As a novice to medical issues I am shocked at how time consuming this is!
We started Monday with eye exams at the opthamologist. Mr Merry's prescription had not changed in ten years, but we ordered new glasses for him since his glasses were ten years old. I got to experience a new student employee so that my preliminary exam took twice as long (or longer). Then the doctor came in and we found out that my cataracts are "ready". I am having surgery on my left eye on the 24th and he assures me that when I see the difference, I will want to do the right eye two weeks later.
After we visit doctors and pharmacies, we are using our newly purchased passes to the city recreation center. There is a track (actually mats) around the basketball courts on the ground floor that is 1/10 of a mile. We change our shoes and do 10 rounds, which is my limit right now. Almost everyone passes me. It is interesting to watch people at the open gym, mostly young men in their 20's. One day we had a wheelchair player, a young man with no legs. Today there was a lady even older than me who could not bend her knees and walked with two crutches, still faster than me. It makes me realize how lucky I am and how I need to keep at it.
Saturday we had to use the upstairs track which is walking on the left and running on the right, due to a basketball tournament. My issue is the stairs leave me breathless and we were unable to find the elevator. Tuesday is my new favorite because the gym floor is used for Toddler Time, lots of adorable children aged four and under with mats and toys. Mr Merry is being a good sport and coming with me everyday.
All this means is that we leave in the morning as soon as we get the grandkids on the bus and try hard to get home for lunch. So much for the leisure life.
I was pretty excited to finally have lunch with friends on Friday but one of my friends has a repair person coming so we had to cancel. I do have a Trader Joe trip scheduled for the next week.
I hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day - it's Galentines Day at my house - and eats lots of chocolate.
I am trying to keep up with everyone's blogs as best I can until I can get my new routine.
Costs of meds is outrageous. Glad you have some visits behind you! Good that you are feeling a bit better!!
ReplyDeleteOh my - that's a lot! Glad the meds are slightly improved. It's terrible what you have to pay for them.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work!
PS - Loved your pics today!
Movement helps at any pace. Keep it up and do what you are doing. I work out with two cardio/pulmonary patients in rehab at the gym and the difference in their mental and physical well being is amazing after getting back to moving.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about the scripts. I feel that if the meds are necessary, insurance should cover it.
One of my friends had to pay $9 thousand to start her last year's treatment for her cancer. I don't understand why life saving meds are so expensive.
Awesome for you doing what you do! Also, the cataract surgery will be amazing, I had mine done 3 years ago.
Miss Merry you're such a fun character you made all this entertaining to read. I had no idea you had this many health issues going on (cataracts? Wow) and I wondered what happened with that $1032 med. You really are on top of things aren't you 👍🙂
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear you're continuing the "rehab" phase of healing with lungs. Those cartoon pics are darling, and just right for your narrative. It made me smile. Gracious me, those meds costs are awful. I've been recommended a new one, and am not thrilled at thinking of how it may cost.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the routine. You're dealing with some of the same doc types as I am (pulmo, cardio, ophthalmology). I was grateful that my pulmo checked before ordering my new meds to see if my insurance would cover and was able to find one as effective but within coverage and different from his first one. So, you might also want to ask your doc if they can help with that. And well done on doing your homework and getting everything done. (The cataract thing isn't bad, but when you have a lot going on at once, it seems pretty overwhelming, so hang in there.) Right now it sounds like you are maneuvering with multiple things happening at once. I am too so I get the frustration and really admire how you are hanging in there. Add to it, getting used to new docs. Just take it one day at a time. You've got this. (You remind me I need to either join a gym or go to the big box store every day and walk till the weather gets better.)
ReplyDeleteMiss Merry, I don't know how you keep up with it all. Those prescription prices are ridiculous. Sometimes I wonder if we should be on some sort of socialized medicine as some countries are... I know, people here don't seem to want that, but IMO everyone should have affordable health care.
ReplyDeleteAs for the cataract surgery, with all that's going on with you, maybe you should put that off for a bit. It's definitely something that could wait. But I do wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!
Oh shoot. We will be here when you get back! I hate the whole 'you are a problem' thing when you are dealing with healthcare stuff.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be on the mend. Our healthcare system is broken. Profit over life is what it often breaks down to. It's great you have a place to walk.
ReplyDeleteOh Miss Merry! I'm glad to see that you've kept your sense of humor with the photos. It's been crazy few weeks again here. After my colonoscopy last month and some polyps removed, one was too big so I was scheduled for another one which was Tuesday. So, another wonderful prep., a specialized surgeon and surgery was 3 hours long with a 13 inch mass was removed! I came home just a few hours later. The biopsy came back benign this morning. However the surgeon actually called me today and said she did see some probably pre-cancerous cells and wants to repeat with another colonoscopy in six months. Then last night I had to take a medication at 11:00 pm and be at the lab for 13 vials of blood to be taken to check on a nodule that was found on my adrenal gland. Next week I have a CT scan with contrast. Getting old isn't for sissies is it?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about the meds. They are ridiculous, but a little better than they were a year ago. At least the ones that we take. Many think that socialized medicine is the answer, but knowing people in the UK, Japan, Denmark and a few other countries, their taxes are ridiculous compared to ours. You pay one way or the other and we usually don't have to wait nearly as long for care. That's not to say that things aren't way too expensive. Some of that is also American's penchant for malpractice suits. Alex almost didn't get care for his broken back in Japan because he was American and they were afraid we would sue if something went wrong. It's all very sad.
BUT...I'm so glad that you are on the mend and can also feel the difference with the exercise, etc.
You are in my prayers.
Blessings and love,
Betsy
Be sure and check (or have your pharmacist check) with GoodRx to see if you can get lots of meds at a much lower cost. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteFeel this in my bones.
ReplyDeletersrue.blogspot.com
That's a lot of medical stuff to deal with at one time! I hope it levels off soon.
ReplyDeleteI saw that someone already mentioned GoodRx. We've had good luck with that one when we had to get human prescriptions for pets, and occasionally it has been cheaper to get my prescriptions with a GoodRx code than to use my insurance.