Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Friday, September 16, 2016

A Surprise

It was a surprise to learn Bob's cardiologist retired without a word to his patients. A letter is in the mail I was told. He is a private man who I'm sure felt he could not bear chit chatting about his retirement plans with every patient he saw. I can understand that but it was a shock.

The cardiologist taking his place is a woman that I believe is coming from Rochester, NY. She took care of what I needed today and wants to see Bob in her office next week. I have no reason to think she won't be just fine but will be a little nervous until we meet next week.

It is not often all the pieces in medicine work in harmony as they should but I now know it actually does happen occasionally.  Today Bob's geriatrician changed how he takes Prilosec. A few hours later I was surprised to receive a call from a pharmacist in the anti coagulation lab at the hospital. Said she saw the doctor had changed how Bob was to take Prilosec and since it is a drug that changes the count in people taking blood thinners they would need to see him earlier than his next scheduled appointment. I hung up and thought, "Wow, that's cool. That's how medicine is supposed to work." 

My task for today was dealing with Bob's foot pain. I'll be the first to tell you I don't like dealing with feet. He's been complaining for several days about his feet. I thought about it a while and decided some busy work might help. This afternoon I brought home some Epsom Salt and a tube of some kind of cream that's suppose to turn cool and be refreshing. I took the sack to his room and instructed him how HE was to do it. He set right to work on it. I don't have a clue about what to do for foot pain but figured that would make him think I did. I love the saying his geriatrition uses about old people. She says "sometimes it just takes a tincture of time."

16 comments:

  1. What's causing the foot pain? I get a lot of foot pain and I use ice packs but my pain is from poor bone structure. His could be related to his heart, if he's getting swelling in which case heat would not be a good thing.

    We lost two doctors the same way...with a letter. I think they don't tell because it would take up too much time to discuss that all day with patients.

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    1. Not too worried about his foot pain. He's complained for years. Tried to make an appointment with a podiatrist but he declined. Feet aren't particularly high on my list right now. Fluid retention may well be a contributing factor.

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  2. Tincture of time! A good one. Many people suffer with foot problems.some of these are solvable and others you have to put up with. sometimes a good physiotherapist can help.

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    1. Some of his issues just don't make it to the top of the list these days. I've found a tincture of times takes care of a lot of things.

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  3. It's always a bit disconcerting to have to suddenly change doctors. Hopefully you and Bob will like the new one. We joke that we should always pick doctors/dentists who are younger than we are.

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    1. Sounds like the new doctor is young and that's usually a good thing. Doesn't sound like this one will have an accent Bob will have trouble with, American sounding name.

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  4. My primary did the same thing. One day there, the next gone. However a few weeks later, they did have a going away party for him. Hope the new one is at least comparable or even better, an improvement. I have found for myself that distraction works as well as a tincture of time.

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    1. I'm hopeful the new doctor will be just what we need. Sometimes fresh eyes on a situation are good.

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    1. She is from Slovenia. Maybe statement is cultural. I'd not heard it before.

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  6. Epsom salts can't hurt and a tincture of time won't either. It amuses me that some people (like my daughter) have such a strong aversion to feet.

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    1. Old men's feet are particularly ugly. Bob is obsessed with his feet. Every night after his shower he talks about his feet & loves it when I agree to put lotion or cream on them. Yuck

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  7. My mother's daughter has a saying we like. He says, "At this level of maturity...." Sounds good. He told Mother she would be having her 100th birthday party in 10 years and she said - clear as a bell - "Oh, SHIT!" Can I say that on a blog? You may want to delete this comment!!!
    I think you did good giving Bob the tools to help himself regarding his feet! Probably gave him a sense of control.
    Hope y'all have a good week!

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    1. "At this level of maturity." I like that. I'll tuck that one away for future use. Of course you can say "shit" on a blog. These days I don't think there's anything you can't say.

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  8. I would think your Dr. would have at least sent out a short letter alerting patients he was retiring -- that's been my experience as have always known in advance they were doing so and they introduced the Dr. replacing them. One Dr. had done that but worked part time in the new Dr.'s office -- then abruptly was not available. I understood the failure to advise of his no longer practicing when later I learned he had terminal lung cancer and died shortly afterward. A "tincture of time" is good medicine!

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  9. My cardiologist retired a couple of months ago without any notice. I was actually relieved. I was not thrilled with him. I was pleased when I got another doctor in the practice I'd been coveting.

    I had an internist years ago who told his patients - face to face - on their last visit that he was retiring. I was much younger then, and I remember trying not to cry and trying to express how grateful I was with his wonderful care. Ha. Now they just send you a text or leave a voice mail.

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