carbs

[Munchkin]

I was wondering about this sort of thing earlier today...because of my kidney stones. Many surgeries are performed, here anyway, in outpatient surgery aka day surgery centers.

In fact, come to think of it, MY hernia surgery was in an outpatient surgery center. And we search and destroy my kidney stones in an outpatient surgery center. OH! Cataract surgery and a DeQuervain’s Release on my wrist and probably other stuff, too.

They COULD BE closed because staff is working at hospitals. But, if someone has already done the preparatory work, s/he could probably go home-to-surgery-center-to-home with zero exposure to actual sick folks.

Of course, while I WOULD “risk it” for a kidney stone, most everything else could wait.

If I can afford to get my gut lopped off it will probably be an overnight stay. At least that's my best guess at this point. But who knows. I will wait and see.

 

[DianaCox]

Some procedures continue. In the last couple of weeks, Dad has been to the neurologist, had a bladder biopsy and last night had an overnight sleep study. Charles has had a paracentesis and a sedated EGD for esophageal varices. And Dad and I had blood draws.

But we’re also doing Teleheath appointments too. Therapist appointments, and tomorrow Dad will have his rescheduled neurosurgeon appointment and get the biopsy results. But I expect my dental appointment next month will be canceled.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Some procedures continue. In the last couple of weeks, Dad has been to the neurologist, had a bladder biopsy and last night had an overnight sleep study. Charles has had a paracentesis and a sedated EGD for esophageal varices. And Dad and I had blood draws.

But we’re also doing Teleheath appointments too. Therapist appointments, and tomorrow Dad will have his rescheduled neurosurgeon appointment and get the biopsy results. But I expect my dental appointment next month will be canceled.

wow

I don't have any current pressing need, other than routine Rxs, to see my PCP or GI doctor. But if they are doing Telehealth appointments and get paid for them and I have no copay, it wouldn’t hurt me to check in and they could maybe use the $$. And besides, my GI doctor has a new baby and I haven’t seen the photos yet. I don’t see my urologist until later in the summer...but need an ultrasound before that. Gotta work that out. My bariatric surgeon will miss me if I don’t show up pretty soon. He’s my injectable vitamin connection. And my hematologist is probably emotionally needy...most of his patients are VERY sick, chemo patients, so I’m a “happy” patient AND he’s a huge Dodgers fan and he’s screwed there, too. But my teeth will suffer, I’m sure. I go for routine cleaning three times a year and I’m missing a cleaning next week. My feet need my podiatrist, but I can hang on a bit longer.

But my hair.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I have no copay, it wouldn’t hurt me to check in and they could maybe use the $$.

it's nice of you to think of that!

But my hair.

oh!! me, too! I went extra short the last time (even though at the time I didn't really seem to grasp it WAS the last time) and looked like a Q-tip last week. it's getting worse rappidly.

 

[Munchkin]

We are doing hair today. It is what it is!

And having groceries delivered but I am sure getting tired of cooking and generally ALL low carb food. And tired of dishes. But in the big scheme of things I shouldn't complain. Smith's website would not let me order TP but I texted my shopper and she found some! So...happy about that! Paying a ridiculous amount of money though.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Hair? Like #coronacut ?






And with all the money and connections he has, he went for a DIY corona cut:

 

[Munchkin]

Did you know it has been 2 YEARS since I started this disaster? Am I thin? No but better than I was. Do I still look pregnant? Yes I do. Is my hernia fixed? Oh Hell no. My motivation has been decimated by the corona virus. I am beginning to think my hernia will die with me. This has all been an exercise in futility.

And believe it or not...all those freaking palm trees need to be wrangled again. That's what I get for watering them.

I am still low carbing. I am afraid to quit. Me, a pandemic, and unlimited chocolate is not a good idea.

So now I have great insurance I can't use. But they still take the premiums every month!

 

[DianaCox]

Why haven’t you made an appointment to get your hernia fixed? Surgeons’ offices are not where COVID patients are congregating.

 

[Munchkin]

Why haven’t you made an appointment to get your hernia fixed? Surgeons’ offices are not where COVID patients are congregating.

I was told to avoid medical facilities unless it's an emergency. Yes the COVID people won't be waiting to see a surgeon, but they may well be in the same waiting room for the other doctors he/she practices with. And then there is the problem with having surgery in a hospital full of COVID patients. And the hospitals here are full of COVID patients. I think yours are too?

I know you just spent time in the hospital with your dad. How is he doing? Anyway I was going to give you a few days to get him back on track then I was going to ask if you were pretty confident they were at least not spreading the virus. What did you observe?

 

[DianaCox]

I’ve been going to a lot of doctors’ offices during the quarantine, mostly for Dad but also a few for me. IMHO, the level of caution and care taken by medical facilities is high - far safer than the grocery store. EVERYONE is masked for starters, and staff mostly knows what they are doing. People are socially distanced in the waiting rooms, and when capacity is reached, overflow in the halls. Only patients allowed in (except for children and demented adults).

Having said that, I wouldn’t want to go to the ER, a pulmonologist, or a PCPs office. I need my annual bloodwork, and I’m going to ask for a call from the front desk to come in and NOT wait inside. (That’s what they are doing at the Urgent Care where I had to take Dad for a COVID test preop.)

At the hospital, the surgery patients were on a separate ward and I think a separate floor. Strict gloving and hand sanitizer and masks. I was pretty comfortable with the situation.

I’d rather be in a medical facility than a grocery store or restaurant.

 

[aaa]

I had my DS bloods done yesterday. I was first at 6am and it was just a couple of us. Monday, I go to the hand surgeon. If it's too crowded, I'll wait in the car like I do for allergy shots.

 

[Munchkin]

I’ve been going to a lot of doctors’ offices during the quarantine, mostly for Dad but also a few for me. IMHO, the level of caution and care taken by medical facilities is high - far safer than the grocery store. EVERYONE is masked for starters, and staff mostly knows what they are doing. People are socially distanced in the waiting rooms, and when capacity is reached, overflow in the halls. Only patients allowed in (except for children and demented adults).

Having said that, I wouldn’t want to go to the ER, a pulmonologist, or a PCPs office. I need my annual bloodwork, and I’m going to ask for a call from the front desk to come in and NOT wait inside. (That’s what they are doing at the Urgent Care where I had to take Dad for a COVID test preop.)

At the hospital, the surgery patients were on a separate ward and I think a separate floor. Strict gloving and hand sanitizer and masks. I was pretty comfortable with the situation.

I’d rather be in a medical facility than a grocery store or restaurant.

How is your Dad doing now?

Cases here are going up pretty dramatically. Some hospitals have stopped elective surgery again. I have an acquaintance here who is married to a doctor. He came home from work Friday and said they are going back to strict quarantine. Staying home. He is very alarmed the infection rate is going up so quickly.

Well, the year is half over. I think I will re-evaluate mid to end August.

 

[JackieOnLine]

we could be doing so much better - if everyone had worn masks starting in March it would have made a big difference.

 

[aaa]

Went to the hand dr. yesterday. Very large waiting room with seats blocked off. (I was surprised they didn't have those plastic shields so many places now have for staff [7/11 installed them pretty early on]). Stayed for about 20 min. when I just felt it was getting too crowded for my comfort level so I went to my car. They called me and, of course, there's not really any social distancing with a doctor. Glad I went though, and as I've been wearing a kerchief (since the middle of March) and a mask now since April - it's the best I can do. Sometimes you just need to go.

Same thing with a mammogram I had in June. Waited in car, we all wore masks & the tech wore a face shield, too.

 

[DianaCox]

Dad is doing well. His head and right shoulder are still hurting from the procedure, and that is really bothering him, perhaps in part because this is precisely where his chronic headache hurts, and he was hoping that headache would go away with the surgery, since he unexpectedly got relief from it for several days after the diagnostic high volume spinal tap. I keep reminding him that the surgery coincidentally was in the exact same place (back of his head to the right of center for the burr hole in his skull to put the tubing into his ventricles and the valve, and down his neck to his right shoulder where they threaded the lower portion of the tubing to drain into his abdomen), so he may not be able to tell whether it’s headache or surgery pain. Also, he has about 7-8 staples in his scalp which will be removed a week from today. That area is still noticeably swollen and tender.

it’s hard to tell if he’s gotten much benefit yet. His gait seems a little better, but he’s still wobbly. Can’t tell any difference in his mentation. But the surgeon set the flow rate on the shunt low to get his brain used to the drainage without causing a hematoma from excessively high flow rate - it will be adjusted at his post op appointment next week.

He starts in-home PT today. His VA home care has been very good and very much appreciated. It’s a little tricky having to juggle VA care and Medicare, but I think I’m managing to get the best of both.