Alan's Neuro's office just called us!!
 

Well, isn't this something!!!!!

The phone rings, and it's the neuro's medical assistant. I say (in a very slow, deliberate voice......."oh, it's only been 7 days since I spoke to you and I haven't got a call back from the neurologist".

She replied: "We just want you to know that she read your fax, and she knows what happened and she wants me to let you know that she called up the (couldn't understand her because she has a very thick Russian Accent), but I understood her to mean The Visiting Nurse Company.

So I said "and what happened". And she replied "well she asked them why they never reported what happened???" and I replied: "Well, what did they say?" and she said "Well, they haven't responded yet" She is waiting on their explanation!!!!".

Then she said "And now I have another question for you, HOW IS ALAN AFTER ALL OF THIS?" And I said "He is just fine NOW, but the day after the infusion he came down with a temp of 101.5 and I had to do the alcohol rub thing but he was fine the next day, and he's fine now.

Then she said "when is his next appointment with Dr. G?" and I said "okay, we have to discuss something and PLEASE LET THE DOCTOR KNOW WHAT I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU".

Then I proceeded to explain about how Alan saw the podiatrist and how he will let Alan know next tuesday if he is to be operated on!! I told the medical assistant, "We might have to re-schedule the next IVIG because Alan might need the operation. So please tell the doctor this.

Then I told her "Next tuesday, when I find out if Alan is to be operated on and when, I will call your office, okay? and she said fine.

So comments anyone?? I believe I behaved quite professionally!!!!

Melody

Good job, Mel. By the way, the Visiting Nurse is required to make out a report on what happened and to report to the doctor. It is requried that they notify the doctor, not just a nicety. It is required when a medication incident happens that the RN let the doctor know that there was an 'incident' whether it be an adverse reaction, a mistaken dose, mistaken time, mistaken patient, etc....and not in her own sweet time either, but as soon as it comes to light that an error was made. The doctor then gives his/her response as to what to do regarding the 'incident', such as monitor vital signs, or call 911....whether the nurse is responsible or the patient just has a reaction, this is standard procedure. Your doctor was deprived of the ability to act on your behalf when he/she was not notified of the 'incident' when it occurred.

At this point it speaks to the ethics of the organization that is giving out the care....and it speaks volumes in what was not done. We don't seem to live in an honest world anymore. The lack of ethics amazes me. The actions of the nurse, were simply buried. Hundreds of thousands of people die due to drug mistakes or interactions every year....consider Alan lucky.

Appropriate to stick this in here.
 

There is a lot of room in medical care for mistakes. When they are found, they should be reported or documented so that these mistakes will not happen again. The caretaker needs to put more stopgap measures there to prevent them from happening. And this is extremely important...You have to police your own medical care! If you are not able to yourself, you need a spouse, relative or friend to help you.

Today I saw the doctor for the first time since the hospital stay. They were late getting to me and I'm sitting on a sacrum that is fractured along with the neuropathy, so you can all relate to the pain I was in. I waited for an hour and half. Not happy. Then during the visit, the doctor prescribed something for pain. When we picked it up from the pharmacist, we were half way home when I took the bottle out of the sack. I read off what it was and my husband said, " That's the wrong strength, I think." I had no clue, but I vaguely remember my doctor figuring out how much my liver could tolerate. And when I thought about it for a minute, I agreed with my husband. We did an about face and went back to the pharmacy. He was right. They had dispensed the wrong med.

Please take someone with you who can remember when you are in distress.

Billye

as to professionalism...
 

Hi Melody:

Too bad the people in that office aren't as professional as you are! This is the first I have read that Alan had that 101 degree temp the next day after the notorious "incident". That is just awful - you both are lucky it wasn't worse than that, in my opinion.

Shirley H.

Shirley:

And when I told Dr. Fred (yesterday, Alan had his visit), when I told Dr. Fred what happened, he just shook his head and asked Alan a million questions about various symptoms, etc. etc. He also ordered a whole batch of new blood tests.

I told Dr. Fred. "Alan dodged a bullet that day, didn't he?" And Dr. Fred said "absolutely".

If you ask Alan what he thinks about the whole experience, he just smiles and says "I'm in God's hands". Gotta love this man!!


And Billye: Thankfully, you read the bottle and got the correct prescription. I can't imagine how many prescription mistakes are made. When someone asks Alan what he takes at night to sleep, he always says ZANTAC. I gently say "xanax, not Zantac!!!! Actually he takes the generic Alprazolam, it's just too expensive to take the ambien and he just takes a small amount of the alprazolam and it calms the tingling and he falls fast asleep.

And he calls his blood pressure pills METROPOLO!!

And if you ask him the name of his diagnosis he bursts out laughing and carefully says 'Chronic Inflammation of Demylinization of polyneuropathy. Then we both get hysterical.

Kind of takes me back in time when Godzilla first came out. He told all the neighbors we went to see Gonzales.

lol
Melody


Melody

I agree
 

With Cyclelops and Billye, Mel I am glad he got blood tests but this
was very serious.
When we on our way home from the hospital last week,we stoped
at the Pharmacy, Bob handed Ann my perscription,she had a fit.
Sue that attending Dr. going to put you right back in the hospital,
I'm allergic to Penicillian it was on my med sheet,well she picked up
the phone paged him and let him have it. I heard her say very firmly
why do you ask or do you,and you had her med sheet and much more.
This happens far to much,usually i look glad i have a Pharmacist who
cares.
And good for you my in-laws were Russian and could speak very
very good english. That would and could cause probems,if your asking
questions and can't understand her. Oh well i bet she understood
everything you said. he he Sorry all this had to happen. to you all. Sue

About 15 years ago, a few months after we moved into this neighborhood, I went around the corner to the doctor. On my first visit, as is required, they took a medical background check. I had some kind of bronchial infection, and she prescribed a certain antibiotic.

When I went to the pharmacist, he ran the prescription through the computer and it flagged something. He called me over and said "aren't you allergic to pennicilin"?? and I said 'yeah, my mother always told me I was".

So he calls up the doctor and says "why on earth did you prescribe this antibiotic, it's in the pennicilin family and she's allergic to pennicilin".

You WILL NOT BELIEVE THE DOCTOR'S RESPONSE!!!!

She said AND I QUOTE" "Oh, years and years ago, people told their kids they were allergic to pennicilin and we always found out they were mistaken. People who think they are allergic, well they find out they are not allergic".
The pharmacist answered her "well, I'm not taking any chances with this woman, prescribe something else" And I got Eyrthromycin.

I will never forget that conversation. I also switched doctors.

Melody

Melody, I'm glad that the..
 

neurologist's staff called you back, but a one week wait is really not as professional as I would have liked.
This is gonna be long: When I had my problems, I called every other day until I got an answer - if not from my neuro, from another in that practice. I called everyone! The hospital was squirrelley and evasive in their answers...So, I called the [presumed] manufacturer of the brand of IVIG I was SUPPOSED to be getting. THEY WERE SLOW taking a week! But I kept calling, and calling...Then, since I wasn't getting anywhere with the neuro or the mfr., I called the FDA and filed over the phone an 'adverse reaction report' At that time the FDA people were really nice and have been on other occasions about s/e's of new meds added for other issues.
Seems like the DAY after the call to the FDA I got a call from the IVIG Mfr...who I had to relay all the 'things' that happened again to [this takes about 30-45 minutes on the phone BTW]...Shortly after that, I saw my neuro [who'd probably gotten news from some 'grapevine'] and after my meeting with him my 'REACTION' was upgraded to a 'SEVERE REACTION'! ONce I found that out - I reported my events to the State Medical Licensing Board [another 45 minutes on the phone] - I'm thinking that between the FDA, Mfr, and State Boards...well, that infusion clinic was CLOSED [they only close for very MAJOR hodays] was closed for several days ...nurses told me later that it was for 'training'...They also kept dropping 'hints' to me after all this that 'they'd admitted 2-5 patients with reactions since I was last there, EACH TIME . Needless to say, I asked for and received a 'refund/credit' on a subsequent bill [paid for by my insurance] for the half day's dose they dumped in the trash when it was decided to disconnect me early...and just let me go drive home!
I am very grateful to the internet, folks here and other sites that gave me the knowledge to KNOW that something was more than seriously wrong on that infusion day! It probably was either an anaphalyptic[SP?] or cardiac reaction...had the nurses KNOWN to draw blood at the time of the 'reaction' there are tests that could have been done to track that...seeing the neuro 2 weeks later ...well too late then to determine which.
YES as Dr Fred said he DID dodge a bullet! I was checking the boards about 6 times a day with worry! I am grateful tho he didn't have the kind of headache I'd had with my reaction! Yeah there's the PN pain which usually is kicked down many notches with infusions, but this was like a week-long migraine from heck! I appreciate and truly feel for migraine sufferers! Take a vise and tighten it all around my skull till the brains pop out! I've a few 'grey cells' left tho..
Spoke about your 'bag' incident and about what that nurse did to MY infusion nurse today...and her first question was "IS THIS PERSON LICENSED?" And that YOU should have REFUSED infusion! IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS!. Well, now you got it from a nurse who's done nothing but infusions for over a decade! For all kinds of things...she hates to do kids tho - says it hurts her to do them more than the kids hurt. Bless her!
Soo, keep records of who you've talked to about what and the dates and times...and all. Press your neuro to get you a COMPETENT service?
Hugs Melody...AND ALAN! I'm glad you are here to relay new episodes of this story! Next time you see Dr Fred, give him a hug from me as well...He sounds like he's one of the good guys! - j

Honestly, we were so impressed with her Jerry Rigging the bag over my kitchen sink (she hung the bags on the cabinets as she infused from one to the other, well, Alan and I were so impressed with her "FIXING' the problem, I never in all my life thought THAT I SHOULD REFUSE THE INFUSION.

And come to think about it, IT'S NOT MY PLACE TO REFUSE ANYTHING, It's Alan's because IT'S HIS INFUSION.

But I'm the one that speaks to doctors, I'm the one that speaks to medical assistants, visiting nurse services, blah blah blah.

Now, I'm petrified of the next infusion. He's has 9 so far. And the only problem was with THIS ONE and it was the only 3 HOUR INFUSION HE HAD.

We won't know if he's going ahead with the June 18th one because we have to find out first if he's having his foot operated on.

I wish he were the one to be doing all the phone calls and setting up stuff.

God knows, if he didn't have me, WHO ON EARTH WOULD DO THIS FOR HIM???

lol
Melody

Melody, while you aren't the patient...
 

YOU ARE AN INFORMED Spouse! That alone, qualifies you to SPEAK UP! Just say, 'this doesn't seem right...I want to speak to my neuro NOW...YOU NURSIE Get them on the PHONE NOW! Next The Pharmacist..do the SAME...You as a representative for your spouse have every right to express concern and have it addressed PROMPTLY as within 20 minutes BEFORE any 'tampered' blood product is put into YOUR ALAN! I expect Alan is very laid-back and accepting....this type of stuff calls for ASSERTIVE and often [as in my case-AGRESSIVE] ACTION... Alan has the heart issues, this is not something to shrug off! Not at ALL! Melody, we all know you are the nicest of Assertives, but you may have to get nasty agressive here...trust has been compromised...big-time...by all involved in the 'process'...

Don't be petrified about the next infusion...just be sure you get a more comptent set of Pharmacy/infusion nurses! That simple! Golly! At times I wish I was there with you to talk to these people! Their ignorance could kill us! Infusing IVIG is NOT changing a wound dressing for crikeys sake! It does take training and skill, and further training about what all to DO and LOOK out for! JUST LEARN from the Experience! Memorise all the info on the 'prescribing info' sheet! VERBATIM! Word for Word!

That's why I changed from a year of infusions AT A HOSPITAL,, cause they didn't know? to home infusions with a nurse who DOES KNOW! Believe me, I've got the 'times' it takes an ambulance to get from here [my house] to an ER down pat...it's far better potential for accurate treatment than I got IN the hospital IN their specialty infusion ward IN their cancer ward? Something is wrong in that whole picture, and it's not wrong with ME or YOU, it's the systems, and how well any home nurse is educated in such infusions...I don't know about you, but I want someone who KNOWs about this stuff and all it entails....to treat me...It's almost a quiz? But if that's what it takes, well you have to do it!

Oh dear! I wish I could be there to hold you-all's hands the next time! - j

Well, I have certainly learned what I need to do.

I will draft a letter to Dr. G tomorrow INSISTING on a pump.
I will then call the office (I may or may not get the medical assistant) tellng them that I am faxing said letter!!!

Now we won't know anything until Tuesday (about his foot surger).

So I do have some time (and I will follow up with the medical assistant).

Now, I have no idea if Alan's medicare Insurance plan will cover a pump. It covers the drip and I hope they don't give us any problems with sending us a pump.

This is all on me from now on. Alan is just not capable of calling Doctor's offices, and demanding anything. He is much too laid back a person.

It's not going to happen. He would stay there and be dripped and not way a word. It's just how he is.

So I shall do my ASSERTIVE THING.

Will update.

Melody

Yes, insist on the pump. I had to and as far as I know there is no added cost. Have your neuro write out orders that such and such volume is to be infused over four hours. If they cannot handle it or your request tell the neuro. Again , dealing with a few agencies and every nurse would pull the same act. I knew my rate was not to exceed 70 cc's/hr. or my blood pressure would bottom out and I felt awful.What did one nurse still try to do because my b/p stayed fine with that rate. She say's oh I think I can increase it, don't worry.They do not understand just because your b/p or pulse is ok they think ok just go quicker. No way. When medical people say don't worry I do. It's there famous last words. Well trust me she did not raise it. There can be side effects that are dangerous with infusions that are too fast. When I had to go to the e.r. a really nice doc told me, do your research and get into a hospital setting, a safe enviornment to have your treatment. What baffles me is in the hospital they run it slower, at home it is always the same old story, the bum's rush. A nurse is to follow a doctors order not make up there on. They are running this i.v. with to me very little knowledge. Take care and good luck.

Is the IVIG helping Alan? what has improved? just wondering.

Joe:

I asked him this yesterday and he said "yes, I believe it is"

And he loves how he feels while he's getting it. All the pins and needles go away.

bye for now,

Mel

I'm glad you used your voice. I can relate to this like I said cause one of the neuros I saw with 5 calls I never got a call back and it was saying I had weird symptoms. I did finally after get a call from a med assistant. I don't get this I feel like docs feel there president of the us. Why can't they call back? Also it should be within 24 hours. I'm going to write a complaint letter to mine so maybe it will happen less in the future. I'm not going to hold my breath though.This makes me feel so mad but am glad your husband is hanging in there. Your a great caretaker I can tell.Have you been back to the support group?

Hi Daniella:

The next meeting of the Neuropathy Support Group is scheduled for June 21s. Only if there's an earthquake in NYC, (or Alan has to have an operation on or about that day), NOTHING can keep me from that meeting.
I might even see John Stamos walking in the street (like I did last time).

I just sent a fax to Dr. G's office specifically requesting that she demand he gets a pump. I was clear, concise and I wrote a good letter.

I ended it with "This is serious". So hopefully when her medical assistant comes in, she'll see the fax, and put in on the doctor's desk.

I can tell you why doctors don't return phone calls (like they used to do).

Baby Boomers got older, got sicker and need doctors. Baby boomers have diabetes, Parkingson, and PN. There aren't enough specialists to go around. So imagine 50 people in a waiting room, 3 doctors in the practice, and then later in the week, all the people are putting phone calls in, asking questions, needing advice, needing a change in meds. The doctors today are completely overwhelmed. I don't think for a minute that when these doctors went into private practice they envisioned all the patients calling them AS MUCH AS DO!!!! Nobody could have predicted this.

I think that's why their medical assistants do this. I don't think this happens as much with primary care physicians (like my Dr. Fred) but it definitely happens with specialists because EVERYBODY NEEDS EITHER AN ENDOCRINOLIGIST, OR A HEART SPECIALIST TODAY. I mean, we Baby Boomers didn't really take that good care of ourselves. We smoked, ate and drank more than we should have and many of us are paying the price. I only learned my lessons in my 50's . I now take a look at what I see when I go around the corner and sit on my friend's porch in the evenings.

You have no idea how many 27 year olds are smoking. Absolutely every one I see. Of course I don't go near them, I don't want to inhale that poison. But I did get in a discussion with a few of them when they put their cigarettes down. These are gorgeous, slim women, with excellent jobs, in banks or at medical offices. What is the answer I always get when I ask a woman "why do you smoke". They ABSOLUTELY ALWAYS TELL ME THE SAME ANSWER!!!

BECAUSE IF I STOP, I'LL GAIN WEIGHT!!! And they do drugs. I sit on the porch with their parents and grandparents and these people have no clue. Absolutely no clue!!! For example, one of the grandchildren just came back from Las Vegas. He's 25, adorable and he has a good job. But he likes to party. Nothing wrong with that, he's young and he works, right??

So I asked the people on the porch, "Did he win"??? and they looked at me like I'm nuts and they responded: "Win what??" and I said "are you for real, he just went to Vegas, what do you think he does there?" and they looked at me like I was bonkers and they said "Oh he doesn't gamble, he goes there to dance". I said "is that a fact??, why fly 2000 miles to dance when he can go to great parties in NYC???" The grandmother just said "I know my grandson, he doesn't gamble, he knows it's bad, it's addictive, and I believe him when he says he doesn't gamble". I just looked at her. I said nothing BECAUSE SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER BELIEVED ME.

But the best is when I hear them say "Oh, my kids never do drugs, they don't smoke pot, they WOULD NEVER TAKE AN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE" Why do I think this is hysterical??? Because one day there was a party for my 75 year old friend's birthday. She's the grandmother. Picture a big backyard with a built in pool, a big table with a big umbrella and ten 25 to 27 year olds, so stoned, you wouldn't believe it. I walk in and I said "Are you kidding, your grandmother is coming, put that stuff away and start spraying the air".

They all jumped up and one by one they are all babbling "oh, they're smoking pot, not me"!!! I just said "Listen, I'm not getting into your business but even a 75 year old can smell what I'm smelling, do you think we're from another planet??" They quickly got their act together and they all shouted Happy Birthday when grandma walked in.

Two hours later, we are back sitting on her porch and the mother of some of these "kids", well she's saying "I know my daughter would never do drugs".

Now what the heck am I supposed to say??? Nobody would believe a word I say anyway. We just have to watch out for OUR OWN HEALTH and take care of ourselves. The next generation, believe me, most of them WON'T BE AROUND TO TAKE CARE OF US.!!!! We are our own best advocates in that department.

I also get this answer (about Smoking and weight gain) when I wait for my Access-a-ride when I leave Cornell Medical Center in NYC after my diabetes appointment. Do you know how many doctors, and nurses, go out and grab a smoke on their breaks. I once asked a doctor (I couldn't resist and she was very friendly), I said "you do know what you are putting in your body right, I mean, it says so right on the pack of cigarettes??" and she laughed and said 'Oh I know, and you probably want to know why I smoke, right?" and I said "Exactly" and she said "I once quit smoking and I gained 40 ls". Never again.

So I said "well, it's well documented that smoking speeds up your metabolism, so naturally if you stop smoking and eat the same way and don't exercise well, until your metabolism gets back to where it will, well, naturally, you'll gain weight!!!" "So why not get the patch, lower your calorie intake, take a brisk walk (the same minutes you give to your cigarette smoking on your break, you could have walked around the block".

She looked at me, burst out laughing and said "It's easier to light up a cigarette". And this was from a doctor. So if a doctor finds it that hard to quit, just imagine the rest of society???

Oh, and I read somewhere that THE NEXT GENERATION WILL BE SICKER THAN WE ARE!!! Because of the obesity epidemic, our children will have more illnesses than we do.

So fast foward 20 years, and just imagine our children at the age of 40 and 50 trying to GET THEIR DOCTORS ON THE PHONE!!!!

Oh brother!!!!!

Melody

Smoking and health care
 

HI Melody:

Before my husband's death in February of 2007, he was in a health care center for the preceding three years. So many of the aides and nurses there smoked cigarettes. There was even a shelter for smokers, including residents and staff, in the outdoor patio.

They had had an indoor "smoking room" but that was discontinued because there was a big problem with the exhaust fans being able to get the smoke outside the building. So they put the shelter on the outdoor patio - it was just like a bus stop shelter and had a heater for our Minnesota winters.

I was appalled that a nursing home would even allow smoking by residents or aides or doctors, or anyone! I suppose this might be economic, that if not allowed to smoke there, people would go elsewhere.

Shirley H.

The Next Generation
 

I've been talking about this with my friends - interesting should come up.... I'm officially a "boomer" and yes, we seem much sicker then our parents generation (most of my relatives lived into late 80's, early 90's)....but whats going to happen with this new generation - I think its just gonna get worse...

So many of us boomers have a plethera of illnesses (and how much can be credited to the destruction of our natural envionrment?)... and I can at least speak for myself and friends - we didnt sit in front of t.v.s or eat fast foot all day, we were not overwieght because we ate good food (fast food e.g. McDonalds for a 15 cent burger was a once a week treat) and played all day riding bikes, skating, neighborhood baseball, etc. - my parents only allowed t.v. at night after homework - even on weekends... we were expected to interact and play with each other, the kids on the street, etc, play board games on rainy games... and even gasp, read! Even eating healthy, getting tons of exercise, and not indulging in drugs or ever over-indulging in alcohol - so many of us are now sick - why? Many of us say environment.....

I think we're now growing a generation of walking disasters - they are going to desparately need all these specialists..... they dont exercise except if in some organized sport - all have t,v.s, computers, and their own phones, and spend much of their time motionaless in front of them.... they dont know how to play any more - or how to read a book (why bother - just google it) - I was always very thin, even eating like a horse - cause I never stopped running around..... with the ridiciulous images today of what is acceptable the increase in smoking is understood - these people dont know how or are just too lazy to try to stay in shape the healthy way.... (this is really sick - I lost 30 lbs in two months a couple years ago due to gastroparesis - I'm 5'7" and was about size 0- it was awful - luckily I had gained an extra 10 lbs due to inactivity from the PN so had a little losing room - the first doc I saw after this said to me - "do you know how many women pay to look like that?" - I changed doctors, he too was pushing the image - its not healthy)

As for smoking - I do have friends that smoke - but its more of an addiction then a cry to stay thin.... if you live in Los Angeles many of the beaches now even are smoke free zones - some whole citites - never in the workplace -theres usually an area if it's a smoking city for a business where employees must go outside and away from everyone else.... an interesting phenomena compared to 20 years ago....

Just some thoughts - but overall - if OUR generation is this sick - what is going to happen to the next? I shudder to think when I look at the kids I know right now graduating from high school..... again, how much of the illness we now see that we did not see before is environment? and combined with the majority of younger people taking even less care of themselves -its scary...

Shirley:
I probably told this story before and if I'm being redundant, then shoot me but it's an important story.

My mother was 75 in 1995. She was in Richie Manor Nursing Home in Florida. They took excellent care of her. MY dad was in there too with congestive heart failure. They actually let them share a room. I would fly down as often as I could but I had sciatica ad most times I couldn't get off the couch.

I once remember they had transferred my mother to another facility. That facility LOST my mother and I was on the phone frantically trying to locate her (I finally tracked her down to a place called The Sunshine Home (if my memory serves me).

Anyway, my mom was a lifelong smoker (as most italians are when raised with 10 brothers and sisters), no one thought it was unhealthy, just look at all those old Humphrey Bogard Films, EVERYBODY SMOKED IN THOSE FILMS!!

So I flew down every few months to visit them and at 7 p.m. at night, there was break for the staff. I would go on the porch with ALL of them and I would notice ALL of them smoked. Now there was my mother INSIDE with her cannisters of oxygen, along with everybody else in the joint with emphasema, oxygen, etc. etc. so once I asked one of the staff "Uh, you take care of these people and they have Emphasema and they are on oxygen BECAUSE they smoke, uh, do you not get a lightbulb moment here?"

This was the only time no one mentioned weight. They all said "we tried quitting, we can't do it".

So I go back inside and my mother (she had dementia for one week and came out of it). There was my mother all made up (I had fixed her hair and did her makeup, etc. as well as all the other people (you have no idea how much of my makeup stayed there in that place, I left eye shadows, and sudden beauty eye creme, and perfume, I mean, who cares?? it made them feel like women again!!!! So I'm wheeling my mom around and she says to me "melody, take some money and go across the street and go buy me a pack of cigarettes". I opened up her pocketbook and said "mom, look what you have in your pocketbook!!!!!" There were 28 packs of cigarettes. I know because I counted them!!!!

She said "Oh, okay!!!!" When I put her back in her bed in the room, I went over to one of the psychiatrists on staff and asked if I could have a quick word with him.

I then said "My mother has been a lifelong smoker and she has emphasema, she had dementia for one week and she thought I lived across the street and could just come and visit her. She no longer has dementia but she just asked me to go and buy her cigarettes and she had 28 packs in her bag, HOW COME SHE IS BEHAVING LIKE THIS??

His response: "your mom has nicotine in her brain, it is so addictive, it's too late, there is nothing we can do. She has emphasema, pulmonary, blah blah", He went on to explain the facts of her condition and how the nicotine affected her brain. I said 'nicotine can do that??" and he said "the nicotine they put in cigarettes now is far stronger than 60 years ago when she started to smoke" (Remember this conversation took place 12 years ago).Just imagine what they are putting in cigarettes now!!!!!

I then asked him "If she has emphasema, how then can she draw the smoke into her lungs, I thought when you have emphasema you can't breathe very well, I mean, she's on all these inhalers, and nebulizers, etc."

His response: "When a person wants to smoke, nothing will stop them". "It's so in their brain, they don't know what they are doing".

So how come the tobacco companies are still allowed to hook people???
Politics, money, you name it.

Oh, on my mother's death certificate, it says "Direct Cause of Death, Emphasema, Indirect Cause of Death - Cigarette Smoking.

Now I have saved this certificate and when I am having a conversation with the people around the corner and THEY BRING UP THE FACT "oh, I can't quit, it's too hard", I have whipped out this certificate, HOPING SOMEONE WILL GET A CLUE!!!! Want to know what I always get??? Oh, don't show that to me, it makes me nervous, THEN THEY LIGHT UP!!!!!

I went to a funeral of my friend who died from Stage 4 lung cancer (she never stopped and she died at age 53 and she died 7 days from her diagnosis), that's right, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 on Friday and she died the next Friday after one chemo session. At the funeral parlor, many people (friends of the deceased) went outside and smoked.

Smoking is insidious, poison, and extremely toxic, not only to the idividual but to anyone else in their presence. My landlord has never come in my house with a lit cigarette. He knows better. I have had a smoke free home ALL MY MARRIED LIFE.

I came out of a home with both parent who smoked. All my mom's brothers and sisters smoked. Every weekend, the family would get together and the smoke that filled the house was disgusting.

And in the past (not so much now), but when I was in my 20's (until I got my own apartment at age 24), every single time, a doctor listened to my lungs, he would say "how long have you smoked?" and I would say "I don't smoke" and they would say "Oh your parents, right??" and I would say "yeah, why". and they would always say "you have the lungs of a smoker".

I have to remember to ask Dr. Fred the next time he listens to my lungs if I still have the lungs of a smoker.

Melody

Melody's letter on smoking
 

Hi Melody:

Thanks for all that very interesting information about smoking and especially what it does to the brain. I had never heard or read that before and am glad to know it.

I have never smoked, neither did my husband. His death was caused by pneumonia and post polio syndrome. He was almost 85.

My father died of stomach cancer at age 49 - he smoked like a chimney. My mother died about age 59 and was remarried to a chain smoker. He later died of colon cancer in his 80s. My mother died of bladder cancer. It is no wonder that I never started smoking! I am now almost 78 and have healthy lungs.

I tried one cigarette about age 9 and thought it was awful. Ugh. I also did a lot of singing and wouldn't dream of damaging my voice!

Hope things go well with you and Alan.

Shirley H.

I have never smoked but most of my friends do or did. At all the eating disorder inpatient programs mostly everyone smoked. They feared too the weight issue. I know for myself up to this issue that didn't get better quickly I took health for granted. Like I said I'm 28 but before this I had bad health problem due to my eating disorder and had been in a cardiac unit twice but bounced back quickly. I recovered last year weight and behavior wise. Young people don't realise there are sometimes no easy quick fixes cause they either don't feel the effects now or don't think it will happen to them. They assume everything can be fixed. I have a friend who because of her ed has to wear a bag because she can't control her bowels. This nerve issue has taught me how important health is and also to not stress about things that really have no meaning. If you don't have your health the rest of things don't have meaning.

Glad to be informative. I love learning stuff!!!! And I especially like LEARNING HOW TO LIVE LONGER!!!

These teens today, well they don't have a clue. If it doesn't look like a cell phone, or an IPOD, they won't even touch it. No one goes to the library anymore. No one bothers to read. I wonder how Barnes and Nobles and our local book store even stays in business. All you really have to do is go to Yahoo or Google and you get the latest info on ANYTHING.

But the sad truth is our teens and young people are yahooing anyone or googling anyone. They're doing the myspace thing and doing text messaging.

Want to know what I found out yesterday while Alan and I were in Dr. Fred's office waiting room??? I was sitting next to to teenagers who were both on their cell phones. Smart looking gadgets, blue flashing lights, all bells and whistles. (Now I have a $19.99 pre-paid little cell thing that only makes phone calls, CAUSE I DON'T NEED IT TO DO ANYTHING BUT MAKE PHONE CALLS OR RECEIVE PHONE CALLS), so every 4 months, I put $50 on it and Alan and both use it for the Access-a-ride or if I go shopping and I have to phone home to see (Alan, do you want this kind of cereal or whatever).

So I start a dialogue with these two teenagers (thank god, I know how to talk to kids, they don't diss me or dismiss me, they seem to be interested when you ask them questions, IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS.. And because I like to learn stuff, well, teens are FULL OF NEW STUFF!!!

So I'm asking questions about text messaging and I get "oh we don't know how much the bill is, our parents pay for everything". I said "how many text messages are you allowed?" and she goes "Oh I have no idea, my parents are in charge of paying the bills, we just use the phone, (and they're giggling up a storm like two complete idiots). So I just smile and say "do you ever use these in the classroom?" and GET A LOAD OF WHAT I WAS TOLD!!!

She leans over conspiratorily and whispers "yeah, we do, but we're not supposed to" I said "really?? how come?" and she whispers, "They search us before we go into class, they make everybody walk through metal detectors and if they find the phones they take it away from us". So I said "why, whatever for?" and she says:

"Well, if one class takes a test, then they take a picture of all the answers and send them to their friends, or they do the text message thing and they ask their friends what the answers are". Try imagining a bunch of kids in one room, giving each other the answers because they are all text messaging each other!!!! But the best was when she said, (still whispering), "Oh, the best part of having a phone that can go on the internet is that if you are taking a test, you just go on yahoo, and type in the questions and you can find out what you need to know, you don't have to study anymore. My friend does this all the time in Spanish Class".

I said "what do you mean she does this in Spanish Class"? She said "well, she has to translate stuff and she can't learn spanish so she just goes to a translation service online and gets the answers".

I just looked at these two (very smart cookies) and said "wow, how original". and they were beaming like the two clueless idiots they actually were.

AND THESE ARE OUR FUTURE DOCTORS AND SPECIALISTS????


Give me a break!!!!

Mel
 

I never smoked nor did my brother,who is 18 months older. But my parents
sure did. I think they smoked 2 packs a day,they never coughed,by
brother and I chronic anything to do with second hand smoke. I still can't
stand the smell of second hand smoke.

Bob who smoked,i think he said when he was a senior in high school when
he started,1/2 pack a day. He stopped 38 years ago,he's 78 now. His
Pulmornary Dr. is married to my Neuro. Bob does have a pstch of
emphasema and uses a puffer. The Dr. said it was good he quit be some
almost always shows up when you get older. But he said he probably
would of been on oxygen or died if he didn't. As i said never smoked but
was always sick with colds,broconchitis,ect. My brother and his wife
never smoked like my husband and me. But his children both do. And
guess who smoked,my child who had Thyroid Cancer. When he found out
he was going to be a dad in the fall,he gave his wife a video cam. We
watched him quit,his first gift for his child. My son gained a little weigh
but he lost that fast when he starded at the gym and has the breath
to run,umm walk first. And i can hug him now without choking.

The diabectic center here just got a ton of money from old man Walton's
( walmart) child who lives here. To do research on Children and diabectes
2. If a child who if born in the year2000 they are likly to have diabectes 2
by the time they are 15 especially boys.

1 thing when we were little we played,i hated going in i loved to play,
of course it could also have been all that cirgarette smoke. :) Sue

I just wish someone would put the Tobacco companies out of business. I have no idea why they are allowed to make a product that already has a warning label on it (and they are the ones who put the warning label there). So how come Congress doesn't pass a bill putting Tobacco companies (like RJ Reynolds, etc. etc.) out of business.

We'd be breathing a lot healthier, that's for sure!!!!!!!!

Take care.

P.S. I called Dr. Fred's office to get Alan's latest blood test results.
Wouldn't you know it, the office closes at 4 p.m. on Friday.

oh well, Monday, bright and early.

Melody, not all kids use their phones to cheat at school. All it takes is a parent who knows how to track everything that they do. I can see who they talk to, who they text to and exactly what times they do these things. If it is during school hours they better watch out for the wrath of mom.

The best part is they know that I will snatch that pretty little phone out of their hands faster than they can say "but mom???"

Oh and they know how much the phone costs because they have to pay half of their text messaging plan. I say if you need to talk to someone pick up the phone, if you want to send them a text you pay for it.

I like the texting because they keep in touch with me better because to their friends it looks like they are texting someone cool when actually they are texting mom to check in. Not that I'm not cool ya know...Sue

You're cool all right!!! And I love your little dolphin!!

Melody