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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Tabbycat wrote:

@sfnative... I'm happy the doctors finally figured out your platelet problem.

I'll sure be glad to find out what's going on with mine. Hoping my new doctor will be more interested than the original one was. I just keep in the back of my mind what @RedTop said about her aquaintaince. Doctors never could figure out why he had high platelets and so he donates every so often.

I mentioned to the nurse one day on the phone that maybe I would make a donation and she told me to hold off on that. So, I wait patiently till my appointment to rolls around.


@Tabbycat 

 

I swear the longer I'm on this earth the harder it is to find a physician who will use his/her brain and think outside the box, consult a colleague and simply take the time to sit at his desk and cogitate.  Having worked closely with physicians for years, I can tell you without a doubt that most of them are middle of the road.  The brilliant ones are very few and worth gold.

 

The one that really scared me was Dr. S. who I ran into one day just after he had exited an elevator at work.  He had a huge smile on his face, so I said, "Dr. ___ you're looking very chipper and happy with the world today."  His answer?  "I just broke the hospital's record for a total hip."  I think my mouth must have fallen open - I just stood there not believing what my ears heard, then walked slowly away.

 

This surgeon's only thought was "how fast he had performed that surgery," not whether every single aspect of it was perfection for the patient.

 

Now fast forward about 2.5 years.  I received a call from the Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery.  He "asked" if I could accommodate 4 senior Resident physicians in the assessment of surgical skills of a surgeon and would I please have........and he named off what was required in terms of specimens, surgical trays, suture, set-up, etc.  And, this had to be done at 2000 HRS (8pm) - secret - no one could know what was going on.

 

You guessed it: this was all about that same surgeon who had performed the fasted hip replacement ever and so on.  He was being re-assessed due to a lack of judgement in the application of surgical skills resulting in the loss of a patient.  He was found competent in joint surgeries such as scoping and the like, but eventually dismissed.

 

This was a surgeon who was so full of himself he had never taken a look inside to evaluate himself.  There's that old saying:  "Physician heal thyself!"

Super Contributor
Posts: 383
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Hi @sfnative ... I understand what you mean. I don't have a lot of faith in doctors these days. They just want to write a Rx or send you for a test and not zero in on the cause of your issue. I don't want to take more pills or be guinea pigged. I saw them do that to my dear Mother, God rest her soul and also, to a lesser degree, my dearly departed Dad.

I stick to my chiro and medical massage guy. I like my PCP, but we don't always agree on pills and he respects my wishes, so far. I hope he doesn't get cranky as he ages. I've been going to him for over 15 years when he was first starting out. I'm probably 15 years older than him, 64, so I'm hoping for the best as time goes by.

Still Tabbycat ~~ Less is More ~~
Super Contributor
Posts: 383
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Hi @Justice4all ... Hope you had a Happy 4th! It was rainy here. It's just me and DH and we don't enjoy the crowds anymore nor the noise.

 

We didn't have children. He has a grown married son and 1 grandson, from his first marriage, who live about 8 hours away. They don't have time to come see us. We have to always go up there. DH Dad is still living up there too. He'll be 91 this year and still lives semi alone. A grandson stays with him part time. So, My vinegarette dressing.....

 

I love vinegar, but DH does not. I've got about 8 or 9 different ones at the moment. When I see a new one that sounds interesting, I buy it. Aldi recently had an organic Pomegrante with the mother... got 2 of those. Vermont Village Brand has a new line of organic ones at a local grocery store. I got a ginger honey and will get a couple more as I budget them into my grocery list. Sorry I digress.


My vinegerette recipe is smple.... pretty much equal parts of each vinegar I have. I use a 2 Tbsp measuring cup and start mixing. At the end I add 3 measures of filtered water.

 

I found a real nice mixing jar by Lock and Lock on Amazon. When I feel like changing up my recipe, according to what's in my salad, I measure out an amount of my mixture and add some dijon mustard or a spoon of no sugar added fruit spread like strawberry, blueberry, or blackberry. Drizzle on some EVOO, toss. Easy peasy.


Example ... A favorite salad is "Strawberry Pecan Spinach Salad". Cleaned spinach with sliced fresh strawberries, pecans, rings of red onion, and crumbled blu cheese with my dressing drizzled over. I can make the same salad and top DH with his favorite dressing which is Ranch or Blue Cheese.

 

 

Still Tabbycat ~~ Less is More ~~
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Tabbycat 

 

Hi Tabbycat,

 

Further on the subject:  I've been orthopedically cursed and to add to things, on May 20th suffered herniation at L4-5, which was almost expected post fusion with hardware at L5-S1. (Work injury)

 

Anyway, I start looking around for a different spine doc, as the last one pretty much said, "So sad, too bad."  What I've discovered, and now recall in looking for physicians since we've moved here 5 years ago, is about 75-80% of all docs move here because they have an interest in hiking, skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, river rafting, etc., all of which are within easy driving distance of the city in which I live.  This means that we have jocks for docs and not necessarily intelligent ones.  There's the rub.

 

Believe me:  I'm not knocking sports.  I used to be an NCAA athlete.  However, I believe this stat speaks to a great deal of incompetence in medicine in my area.  I could write a book.

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,595
Registered: ‎12-22-2013

Re: JAC2 Blood Work

[ Edited ]

Hi @Tabbycat!  The 4th turned out to be hot, sunny and muggy.  I had options but thought of the crowds-in the end, stayed home and caught the president's speech and tail end of the gorgeous Macy's fireworks on tv.  FB was on fire with juicy and hilarious entries!  I am plowing through the junk in my house, so all worked out ok.  Besides, I'm tired...

I am going try that strawberry pecan spinach blue cheese salad-sounds delicious!

Thank you so very much.  Remember to hydrate.

                      

                                               Love, Justce

Super Contributor
Posts: 383
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Hi @Justice4all  and to others who commented. I hope you are well.

I went to my new doctor today. All my last set of labs and all previous ones came back negative. He said he couldn't see any reason to continue further testing. His thought as to why my platelets go up and down so drastically is a reaction of some sort, caused from inflammation in my body, and these platelets aren't generally sticky. So that's great! He doesn't know why I have such pain, but it isn't my blood causing it.

 

I have no blood disease or auto immune disorders nor iron problems and nothing else they tested for. He said the JAK2 told him everything he wanted to know. He wants me back in 6 months. I'm so glad I didn't stress myself crazy over this. God is good Heart

Still Tabbycat ~~ Less is More ~~
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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,595
Registered: ‎12-22-2013

@Tabbycat I'm so relieved for you!  Stay happy and healthy.  Swim!  

                                                             Love, Justice