Random healthcare thread

[greek_jester]

Here's a thread for any random healthcare happenings or thoughts that don't seem to warrant their own thread. I'll start it off.

I had a phone appointment with a physio nurse today, covering what my problem is and narrowing it down so that I could be sent the appropriate information and exercises (conclusion: early osteoarthritis or possibly the carpal tunnel cropping up again, do the exercises and call back in October if they're not helping). Part of the admin checklist, though, involved a questionnaire. This included such gems as:

- To ensure we don't discriminate according to race, gender, sexuality, religion or whether you love or hate Marmite... (I answered white mixed (i.e. mongrel) and I love Marmite).

- Have you ever suffered from any neurological, degenerative muscular or dropped on your head as a baby syndrome...

I think she was trying to work out if I was listening! There was an unexpectedly high amount of giggling in this interview...

[RealUnimportant]

I love having health professionals who try to lighten the mood. I just wish I didn't have to see so many of them on such a regular basis...

[Blue Ginger]

I love 'dropped on your head as a baby syndrome'. My sister has this, except she hit the low hanging light instead. Dad was walking her through the lounge and throwing her into the air straight into the light.

30+ years later and she still has a dimple on the top of her head.

[greek_jester]

In my case it was my sister. My mum was stood at the top of the concrete steps on the mezzanine level of the shopping centre with my sister in her arms, when someone barged past her and shoulder-bumped her. She lost her balance and fell down the steps (); she tried to curl herself around my sister, but my sister still ended up with a gash on her head () where she bumped something on the way down (although mum thinks it was more likely the brooch she was wearing rather than a step, since it looked more like a tear than impact damage).

Thankfully there was no lasting damage to either of them, although they were both badly bruised and shaken, and my sister had to be scanned to make sure her skull was intact.

[csquared]

Fireplace ledge. Think cement step. Four stitches.

By the way, when a 14 month old splits their forehead open, they bleed like a son of a bitch.

[BPFH]

In my case, I took out a significant chunk of a tooth - I had a really sharp spike on one of my upper front incisors because I tripped and fell on a slate floor.

[Deserted]

A few weeks ago, [girlfriend] and I were discussing getting me snipped (vasectomy). I've got the VA and I want them to pay for a non-VA doctor to do it -- which they supposedly will.

But I've never met "my" doctor. Hell, I didn't really have one; "my" old doctor retired or something. So now I've got to do the whole "meet the doctor" thing again. In 6 weeks, cuz that's the soonest they could do it. Then I'll have to get the referral approved by whoever approves such things. Then I have to get in to see the doctor I want to do the operation. Then schedule the procedure.

I figure, at this rate, it might finally get done next year.

[Minflick]

Fireplace ledge. Think cement step. Four stitches.

By the way, when a 14 month old splits their forehead open, they bleed like a son of a bitch.

When ANYBODY splits their forehead open it bleeds like a son of a bitch... I have done in my own personal forehead two times - once when I was 2 and standing in the back of a car and the driver braked, and my forehead hit the ashtray on the back of the seat and I needed 3 stitches. Again as a grownup when I stood up while gardening next to the house, and hit the other side of my forehead on a louver window frame and again, needed 3 stitches. Hurt like hell, bled like stink.

[Pixelated]

Story goes that my younger sister, when a toddler, stood up too abruptly ... while standing under a picnic table. The results were about what you'd expect: screaming, blood, a quick run to ER ...

We still joke that they X-rayed her head and found nothing.


My own little contribution: I am on a brief but heavy-duty dose of antibiotics. Pharmacist tells me, cheerily, "If you take one and find your throat closing up, or your face swelling, call 911."

And tell them WHAT, since apparently I won't be breathing!!

For the record, I've never had a bad reaction to drugs (touch wood ... taps cat on head) and I am on my second day of the ABs and having no problems with them.

[csquared]

And tell them WHAT, since apparently I won't be breathing!!

One of the reasons I still have a landline. Hope you are feeling better soon.

[Pixelated]

One of the reasons I still have a landline. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Actually, I do still have a landline ... I'm still using the number of my parents' house, which has been in place for a few decades. It saves me the trouble of having to memorize a new number.

Thank you for your kind wishes. I have no doubt it will clear up. I stupidly left it go longer than I should have, so it'll take a little longer but ... and I am definitely one of those people who take my meds, on schedule, and until there is no more.

[Buzzard]

One of the benefits of a landline: automatic listing of address/location on the 911 dispatcher's screen.
Had a fun one where I couldn't use my voice and trying to get the dispatcher to understand XXX EAST Streetname and 'Medical', not XXX8 and... police?. Cellphones are handy in that they go everywhere, but not every department has the ability (equipment/training) to pull the GPS info from the phone that's calling in.

[csquared]

And not every phone is capable of sending. Still can't pry that old flip phone out of my MIL's hand.

[Pixelated]

Some time ago my optometrist sent me for some additional checkups after finding a 'freckle' on the inside of my one eye. The first specialist she called didn't have a space open until December, so she made an appointment with them. Then she tried other places and made an appointment elsewhere for today. (I have the option of cancelling the other appointment, which I likely will do.)

First hilarious bit: they put in those drops that turn your pupils into dinner plates. Assistant: "Well, at least it's not bright out today." No, it wasn't ... when I went in. By the time I came out (about 2 hours later) it was full sun. Driving home was A LOT of fun.

Second hilarious bit: today's optometrist couldn't find the freckle. After doing a thorough search in both eyes, they put in MORE drops, and then he did another search, finally locating the damn thing in the right eye. "Wow, she has good eyes!" was his comment, about the optometrist who found it in the first place.

[Pixelated]

So I started tonight (literally 10 seconds ago) on my second and more powerful (but shorter) round of antibiotics.

Instructions say to take "with plenty of water."

It's my guess I won't be leaving my apartment for a couple of days ...