----------------------------------------------------------------------- December 16, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- As some know, I was diagnosed with high BP in Oct. 1996 and had been undergoing treatment, that is until 2000 (last Dr. visit June, and the Procardia 60XL pills lasting until sometime into 2001). The "plan" was to keep an eye on the BP with home device (but didn't). Feb. 2004 I had what was likely a TIA (apx. 30 min. numbness/weakness right side) - I should have had my BP checked by MD then. Water under the bridge, etc. Monday (Dec 13) after doing more of the interminable yard hacking (lots of sawing, pruning, and pole-lopper cutting - using right arm) I got rather dizzy and quit that for a while. That passed, and in the afternoon I was back to west ("temp") fence construction. That was most arduous in using a hand-powered staple gun (thick vinyl plastic to the pickets, etc.) so the resultant weakness/numbness of my right hand/arm was ascribed to muscle fatigue (it's happened before, but only briefly lasting). Tuesday - got electric-powered staple gun to avoid over-taxing hand/ arm. Lots easier! Only screwed on some horizontal tomato stakes to minimize plastic billowing - and that with a powered screwdriver - about 20'+ in 5 segments. Finishing that I noticed visual disturbances like the recurring "migraine visual aura" (no headache) that I've had since 1989 - (there seems to be a maternal-side genetic link there) only more intense, longer duration, and repetitive. Tried home BP device and it seemed to be malfunctioning. Wed - late in day got another BP device - cuff is a bit small so its accuracy may suffer. First run - 277/85 - try to get appointment with Md - earliest Friday 11:15 am. Suggest maybe go to Santa Rosa ER on Babcock. Later runs: 270/94 and 275/95. Decided to see what Thurs brings - 270/99. Lower number is the heavier concern. Until the diagnoses/treatment is solidified my absence from Slapshot postings will have to mystify those who notice it. I don't know at this point if such will involve a simple out-patient therapy, MRI, etc. What I do know is that I have lost most of my ability to do 2-handed touch typing. Without keeping an eye on the right hand it's liable to end up anywhere on the KB - even if I think that it's at rest. I'm not so sure that the left hand is 100%. So, this composition has been a time-consuming affair involving a lot of one-finger hunt-n-peck, many backspace corrections, etc. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE December 22, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday (Dec 17) - seen at appointment (around noon), but it's beyond their ability to deal with so write note for me to take to ER at Medical Center Hosp. with their reading of 260/150. Triaged there rather quickly, but their efforts at lowering BP (and releasing me) unavailing, so I'm finally admitted after midnight (do the math). ER CT scan indicative of small left-side of brain stroke. My right side is far from weak, but I lack fine motor skills in hand. Sat Dec 18 - medications to lower BP only marginally effective and short-lived. They can't risk lowering it too much and too fast. Brain MRI foreseen. Sun Dec 19 - much the same as Saturday - but getting 3 meals, etc. Mon Dec 20 - things speed up, echo-cardiogram verifies what EKG(s) suggested - an enlarged left ventricle. Moved to another room with telemetered heart monitor as my potassium levels low. May be discharged as soon as meds stabilize BP. Infused with two small IV bags of potassium chloride (diluted with bag of isotonic saline). Tue Dec 21 - 3 am awakened and wheelchaired to MRI - seemed to take 25-30 min in that incredibly confined and noisy (even with foam earplugs) space. Later in day FOUR more small bags of KCl infused (even diluted, painfull). BP coming down so I expect later-afternoon discharge with prescription(s). Then at c. 1530 CST the Drs. say that the MRI ops claim that it was never even done! Classical case of CYA by some incompetent techs that screwed up after my session as I was told that I "did well" by one. One thing that sure better not show up on ANY bill!!! (Wish that some disciplinary action could be instituted on those responsible.) On that sour note, I was discharged c. 1600 CST with prescriptions and advised a low-salt diet (2g/day). Additional treatment/exams may be pending, but my lack of any medical insurance "complicates" the prognosis. The no-refill meds are a 30-day supply only. Due to the drastic effect on my right-hand typing, any e-mails and postings will be severely reduced. (Voice-recognition software ?) Thus my handling of inquiries in detail via e-mail is not likely. I can still read e-mail, browse Web, etc well with mouse (I'm left-handed). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE December 29, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- unitemized hospital bill arrived - $ 8,457.75 should have an itemized one by Friday (to see if the "lost" brain MRI is on it!) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE December 31, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- scans of itemized medical bill (over 200-kb jpg's each) http://www.qsl.net/wa5iyx/mb0412-1.jpg http://www.qsl.net/wa5iyx/mb0412-2.jpg http://www.qsl.net/wa5iyx/mb0412-3.jpg http://www.qsl.net/wa5iyx/mb0412-4.jpg no MRI listed ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE January 12, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- My left (non-amblyopic) eye now has visual evidence of possible retinopathy from BP effects with about a 5% field defect (fixed location but otherwise somewhat dynamic in details) distractive to reading, etc. An ophthalmoscopic exam definitely needed on that. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE January 14, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The MCH hospital bill is discounted by 30% so the double-billing for two $85 metabolic scans in one day is quickly forgotten and not pushed as an issue. However the MDs' fees of c. $1k probably wont be so similarly adjusted downward. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE January 19, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This http://www.medhealthplus.com/index.php/faq/ $50/mo entered into (suggested by someone at the office that handles the house insurance) is really only a discount (up to 30%) on covered fees/procedures done at approved (participating) facilities. (But, effective immediately and it DOES apply to pre-existing condx.) [Though now it likely wont become effective until the "card" arrives in the "package", in ~2 weeks time.] Also considered for a while ... http://www.unicare.com/maj_bus/individual/texas/index.htm (TV ad) at $80/mo is a complex web of different plans that may pay up to 50% (or more) of covered fees/procedures done at "approved" facilities. It will NOT cover pre-existing condx. until 12 months of coverage has elapsed. http://www.kera.org/lifeinthebalance/transcript.pdf A 25-page transcript of a KLRN program scheduled to air on Jan 27th. Many very-familiar situations therein, but it also had a lot of strong revelations (for me) about the real mess that public health care has become in Texas. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE January 21, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- see http://www.qsl.net/wa5iyx/jan21dev.txt for the lenghty details ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE January 2x, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. fees now seem to have pending some $600 "MRI consulting fee". That'd be for the "never-done" brain MRI of Dec 21st. It's possible that the "lost" data could have been "found", or that the data being "consulted" is not even mine! It remains an unresolved billing issue. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE January 28, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- see http://www.qsl.net/wa5iyx/jan27eye.txt for eye exam results ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE February xx, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- More itemized updates of the Drs. fees show that the "MRI consulting fee" was NOT that afterall but a combination of charges for the Dec 17th ER CT head scan "consulting fee" and other additional cardiology-related items incurred during my Dec 18-21 hospital stay. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE February 10, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- see http://www.qsl.net/wa5iyx/feb10eye.txt for eye exam results ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Pat Dyer - WA5IYX