Category: aggravations

Help—things are out of hand!

by worrylessjourney, posted in aggravations, frustration, medical, overwhelming, unfixable

It is easy to go insane with anything due to a medical issue today. My Dr ordered a med for me over a week ago. I am blessed to have have the benefit of being covered under a long-term military insurance and so have to use express scripts. For routine medications this is not a problems but when it is a new rx or something expensive then weird things happen. My med was ordered last week. The ES countered with a request for the doctor to approve mailing it. My DR called this in. Then they wanted something more which wasn’t listed. She called again and sent a partial fill to a local pharmacy. The pharmacy, while getting approval, was told that it couldn’t be filled until March 25th. I spoke with the pharmacy and they were going to call again for approval. I called Express Scripts and they told me the drug was shipped out today.

With my experiences in nursing I am at least able to attack the issues with some knowledge and find solutions. It is impossible for the general public to manage such complex systems.

It has also reached the point where if a person is in the hospital they need to have an advocate with them or things go wrong.

What are we going to do about this mess?

Who is “less than” ??

by worrylessjourney, posted in abuse, aggravations, aging, Discernment, prejudice

Writing yesterday I alluded to the fact that being in a residence for independent seniors brings to the front of our view that we are at risk to be ignored by everyone else. Now by saying that I don’t mean that our families just walk away and leave us. Mostly that is not the case. But the reality is that we are deemed “less than.” Less brains, less physical ability and less important. We are the ignored minority.

I love the poems by Ogden Nash and this idea brought to mind a poem that brings out this point very clearly.

Old Men
by Ogden Nash
 
People expect old men to die,
They do not really mourn old men.
Old men are different. People look
At them with eyes that wonder when…
People watch with unshocked eyes;
But the old men know when an old man dies.

This is so very true.. and yet the collection of wisdom, knowledge and ideas here is amazing. We are blessed with so many who have designed things now used by everyone, were professors in just about every field of endeavor. written books both fiction and non-fiction. I could go on and on. We are still alive, thinking, giving, sharing and loving.

In a more alert world we would be considered the “institutional memory” that is so important. It helps to keep us from making the same mistakes over and over.

We are here! We are useful! We are wise! Ignore us and you will be the ones who are “less than”

Insanity is around us

by worrylessjourney, posted in abuse, aggravations, common sense

There is one thing about growing older that is frustrating. We won’t live to help our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren find hope when we self destruct. It is so hard not to worry about the polarization our country is experiencing. How do we get to the point where those with opposing opinions can talk without becoming angry and abusive.

What are we to do? I can remember when our representatives actually listened to each other and considered what was presented to them.

Currently we have states who have banned any abortion even when the mother has an ectopic pregnancy which will kill her. Oh well what, does the life of the mother matter.

Then there are states which allow killing of an infant who is full term and call it an abortion.

Has the whole world gone crazy?

(I know this sounds extreme but I have actually read the laws in the two states above. I have deliberately left out the names.)





More paperwork

by worrylessjourney, posted in acceptance, aggravations, commitment, overwhelming

One of the difficult things during this time is trying to get everything in order to move. When one has lived somewhere since 1976 there is a lot to remember, get changed and the paper work done. Unfortunately my husband is only able to help some. The things he can do are a big help but for the first time I feel the burden is mostly on my shoulders.

I know that all will get done but I do seem to be a little overwhelmed. Oh well. Things will go on and I will be able to relax once all is done.

Paperwork is a pain in the neck and I am throughly tired of it. It seems that everything is much harder than it should be. Always something else needed or something going wrong.

I will survive!

Ever heard about FUD?

by worrylessjourney, posted in abuse, aggravations, anger, confusion, consequences

Today I was talking with my daughter and she mentioned a term that is used in business a lot to describe what competitors do. The term is FUD an acronym for Fear, Uncertainty , and Doubt. I realized how true that phrase is and how often it is used

It is certainly the way of life for the press. If they can spread FUD on a subject then they will get everyone’s attention. In today’s world it may be the only thing we hear both from the news and from politicians running for office. I don’t think that I have heard one positive ad for anyone….have you?

The Black Live Matter issue uses FUD also. In fact some proponents of that movement use it physically with violence. If enough people are afraid maybe it will work.

Today I was watching a British crime drama called Endeavour. Something was said that immediately caught my attention and I was quick to write it down and add it to my quote book. It does relate somewhat to all of this.

“Cruelty is like cancer. It starts with one cell and grows until the whole body is riddled with it.”

The cancer is growing egged on by FUD. What are we learning today?

Violence is good? Fear is good? Hatred toward others is good?

Compassion, love, kindness are bad? Acceptance, understanding and respect toward others is OK for some and not others?

It reminds me of a quote from Benjamin Franklin. “All men are created equal but some are more equal than others.”

What are we to do?

Do I count?

by worrylessjourney, posted in aggravations, expectations, feminine

I have been working filling out the rental application and agreement for the apartment we will live in temporarily in Austin. I think they have asked for everything except my firstborn son.

The interesting thing is that I filled the forms out as the primary renter and my husband as just a resident. What I got back to finish filling out was it all in his name. I guess discrimination against women has not yet gone away. Maybe besides the Me Too movement we need Women’s Lives Matter.

It is interesting how things like that make you stop and think.

Just one more thing

by worrylessjourney, posted in aggravations, consequences, frustration

You would never think that water would be a problem but here we go again. We now have a huge water bill because apparently something happened in April that we were not aware of. At that time I was tending to my recently hospital discharged husband. (still not well) I was barely holding my own. Somewhere, unaware of us, water was left running and caused an enormous water usage. Now there is the problem of scraping up the money to pay all of this to include having plumbers come out to tell us there is no leak now.

HELP!

Just another one of life’s glitches. Just when you think the money is holding up well something hits. There are so many people hurting so much more than us. Many are out of work and have not yet received any unemployment compensation. Many businesses are having to close. Covid has brought us to our knees. I pray that things begin to improve…even if just a little and that those who need help can get what they need.

More aggravations

by worrylessjourney, posted in aggravations, frustration, worry
And many other words I don’t want to write down!

Today was a continuation of yesterday. It seems that none of our current physicians, including the Mayo clinic, consider themselves unable or right, to provide the next medication that my husband needs to switch to on Monday. Surprise, surprise! After spending most of the day working on this problem the Visiting Nurses managed to get him in to see an Infectious Disease specialist who is wonderful. The appointment is for tomorrow morning.

I am really concerned about him although he is better we need to get everything in place for this transition and God willing the meds work. I am so mentally tired that it has also made me physically tired. Tomorrow will tell the tale.

If you pray, pray for us…if not send good thoughts. Peace

Help needed for everyone

by worrylessjourney, posted in aggravations, health, problems
Not just the uninsured…everyone has problems. The doctors seldom talk or agree.

Anyone who has a major or chronic healthcare problem and has to manage their day to day care must be stressed out. I have been managing my husbands care and I am a nurse and have been a case manager (one who handles these kinds of problems) and it is about to drive me into insanity.

This week the IV medication that he receives every 12 hours didn’t arrive and I spent hours on the phone trying to get that fixed. The provider messed up and we didn’t get meds until 1pm today totally ruining his schedule and having him miss a dose of needed medicine.

Then I spent the rest of the day organizing the medicine and care he is to receive following the stopping of the IV meds and had doctors bouncing it between them each saying it is not their job. The medical system has totally fallen apart. Too many doctors with specialties and each one not considering the whole person.

I am grateful that I will be getting him in to see my own primary physician who is wonderful. I am hoping that this will create some harmony in his care and take some of the burden off me. I really don’t know how those with no experience in health care can manage the care of their loved one. I am not surprised to see that some nurses are opening their own business as patient advocates. It is really needed. Heaven help those who don’t have someone to help.

Some people just don’t care

by worrylessjourney, posted in accountable, aggravations, courtesy, unkindness

Today I am starting to feel like a real person. I am getting good sleep, eating right and getting important things done. I didn’t realize how exhausted I was.

Going out to the grocery store and running needed errands I have realized how many people are going around without masks. I am assuming that they just don’t care about the people around them. It is just so tempting to have something to say about their lack of caring but so far I haven’t found the perfect comment to make. Anyone have any ideas? Thank you for exposing me to a possibly fatal illness? is the only thing that comes to mind. I hate wearing a mask but I wear it. Others need to also. It is respectful of those who are immuno-compromised. I have a friend who has a 9 year old with cancer. Getting the virus would probably kill him. Don’t people realize what can happen?

Like most people I don’t want to be exposed to the virus. I don’t want to be sick due to someone else’s uncaring. If only they could understand that we are all in this together.