I have another meeting with another Surgeon on Tuesday. After that I should know how soon before I will be doing dialysis at home. My diet would become less restrictive when that happens. The only thing I would have to worry about is salt.
January 18 I have a meeting with the transplant folks to start my transplant evaluation. They will do blood tests to figure out my perfect match, map out my arteries and veins, as well as figure out if I am mentally and emotionally stable. About a month after that, I will be officially placed on the transplant list and they will begin to test the now 10 people that have voluntered to see if they are a match, beginning with family. I figure the earliest would be April for a transplant but this summer is more realistic.
Words cant adequately express the gratitude I feel to the 10 people that have volunteered. I have told them all thanks but that doesnt seem to be enough. Anyway, thank you again to those people and to all of the people that are sending me their support, encouragement, and prayers.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Today in History
Fifty years ago today, a man received the first organ transplant. It was a kidney from his brother. With the invention of anti-rejection drugs and new surgical procedures, people that receive kidney transplants can live a long and normal life.
Things I Hate
1) Drivers that ignore pedestrians in crosswalks. I now carry pennies in my hand as I cross busy streets. If someone decides to drive on through (despite it being illegal to do so), I fling the pennies against the car.
2) Wal-Mart. I hate that fact that they dont think I should be able to hear whatever I choose to hear. I recently was in the mood for Johnny Cash so I bought his greatest hits. When I listened to it, I was shocked that when I got to the part in "Boy Named Sue" where Sue calls his dad a SOB there was a beep where the phrase should be. Nowhere on the CD did it say "clean version" or that Sue was a "radio edit." In Wal-Mart I can buy "Goodfellows" on DVD and listen to Joe Pesci drop the F-Bomb over 3 dozen times. I can buy a video game where I can choose to kill some people. I can go to the sporting goods section and buy a knife or bullets that I can use to commit bodily harm but I cant listen to "Boy Named Sue" as Johnny Cash, one of the best artists of the late 20th century, meant for me to hear it. Something is wrong here.
Things I Hate
1) Drivers that ignore pedestrians in crosswalks. I now carry pennies in my hand as I cross busy streets. If someone decides to drive on through (despite it being illegal to do so), I fling the pennies against the car.
2) Wal-Mart. I hate that fact that they dont think I should be able to hear whatever I choose to hear. I recently was in the mood for Johnny Cash so I bought his greatest hits. When I listened to it, I was shocked that when I got to the part in "Boy Named Sue" where Sue calls his dad a SOB there was a beep where the phrase should be. Nowhere on the CD did it say "clean version" or that Sue was a "radio edit." In Wal-Mart I can buy "Goodfellows" on DVD and listen to Joe Pesci drop the F-Bomb over 3 dozen times. I can buy a video game where I can choose to kill some people. I can go to the sporting goods section and buy a knife or bullets that I can use to commit bodily harm but I cant listen to "Boy Named Sue" as Johnny Cash, one of the best artists of the late 20th century, meant for me to hear it. Something is wrong here.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
me and blogging
When I first started my blog, I had a vision of what I would do here. I would rant sometimes, I would use it as a diary at other times, and fill-in the blanks with observations and general wackiness. My diagnosis of renal failure October 6 changed all of that. I now use it mostly as a way to let friends and family know what is going on in my life with regards to the renal failure. Although I proof the blog before posting, I dont spell check (which may be obvious) and I dont edit that much as I feel it captures accurately who I am and what I am going through.
Today, I want to take a small step away from the norm and go on a rant (although it is related to my situation). I just want to share my feelings about tort reform. Several people say that the reason medical malpractice insurance is so high is because of the high number of lawsuits. I disagree with that strongly and will outline what I believe is the true reasons for high insurance costs for doctors.
1) lack of competition. In this state, there is really only ONE medical malpractice insurance company which is ran by the medical trade association. Basic business classes teach you that if you have a monopoly, you can charge whatever you want.
2) failure to police themselves. For years, doctors have fought legislation to get rid of the incompetent quacks by saying that they need to police themselves. As a result, few doctors have been punished for being idiots and as a result all doctors have to pay the inflated costs to cover these quacks. The quacks keep practicing and keep on being incompetent and the result is higher costs to insure the good doctors. Florida just passed an intiative that provides for 3 strikes and your out for doctors. I think this will go a long way in getting rid of doctors that shouldnt be practicing anyway.
Those that blame the lawyers say that if you cap the rewards to $250,000 that are awarded when doctors screw up and are sued, that you will reduce the number of suits and the prices for medical malpractice insurance will drop. Of course this will protect the incompetent doctors and allow them to keep practicing and keep making mistakes (further driving up the costs). Here is what else really happens when you cap damages: The person injured by the doctor loses hugely. Lawyers take medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis. They dont take cases unless they think they can win and then they charge from 40-50% for their services (which usually includes the costs of experts from both sides, and court costs). The $250,000 cap doesnt include "actual damages" which is the costs for hospital stays and the like (which has to be repayed to the insurance company). Suppose you are 30 years old and a doctor does something stupid and you cant work for the rest of your life. You sue and get the $250,000 awarded to you by a jury. Your lawyer gets half leaving you with $125,000. Uncle Sam gets at least $45,000 leaving you with $80,000. Of that $80,000 you will have to pay for ongoing medical bills for the rest of your life, as well as feed, clothe and shelter yourself. Meanwhile, the doctor is free to go on injuring other people. Although this isnt the case with me, I still think that it is not right for people to be considering changing the laws of this country in such a stupid way.
In other news, I made it official last week and retained the services of an attorney to go after the doctor that didnt follow appropriate medical protocol and got me into this condition. I am trying to get in to see another Nephrologist but his dialysis clinic is full so I have to wait for them to get an oppening. I am also trying to get outpatient surgery scheduled soon so I can change to dialysis that I do at home while I sleep (they have to put something into your abdominal cavity to do this). I am also trying to get my evaluation scheduled so I can get placed on the transplant list (they have to do blood tests to determine your perfect match, map out your arteries and veins, and then I have to meet with a shrink to see if I am mentally stable). So far I have 8 people that wish to be tested to see if they are match. Words cant describe the gratitude I have towards these people. I would like to think that I would do the same thing if the roles were reversed but I cant guarantee what I would do.
Today, I want to take a small step away from the norm and go on a rant (although it is related to my situation). I just want to share my feelings about tort reform. Several people say that the reason medical malpractice insurance is so high is because of the high number of lawsuits. I disagree with that strongly and will outline what I believe is the true reasons for high insurance costs for doctors.
1) lack of competition. In this state, there is really only ONE medical malpractice insurance company which is ran by the medical trade association. Basic business classes teach you that if you have a monopoly, you can charge whatever you want.
2) failure to police themselves. For years, doctors have fought legislation to get rid of the incompetent quacks by saying that they need to police themselves. As a result, few doctors have been punished for being idiots and as a result all doctors have to pay the inflated costs to cover these quacks. The quacks keep practicing and keep on being incompetent and the result is higher costs to insure the good doctors. Florida just passed an intiative that provides for 3 strikes and your out for doctors. I think this will go a long way in getting rid of doctors that shouldnt be practicing anyway.
Those that blame the lawyers say that if you cap the rewards to $250,000 that are awarded when doctors screw up and are sued, that you will reduce the number of suits and the prices for medical malpractice insurance will drop. Of course this will protect the incompetent doctors and allow them to keep practicing and keep making mistakes (further driving up the costs). Here is what else really happens when you cap damages: The person injured by the doctor loses hugely. Lawyers take medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis. They dont take cases unless they think they can win and then they charge from 40-50% for their services (which usually includes the costs of experts from both sides, and court costs). The $250,000 cap doesnt include "actual damages" which is the costs for hospital stays and the like (which has to be repayed to the insurance company). Suppose you are 30 years old and a doctor does something stupid and you cant work for the rest of your life. You sue and get the $250,000 awarded to you by a jury. Your lawyer gets half leaving you with $125,000. Uncle Sam gets at least $45,000 leaving you with $80,000. Of that $80,000 you will have to pay for ongoing medical bills for the rest of your life, as well as feed, clothe and shelter yourself. Meanwhile, the doctor is free to go on injuring other people. Although this isnt the case with me, I still think that it is not right for people to be considering changing the laws of this country in such a stupid way.
In other news, I made it official last week and retained the services of an attorney to go after the doctor that didnt follow appropriate medical protocol and got me into this condition. I am trying to get in to see another Nephrologist but his dialysis clinic is full so I have to wait for them to get an oppening. I am also trying to get outpatient surgery scheduled soon so I can change to dialysis that I do at home while I sleep (they have to put something into your abdominal cavity to do this). I am also trying to get my evaluation scheduled so I can get placed on the transplant list (they have to do blood tests to determine your perfect match, map out your arteries and veins, and then I have to meet with a shrink to see if I am mentally stable). So far I have 8 people that wish to be tested to see if they are match. Words cant describe the gratitude I have towards these people. I would like to think that I would do the same thing if the roles were reversed but I cant guarantee what I would do.
Sunday, December 05, 2004
Most recent news
Yesterday I got a call from my soon to be ex-Nephrologist with the news that my kidneys are 80% damaged and that the damage is irreversible. I am now on the transplant list. Soon I will be on a different dialysis that I have talked about that I do at the my house while I sleep. I also hope to have another Nephrologist by the end of next week.
What really pisses me off is that the Nephrologist called me to tell me this and didnt think that this type of information should be handled one on one.
I think I am handling the information pretty well. As is my wife and my parents (the first people I told). I can live a long, normal life with only one kidney.
If you or anybody you know is 18-60, healthy, have O+ blood, and interested in giving me a kidney, please let me know. Thanks.
What really pisses me off is that the Nephrologist called me to tell me this and didnt think that this type of information should be handled one on one.
I think I am handling the information pretty well. As is my wife and my parents (the first people I told). I can live a long, normal life with only one kidney.
If you or anybody you know is 18-60, healthy, have O+ blood, and interested in giving me a kidney, please let me know. Thanks.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Another reason I hate my Nephrologist
IF YOU ARE EATING OR HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THIS ONE.
Last week after they injured my renal artery, I had a lot of blood in my urine, as one would expect. The day I got out of the hospital, I had the feeling I had to go pee but nothing would come out (a feeling I told the kidney doctor about earlier in the week but at that time was still able to pee). A catheter was used to drain my bladder and then removed. I peed normally and was discharged. I came home, ate lunch, peed again, and then took a nap. When I awoke the feeling was back and I couldnt pee. After eating turkey, I went to the ER where another catheter was installed and left in.
Today I went to an Urologist. I told him of what had happened and he said that this would be easy to fix. He seemed shocked when he asked if I had seen an urologist while in the hospital and I told him no. I have a couple of prescriptions and the catheter comes out tomorrow.
A lot of people have asked what it is like on dialysis. The answer is pretty boring. They hook you up to the machine and a blood pressure monitor. You weigh in before and after dialysis, which for me lasts 3.5 hours. There are around 20 people on dialysis at the same time and place I am. Usually 5 nurses are there. They rotate who has which group of patients each month. This month I am lucky to have the nurse that all of my fellow patients try to avoid. She is extremely lazy and not much of a bedside manner. I have been spoiled the last 2 months with the 2 nurses that everybody loves to have. Anyway, while on dialysis you are supposed to be still. Most people sleep. I usually bring a portable DVD player and watch a movie. In my end of the room there is a guy in his 60's that is almost blind and had a foot amputated. He makes musical notes when he snores and has an airbrushed T-shirt that proclaims he has his oil changed 3 times a week (a reference to the dialysis). Next to him is a woman that talks to herself and wears a shirt that says not to talk to her when she is talking to herself. There is another woman at the end that I havent gotten to know as she comes in and goes straight to sleep. Next to me is the first patient to have received dialysis from the clinic. Nice grandfather type. He reads the paper and listens to a walkman to kill time. A few people down is a guy that didnt come too often until the staff threatened to put him in the hospital. At the far end is "chatty cathy". Not sure of her real name but she likes to talk to everybody about everything. There is 2 office staff people that come in and out, a director of nursing that used to be at the clinic all of the time but is having to spend some time at another clinic right now due to some staff problems, a dietition that comes in and out, a social worker that comes in and out, and then the occasional visit by a doctor. I am the youngest person there. Some are there because of genetics others because of hypertension or diabetes and then there is me, who is there because of an incompetent quack. On Mondays, a lot of the patients are there really early because they are miserable, most likely from not following their suggested diet, since they havent been on dialysis for 2 days. Sounds like a fun place to be, huh?
Last week after they injured my renal artery, I had a lot of blood in my urine, as one would expect. The day I got out of the hospital, I had the feeling I had to go pee but nothing would come out (a feeling I told the kidney doctor about earlier in the week but at that time was still able to pee). A catheter was used to drain my bladder and then removed. I peed normally and was discharged. I came home, ate lunch, peed again, and then took a nap. When I awoke the feeling was back and I couldnt pee. After eating turkey, I went to the ER where another catheter was installed and left in.
Today I went to an Urologist. I told him of what had happened and he said that this would be easy to fix. He seemed shocked when he asked if I had seen an urologist while in the hospital and I told him no. I have a couple of prescriptions and the catheter comes out tomorrow.
A lot of people have asked what it is like on dialysis. The answer is pretty boring. They hook you up to the machine and a blood pressure monitor. You weigh in before and after dialysis, which for me lasts 3.5 hours. There are around 20 people on dialysis at the same time and place I am. Usually 5 nurses are there. They rotate who has which group of patients each month. This month I am lucky to have the nurse that all of my fellow patients try to avoid. She is extremely lazy and not much of a bedside manner. I have been spoiled the last 2 months with the 2 nurses that everybody loves to have. Anyway, while on dialysis you are supposed to be still. Most people sleep. I usually bring a portable DVD player and watch a movie. In my end of the room there is a guy in his 60's that is almost blind and had a foot amputated. He makes musical notes when he snores and has an airbrushed T-shirt that proclaims he has his oil changed 3 times a week (a reference to the dialysis). Next to him is a woman that talks to herself and wears a shirt that says not to talk to her when she is talking to herself. There is another woman at the end that I havent gotten to know as she comes in and goes straight to sleep. Next to me is the first patient to have received dialysis from the clinic. Nice grandfather type. He reads the paper and listens to a walkman to kill time. A few people down is a guy that didnt come too often until the staff threatened to put him in the hospital. At the far end is "chatty cathy". Not sure of her real name but she likes to talk to everybody about everything. There is 2 office staff people that come in and out, a director of nursing that used to be at the clinic all of the time but is having to spend some time at another clinic right now due to some staff problems, a dietition that comes in and out, a social worker that comes in and out, and then the occasional visit by a doctor. I am the youngest person there. Some are there because of genetics others because of hypertension or diabetes and then there is me, who is there because of an incompetent quack. On Mondays, a lot of the patients are there really early because they are miserable, most likely from not following their suggested diet, since they havent been on dialysis for 2 days. Sounds like a fun place to be, huh?
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