My life in 3 boxes (possibly the last post for awhile)

a reply to: Komodo

I have to get up early tomorrow & was trying to talk myself
into going to bed when I ran across this.
Now I feel guilty for having a bed to go to & not wanting to!

Maybe there will be some kind of patient advocate,
or something at the hospital, that can help with things?

Sending positive thoughts & prayers that everything works out for the best!!!
Don't lose your positive attitude! I truly believe it makes a difference in life!
I think it's amazing that you have come this far & stayed level headed & optimistic!!!

Maybe you'll be able to write a book about your experience!
Long distance hugs! You're not alone as long as you can 'ATS' !!!
WOQ

a reply to: Komodo

I wont pretend to know what to say. I will just say this.

You are capable of more than you know at any given moment. Others have been in your position before and recovered. What one man can do, you can do.

Hold strong sir. It will be hard I am sure, but in the end if your spirit holds true, you will prevail.

I dont really know you, though I have come to know a few things about you. One of them is that you are a fighter.

Hold it down.

My prayers and intent are with you. I have faith in you.

originally posted by: wasobservingquietly
a reply to: Komodo

I have to get up early tomorrow & was trying to talk myself
into going to bed when I ran across this.
Now I feel guilty for having a bed to go to & not wanting to!

Maybe there will be some kind of patient advocate,
or something at the hospital, that can help with things?

Sending positive thoughts & prayers that everything works out for the best!!!
Don't lose your positive attitude! I truly believe it makes a difference in life!
I think it's amazing that you have come this far & stayed level headed & optimistic!!!

Maybe you'll be able to write a book about your experience!
Long distance hugs! You're not alone as long as you can 'ATS' !!!

WOQ

thank

you so much .. !! I didn't mean to keep you up ... just checking in and giving a quick update.

thanks !

originally posted by: tadaman
a reply to: Komodo

I wont pretend to know what to say. I will just say this.

You are capable of more than you know at any given moment. Others have been in your position before and recovered. What one man can do, you can do.

Hold strong sir. It will be hard I am sure, but in the end if your spirit holds true, you will prevail.

I dont really know you, though I have come to know a few things about you. One of them is that you are a fighter.

Hold it down.

My prayers and intent are with you. I have faith in you.

I can't see my monitor thru all the tears sitting here in McDonalds.. ...

I so appreciate you for speaking your mind...they hit me like a ton of bricks !! Wait till you see my post below ...

a reply to: Komodo
Im sorry for your predicament but there is worse try a few months in a mental hospital for example,I developed schizophrenia and my insurer took months and months to investigate me meanwhile banks,credit cards etc came hunting for me eventually I had to threaten legal action from a no win no fee lawyer.I haven't completely read this thread but its amazing the seachange when these bastards get a letter on solicitors letter head

originally posted by: khnum
a reply to: Komodo
Im sorry for your predicament but there is worse try a few months in a mental hospital for example,I developed schizophrenia and my insurer took months and months to investigate me meanwhile banks,credit cards etc came hunting for me eventually I had to threaten legal action from a no win no fee lawyer.I haven't completely read this thread but its amazing the seachange when these bastards get a letter on solicitors letter head

Really sorry to hear that.. and I do know and have seen others in worst situation than mine..i'm the lucky one with a car for shelter..

yes...they all think they're above the law..

Last night I was headed up to the rest area just up the road from Redmond and saw a hospital sign to take the left .. so I did...due to the onslaught of a viral cold contacted the day I was moving out..

after getting checked in the room assigned to me and vitals and all.. I waited..1 hour & 15mins..the doctor comes in and asks why I came into the ER, I told him .. one..get rid of my runny nose before it turns into bronchitis, "we can't help you with that.. we have nothing here for that..what else is wrong" ...I looked and him and wanted to sneez all my disgust right in his face..!!!! You hear a pin drop for a mile as I sat the scowling at him..and then continued that I was depressed due to homelessness and my legs were twitching and aching and on fire…

"ahhhh.." is all he said.. then said.. " can you stand for me?" as my feet hit the floor my calve muscles had excruciating pain at lvl 9 in them and I was unable to fully stand flat footed on my left foot and yelped as I put pressure on it. "ahh.. so you can stand" I snapped a look at him and said.. "NO...can you not see I can not put full pressure on my left foot..I'm standing tipped toed" !

"can you stand on your toes..?" As soon as I started..the pain shot through my calves again.. and held onto the bed, as he said.." so you can tip toe..ok .. lets go for a walk..." SO wanted to rip his head off right there.. so I took a step and my thighs felt like they just ran a 10k run~! So I had to literally shuffle out of the room to the hall way; he told to go ahead and walk up up the hallway a bit..I shuffled there..FAR from my normal step..

“ok.. walk 10 ft and turn around and walk back” he said.. so I turned as best I could got about half way (maybe 5 feet) and the thighs in my legs started to shake bad and I almost lost my balance grasping for a chair or something and the doctors had as he just stood there.. and I looked at him.. and said.. “I’m going to fall !” ……he stood there!!!.. if it wasn’t for the chair close by .. I would have right on both knees!

So basically back in the room he said.. ”well your walking fine to me you need to find a Primary Care Provider and get a full work up” I was furious and said.. “I just done telling you .. I’m on a 6 week waiting period..”

He said “ well.. I’m going to release you to go home..” I interrupted him and said.. “I’m homeless.. and will probably go to the rest area then”

“oh ok.. GL with that.. I’ll order a Telodor shot to help calm your muscles and leg pain” and walked out..

WOW… I was blown away ! still am.. ! So, I’m contemplating going to Bend Hospital and see if I can better results my legs are slightly better but .. not much..




.

a reply to: Komodo
Hi!
Did you end up going to a different hospital?
That doctor sounds like some we have had close encounters with!
I don't know why some of them even go into medicine!
They have the bedside manner of snakes or something!
The biggest problem we notice, is that nobody really listens anymore!!!

I always thought that anyone who wants to go into medicine,
should have to be in bed at the mercy of grouchy workers
for at least a week, without being allowed out of bed,
or to do anything for themselves.

I bet they would have a whole different perspective on things after that!
If not, then they probably shouldn't be going into medicine!
When you find a doctor who really listens & is compassionate,
you have to hold onto them for dear life, & hope they never move!!!
Which is what usually happens around here!

Hope things will look up soon!
Still sending positive thoughts & prayers your way!
Keep us updated!
WOQ

originally posted by: wasobservingquietly
a reply to: Komodo
Hi!
Did you end up going to a different hospital?
That doctor sounds like some we have had close encounters with!
I don't know why some of them even go into medicine!
They have the bedside manner of snakes or something!
The biggest problem we notice, is that nobody really listens anymore!!!

I always thought that anyone who wants to go into medicine,
should have to be in bed at the mercy of grouchy workers
for at least a week, without being allowed out of bed,
or to do anything for themselves.

I bet they would have a whole different perspective on things after that!
If not, then they probably shouldn't be going into medicine!
When you find a doctor who really listens & is compassionate,
you have to hold onto them for dear life, & hope they never move!!!
Which is what usually happens around here!

Hope things will look up soon!
Still sending positive thoughts & prayers your way!
Keep us updated!
WOQ

I've been putting off head back to bed until Wednesday since I'll be back under normal living quarters, just not sure when how long that will be. Bend is the biggest medical facility in the county here is what I was told, so, we'll see how that goes, but, I remain skeptical.

Beside manners...yeeah...my post above pulls no punches on our ER conversation! 10 years ago, I was taking care of a woman who had advance stages of RA, I was driving her around town when all the sudden she burst into tears and said..something is wrong with my shoulder! I called 911 and since I was driving, and I knew I was close to a hospital and the 911 op called the ER and put a call through and had nurses on standby.

We spent 12 hours in the ER and they took an x-ray and the doctor looking at the photo said he didn't see anything wrong and asked if she wanted to spend the night, she requested it and waited for her RA specialist to come to her later that morning. He comes in, says he's going to look at the x-ray that it would be a few minutes and not more than 2 mins later he comes in with 2 nurses and red faced and says.."you, young lady have a dislocated shoulder...you're going to surgery ASAP and you're going NOW."

Yes...not sure how you could miss that !!!!

Agreed on the finding a compassionate PhD! There's a movie out there with Jeff Bridges(?) who plays a heart surgeon that comes down with possible cancer and tries to go through all the channels but gets stuck as a normal patient going from ground floor check in to trying to get someone to look at him. Great snapshot of where our medical system is today and worst..

People NOT listening....yea...the main HUGE wall I keep running into...and I say the same thing twice over a course of 2 hours, point blank.

a reply to: Komodo

Boy, does that sound familiar!
I used to help take care of my great aunt.
They asked me to go to the hospital,
she was in the ER, had fallen out of bed.

I went & sat with her after they examined her.
She had a big goose egg on her forehead already.
She was in a hospital gown & it was slipping off her shoulder.
As I went to pull it back up, I could see something wrong with her collarbone!

I brought it to the nurse's attention.
Turns out she had a broken collar bone!
Long story short, they hadn't examined anything except her head,
after falling out of bed at the age of 87!

That movie sounds like a good one,
but maybe too true to life & scary to watch!!!
There's just no common sense in the world anymore!!!

Normal living quarters sounds promising!
Good luck with everything!
WOQ

a reply to: wasobservingquietly

wow.. SUPER CRAZINESS right there.. !

I'm totally sure what is the cause of ER doctors NOT seeing this stuff.. !

a reply to: Komodo

Agreed on the finding a compassionate PhD! There's a movie out there with Jeff Bridges(?) who plays a heart surgeon that comes down with possible cancer and tries to go through all the channels but gets stuck as a normal patient going from ground floor check in to trying to get someone to look at him. Great snapshot of where our medical system is today and worst..

That rings a bell for us, Our Neighbour worked for all her life at our Hospital in our city...
She was just an office worker transcribing doctors notes to files.
One year after she retired she became very ill one night and my wife drove her to the emergency department.
They walk in the door and the Neighbour tried to go past the triage desk, my wife explained to her that you have to sign in and wait till they call your name.

The Neighbour was so use to getting treated for no matter what problem immediately that she was in shock.
Most hospital staff get preferred treatment, I figure the reason is if you ain't working we ain't making money or breaking even.

She now knows what 99.99 % of the public goes through just to be seen by a doctor or a nurse.

Good to see you posting Komodo:-)

Regards, Iwinder

a reply to: Iwinder

Good to see you posting Komodo:-)

Thanks ! .. However, FAR from getting back to any kind of normality other than I have a roof over my head and food in my stomach ..

Interesting story! hmmm...makes me wonder if it seriously all boils down to those who have good private insurance and those with state provide insurance.. I'm not even sure if I really want to know that answer..

Yesterday ..

I went up the road to the small open mall area for some job searching …aginst my better wishes …about 3-4 hours worth, most are online .., except for some small specialty shops and non-franchised restaurants, walking around for 3-4 hours..

Today, my thigh muscles feel like I ran a 10k marathon and barely able to walk, and hour into waking around after getting up, my left side of my inside knee where the tendon./ muscle I think attaches.. felt like it ‘rolled’ or something and almost went down to my knees if it wasn’t for the bed railing !!

Tomorrow…I’m head over the rehab center on 3rd for a interview processing to see what is available for me …as in housing, food and whatnot..

There is NO WAY I can work or look for work if I can’t even stand or walk for more than 20 mins before I HAVE to sit down.. my muscles are still twitching like crazy when I relax them...

Tomorrow will be interesting..

Massive Update…

Things are stabilizing a bit more, I’ll have to break them down into categories to help keep track of all that is happening…some good, some not so good…but, your prayers, intents and offerings to the universe/Creator ARE being answered! Most with awesome inspiration! Thx you all!

Short re-cap: (continuing from May 12th…)

Did you guys know, that RV’s, 5th wheels & camper trailers can stay at ALL Wal-Mart’s for free for 2 days ?! LOL I was totally blown away by this…just a little heads up for those on the move.

On the last day of being homeless for 5 days, (which was due to major factor that I couldn’t go to my friends house in the valley because of my severe cold I had contacted, $35.00 in over the counter for Claritin (loved it), Day-Quill and Nyquil (my standard go to meds) & Affrin and 2 boxes of Kleenex)….I decided to call the local churches in the area to see if they could put me up for the last night of being homeless in a hotel. I called as they are listed in my Tom-Tom (GPS, of which NO one should be without, seriously!) after getting the ‘sorry, we can’t help you” even from the affiliations I’m with, I called the next on the list..

“Hi Seventh Day Adventist how can help you?” was the male voice over my phone..
ME: “hi …do you help the homeless?”
Man: “Yes we do! How can I help you today?” said with a very enthusiastic voice
ME: “well, I’ve been homeless for 4 days and I go back to normal quarters tomorrow and was wondering if I could get a room at a hotel to get a shower and a good nights sleep”
Man: “I can do that. Where you at?! I’ll put you up at The Hub just up the street meet you there in 5 mins” he said still enthusiastically.
ME: “thank you so much” nearly in tears…

I had a VERY VERY VERY long shower and an awesome night’s sleep and deep prayer of thanksgiving.

SHELTER

Since then…I’ve been living with my brother and sis-in-law here in Central, OR, in their beautiful home @ 3100sqft and a view of the Deschutes River right off the back deck…

I’ve come to the place where I had to fight through the chronic pain on a daily basis in order to assist around the house instead of vegetating on my laptop, my sis wouldn’t let me anyways and it’s good to not be recluse and let your mind or your body dictate what you can and can not do. I can do house chores with the exception of any bending, squatting, stooping or kneeling.

Every day is a challenge to get up out of bed and do what I can with what I have, while I’m here.

ONGOING MEDICAL ISSUES…

Never did go to the Bend ER, I tufted it out and thought it was just make me more infuriated with more bad news…

Last Thursday, I finally got to go to my Medical Provider patient Orientation and Friday got to meet my PCP (primary Care provider), he took labs and it was as if he never even read the nurses report ...”So…what’s going on?” I just looked at him for a second or two and was about to say … “did you NOT read the report ...?” Anyways, I just ran down the entire list of what put me in this situation in the first place.

After my 5 mins of speel, he said... “Well, I see you have a little bit of depression, I’m going to prescribe Cymbalta it will provide a little bit of pain killing and help with depression and we’ll take some lab work”

ME: “so… Getting a MRI is out of the question then?
PhD: “yes…because I don’t see what could have caused this and I can’t justify creating a 5,000.00 bill”

So I’m now hobbling down the long corridor as my legs have flared up from sitting on the table, they take the blood and I stand up and my legs are so sore I’m completely unable to walk. A nurse at a station sees me and asked if they can help me and I said Yes please. So they put me in a wheelchair and wheel me down to the room I was in before.

The doc comes in and sees me and I look up at him and say...”I can’t walk…” He then tells me well we’ll take a look at the labs and don’t forget to get that Cymbalta, they wheeled me out to my car and I drove home and laid in bed the rest of the entire day till I woke up the next morning. I saw a behavioral health consultant and she was HUGE help and still seeing her. I’ll be looking for another doctor soon.

Now for the good news…!

JOB SEARCH

The oddest of things happened a couple weeks ago, my sis and I were shopping in Goodwill (I had NO idea Goodwill had such a center for helping people find a job…I’ve always thought they only hired for their store directly.) and I reluctantly requested an app for employment, (humbling for me since I have a 20 year career in High-Volume /High-tech manufacturing) she didn’t have one at the desk but directed me to their Job Assistance Center next door. (I was like what..? Job Assistance Center …hmmm..ok)

I walk in ask for an application and the receptionist smiled and said “the store isn’t hiring but you can still fill out the app if you like to put in our system and can help you find a job if you like” I said “Sure!” and explained my situation a bit when I hear a female voice yell out from another office behind me saying,”Did you say you can work on computers?!”

“I can build computers, what do you need?” I replied...

Long story short, I’m currently employed with and going through their 3 weeks of training for customer phone support…IF you need a job, and don’t mind entry level pay @ 10.50/hr during training (12.00/hr after completed training)and living in Central Oregon look them up on the web IBEX GLOBAL. They need 450 full time employees by this fall on the call floor…!

a reply to: Komodo

Just found your thread again.
Glad to read that you found a job!

I hope you found a good doctor that would listen to what happened!
I can't believe that one just prescribed Cymbalta!
How infuriating!
But good for you for not losing it right there!
He was so not worth it!
Plus he probably would have said you had anger issues!

I find, that when they come up against a condition that they aren't familiar with,
or that isn't a fast fix, they get defensive.
Or their ego won't let them admit that they don't know something!
Plus they like just handing out prescriptions.
That allows them to see a lot more patients, more quickly!

The best doc we ever had, (that retired unfortunately),
used to say...'I don't know much about it, but I will find out'!
And that was before computers made it so easy to look up something!
Loved that doc! Best one we ever had!
They don't make them like that anymore!

Looking forward to good news on the medical part too!!!
WOQ

Well, just today I had to file a grievence against the doctor since I haven't heard from them for at LEAST 2 months, currently changing doctors.

Well, see..

originally posted by: wasobservingquietly
a reply to: Komodo

Just found your thread again.
Glad to read that you found a job!

I hope you found a good doctor that would listen to what happened!
I can't believe that one just prescribed Cymbalta!
How infuriating!
But good for you for not losing it right there!
He was so not worth it!
Plus he probably would have said you had anger issues!

I find, that when they come up against a condition that they aren't familiar with,
or that isn't a fast fix, they get defensive.
Or their ego won't let them admit that they don't know something!
Plus they like just handing out prescriptions.
That allows them to see a lot more patients, more quickly!

The best doc we ever had, (that retired unfortunately),
used to say...'I don't know much about it, but I will find out'!
And that was before computers made it so easy to look up something!
Loved that doc! Best one we ever had!
They don't make them like that anymore!

Looking forward to good news on the medical part too!!!
WOQ

Long story short, I’m currently employed with and going through their 3 weeks of training for customer phone support…IF you need a job, and don’t mind entry level pay @ 10.50/hr during training (12.00/hr after completed training)

Wow best news so far in this thread, Komodo this is great and I hope you do well at your new job!

Your Long Long shower and a good nights sleep made me smile.
Good luck on your journey and please keep posting on how things are going for you.

Regards, Iwinder

update:

ugh, had to move from the current residence as of last month, I wasn't able to afford what they were asking and felt it was just time to go; you know that feeling. So I picked up after a quick stop at a friend's house....and I found myself in Newport, OR. ...for now..

Such a very long road to just back on my feet, seems society is totally numb to itself in general; still trying to find medical support for my job injury. It will be going on a year next month.

God some cash in my pocket, but it's going fast LOL...getting on food stamps but that'll be delayed being i got a last check from my last job.

Being homeless at the beach ...is actually ...not to bad...get to see the beach every day, listening to the waves crash and walk it as much as I want.

Got a smart phone with a hotspot ...that is pretty cool, just wish I had a unlimited contract...AT&T ...needs to get withi the ball or they'll be left in the dust ..if they haven't been already; they don't even have unlimited contacts, where as all the rest ..do. LOL..

If someone wants to make their mark in this world, create a nation wide program without gov. funding to support our fellow human beings when the economy crashes and they need help to get back on their feet. If we think "it'll ever happen to me.." it will most likey will...and if you didn't ...you've dodged the 'silver bullet'

I've been to a local church here, but no offers yet. I'll be checking into others here as well. going to be searching hostiles in the area.

any recommendations would be great and very welcomed.

wish you all the best.

VERY large update...

wow...I can't believe it's been Oct of last year I posted on this thread…

So, here goes. Found a small church one Thursday afternoon, I look over and saw a church called ‘Lighthouse’, interestingly enough, it was the same name as the church I used to be an Associate Pastor 30 years ago. So, being on the phone praying with a friend of mine, I walked up and looked inside and saw someone WAY in the back as you can see straight though to the back room from the front door.

It was the pastor, and was covered in paint clothes from head to foot, he cracked the door and said.. “hi “

Me: “are you open ?
Pastor: “no, I was just painting the bathroom, but we will be tomorrow”
Me: “ohh..do you need help? And what’s going on then?
Pastor: “hmmm,,no, I just finished up actually. It’s a prophetic conference”
Me: (knowing what that might entail, I challenged him a bit to get a response), what’s that mean..
Pastor: *smiling at me* it’s where we try hear the voice of God for ourselves to speak prophetically into the lives of others..
Me: I’ll be here tomorrow!!!

What a great conference! Wow! Since then, I’m living in the back of the church and have become the caretaker and main person for all things assistance with events and scheduling and just last 2 months, I’m personally heading up a program and as well as working with Prison Fellowship Ministers (by Chuck Colson) to assist those down on their luck or coming out of the jail to get them back on their feet financially through helping them find work, resources and eventually self-sufficiency with a place they can call home.

I did change my profile picture due to this journey I’m on which all I can say has been such a blessing all in all. Through your prayers and well wishes, I’m warm, dry and have coffee every day only because of Grace ….My heart breaks and prayers go out to those still seeking stability, and are homeless…should you pass by this way, I’ll put you up in my car till you can find a full time job and get back on your feet and are able to pay it forward. I have only one requirement; lift your chin for me every day even though it’s the hardest thing to do, because it’s a new day and It doesn’t rain all the time.

Although, my cell phone is down for a bit, message me with your requests and I’ll pray and see till we get an answer…

~Komodo