frustrated with staff at dr. office

First and foremost.. thanks for reading. If I tell hubs about this latest call from the OB's office, he is going to tell me to find another doctor.

I really do love the OB.. he is super nice, kind, sweet, & the kind of person you can trust.

His office staff on the other hand is none of those. Maybe I'm a little hyper critical on them, because, I did a lot of medical training in college, but after 2 years of schooling, decided that wasn't the field for me..

This all started last Friday.  I was in the office on Thursday for my 6 week appt.. ( yes I know early ) had to explain this 100 times to the office people. Every single one of them said we don't see OB patients til 8 weeks.  I said. my Na.Pro doctor out of state wants me to be seen/ verified at 6.. Well they don't understand Na.Pro & they couldn't comprehend that someone might seek a doctor outside of their office.
After I saw my doctor on Thursday, he said schedule an ultrasound for next Thursday. Which I did. & I'll see you then. The horrible phlebotomist  drew blood (what she was drawing for she wouldn't say ). I still have the bruise to prove that she butchered me.  So on Friday, one of the nurses from the office called me at 1:52PM. The office closes at 2pm on Friday. I didn't recognize the phone number, so I didn't answer it. By the time I called back in 2 minutes, they had already shut their phones off for the weekend.  The only message she left was. Congratulations you're pregnant ( they must have a bunch of slow people there, cuz I've been told by 5 different people I'm pregnant ) Geez I know.. give it a break.  Then she says, the doctor wants you to schedule an ultrasound this week, she says so call right away, cuz they are super busy. She says oh yeah your labs were good. ( which lab did you run )

So I call on Monday ( cuz she said on Friday it was urgent I call right away ). She says oh your labs were good.. I said what labs, she says.. oh yeah what's your name,, so i can look up your chart.   so after she fumbles around. She says oh your progesterone. I said great what was the #. she says.. well the doctor said it was good.. I said again,, what was the #. ( the Na.Pro ) doctor asked me to e-mail it to him, when I had it run again. She says oh well it is 40.. okay.. Thanks I say. She says but he wants you to schedule an ultrasound.  Then she says.. why are you having one before 8 weeks.. Instead of getting into a long conversation w/ someone who doesn't care, I said, because he wants to be sure everything is okay.. Then she's like well why wouldn't it be?  So then she starts typing on the computer.. well we have an opening on .... Wait you are already scheduled for one..3:30 Thursday. Why did you do that.. I said Thursday when I was there & he told me to schedule one. She's like oh well okay.. you are good then.

Fast Forward to Wednesday. 9am.I received my "reminder" phone call (from a live person in their office) about my 3:30pm ultrasound on Thursday.  Great.. see you then.  Fast forward to 3:20pm on Wednesday.  Hi, Doctors office calling. Um yeah.. you have an ultra sound tomorrow.. I said, yes, thanks for calling.. ( I almost hung up, cuz I thought it was a second reminder call )  She says.. yeah..well our ultrasound tech only works til 3pm.. I said okay..  she says.. so when do you want to reschedule for. ( there is never an apology, or sorry for the inconvenience ) The funny thing was.. the 3pm slot was booked, when I scheduled mine. I think they had a cancellation.. so instead of saying would you mind coming in a 1/2 hour early.. No! they make it out like I booked something wrong. So I still don't get if the lady works til 3pm.. how she is going to do me at 3pm.. but whatever.. Cuz that's when they re-booked  me for. So now I have to get up for work even earlier. so I can leave earlier to go there.   This is a regular occurance at this office.. which is why I'm going to see him at the other location, but I have to do my ultrasounds at this office.. I am toying with writing a letter to the practice manager..  but I don't know that it will make me feel any better, cuz I feel if I write a letter, that they need to make changes & if they don't it's useless. 

Tomorrow is the last day, a bunch of bosses are gone at work,, So I can fly out of here under the radar..  So If I had to reschedule for next week, it would be more noticed. Gonna be interesting, cuz I will have to go there in 2 weeks for my nurse OB appt ..  My blood pressure I can guarantee will be high.. cuz of those crazy idiots.  I need to work on my stress level, when I visit them. anyone have any suggestions. I think I might rock out to some S.irius  X M on the drive to the appointment tomorrow.

Sandy

My sister on Cape Cod, sent me this picture of Sandy's wrath. there is normally is a beach in front of all the dune grass.  The water is coming up in path between the dune grass too.  High tide, is really high !

Praying that everyone is safe that is in her path.

100th Post

WOW. I started blogging just over a year ago. I didn't think I would have the determination or much to write about, after about five posts.  I guess I was wrong. 

I have learned so much about infertility, treatments, protocols, life experiences from everyone's blogs.

I should be super happy that we are finally pregnant for the first time ever in 6 1/2 years. I feel sadness that not more IF bloggers are making the transition too.  It still doesn't feel real yet. I still feel like an IF'er. 

I don't know if God was listening, but I had my heart set that this was the last cycle, that I was going to take all the pills, vitamins, and try. The na.pro doctor I was seeeing wanted to do surgery and I didn't want to. So I figured I was at the end of my road.

I saw my OB yesterday for the first time since Dec 2010.  He was a little shocked to see me. He hasn't done NaPro training but sees  a lot of NaPro patients.  I asked him to do NaPro training, he says he's super busy.. I guess everyone is.. but I said to him, without it. I wouldn't be here.  When I pulled out my colorful chart, he smiled. He calmed all my 'current fears. He told me I was doing great.. He said I was too early. to do an ultrasound. I'm only 6 weeks. . So I am going back next week for an early ultrasound.  Just to make sure everything is good. I told him his office staff really stresses me out. ( my blood pressure & the traffic was evidence of it ). He recommended I make my appointments at his small rural office. He said the only thing I will have to come to the main office for is ultrasounds.. I told him I could deal with that. It just means that I will commute over an hour for appointments. I told him starting next month my husband can come to appointments & it will eleviate my stress of driving ( I have come to dislike freeway driving ). He gave me uninterrupted 15 minutes with him, in the office yesterday.. I asked all my questions unlike the nurse who.. just referred me to the bag of pamplets she handed me when she bounced in & prounounced. guess what you're pregnant.. I was like,geez I knew that.   Why were their samples for 12 different pre-natal vitamins in there ?  So confusing.. I said what about the prescription I am already taking. she says to me.. well try them all..  . The doctor said.. just be firm with the office what you want when you call.. he said I am always here to answer your questions. He assured me that if I go to the small office.. That I will only have to see one other doctor  & that he WILL be there for the delivery of this miracle. Their big office has 6 other doctors. that I would have to rotate in with. Several of which, I'm not too happy with their ratings on the doctor rating sites. My doc has an A++ record. We had a nice conversation about pregnancy diet.. I said I was super worried about eating the right things.. since I have just lost 50 lbs. and had been on the restricted diet.. of no gluten, dairy, red meat etc. We talked & he made me feel much better, his exact words were, eat what you want, you know what is healthy & what is not.  He said now if you start having adversions for cheeseburgers 3 times a day, then we'll talk but otherwise.. keep doing what you are doing. He said I was very lucky to not have any morning sickness, or be exhausted.. He said you must be doing something right with the diet. I have so much energy.. that I'd say 50% of my Christmas shopping is done and tonight I might start wrapping it.

I will be praying for those IF'ers out there still longing for a child, however that child may come to them.

Convincing

Does anyone have any compelling words to convince a doctor to get him to do the Na.Pro training.

The doctor myself & my FCP both see, is ProLife. But does not promote one form of NFP over another.

Or does anyone have any ideas of how to lure a new Na.Pro doctor to our area.

Sweetest Day..

Sweetest Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the Great lakes region and parts of the Northeast on the third Saturday in October. It is described by Retail Confectioners International as an "occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember the sick, aged and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed."Sweetest Day has also been referred to as a "h.allmark holiday" created by the candy industry solely to increase sales of sweets.

I asked out hubs 20 years ago.. for homecoming which was also sweetest day.  Yes you read that right I asked him out.  Sweetest day weekend, holds a special place in my heart. 

Happy Sweetest Day honey.

........distaste

So.. the napro doc's office called this afternoon ( after I e-mailed early this morning )

I had labs run on Monday, per his request & he was very strong in saying that I have them done right away. I did. Tuesday. no call , Wednesday no call. Thursday??

So the nurse says.. oh the doctor wants you to go in & repeat your labs.  right away..  well unless I can leave in the next 30 mins I won't get to the lab in time.. ( which is probably not going to happen )  So I said well it will be tomorrow is that ok.. she says fine.. I asked was their something abnormal or high/low about my last ones.. she says i don't have any idea.  Frustrating.  So I said do you know why I am having them redone. she says, cuz the doctor wants you to!  He's a really nice & educated doc. but, you can never get a hold of him. I think i was super lucky to get a response from him on Sunday in about 15 minutes of sending him an e-mail.

+ test

so the hubs doesn't want me to share anything w/ the world yet.. but i'm a little scared..
I e-mailed my napro doc.. he wrote me back tonight & he sending labs in for tomorrow.

Happy! Scared! Overjoyed! Frightened!  Could I be passing into the next phase??

Update ++ I had my HCG & Progestrone drawn at lunch today.   I was really hoping I wouldn't have to share my joy, with anyone else in the family, but just found out my little sister is due in May.. She was like are you going to come out in May.. I just said well I'll see.   This will be grandbaby # 16 on my husbands side, but the first one w/ the families last name( none of his brothers have kids, sisters all do ).  Hundreds of emotions running thru my head today.

Wednesday Update: not heard from doctor on my HCG & Progesterone..  Hubs doesn't want me to say anything at work til after the 1st of the year.. I hope I can wait that long. unfortunatelly at my male dominated place I could totally not get the promotion/new job.. if they find out now..

PCOS diet book.

If you are interested in the book: The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS & Infertility

It talks about what to / not to eat, has a 30 day eating plan, lists of good/bad foods.  & recipes in the back.  Leave a comment & I will pick someone & mail it to you.

St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe

The BIL has made several trips to a shrink this week ( while strung out ) and the nice gentleman, suggested he check himself into a treatment program. ( THANK GOODNESS)  So he's on the waiting list! If all goes well he should enter on Monday. It's an inpatient program, that is well known in the area for it's addiction programs ! We don't know how long he will be in, but hope that he's in it for 30-45 days.. I hope that he dries up & learns from this experience.

Please keep in mind my BIL, walked out of an inpatient program in April. (they can't keep you if you don't want to stay.)  He was there for about 3 hours before he left.. At that time, he was just busted & going to be treated for alcohol, but there was still a well hidden chemical problem. When we tried to get him back in the spot was filled. They said, well he just  has an alcohol problem, he would do well in a outpatient progam. Well he did the outpatient program ( 3 x a week, for 2 hours )  end result = the mess we are in now..

Please pray for those suffering from addiction and their loved ones. It is a long bumpy road.


Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe, your life of love and labor for souls was sacrificed amid the horrors of a concentration camp and hastened to its end by an injection of a deadly drug.

Look with compassion upon K-M  who is now entrapped in addiction to drugs and whom we now recommend to your powerful intercession.
Having offered your own life to preserve that of a family man, we turn to you with trust, confident that you will understand and help.
Obtain for us the grace never to withhold our love and understanding, nor to fail in persevering prayer that the enslaving bonds of addiction may be broken and that full health and freedom may be restored to him / her whom we love.
We will never cease to be grateful to God who has helped us and heard your prayer for us. Amen.

 

 

To help, or not to help.

To help, or not to help. That is the question. 

My BIL had another set back this past weekend.  This also coincided with his 3 year old sons birthday.
The set backs lately have involved overtaking prescription's not prescribed to him. This forced my sister to leave her house again, with the 2 kids & camp out at my mom's house for 4 days. I guess this one involved some screaming & yelling at each other that the kids & my other sister happened to walk in on, before she left the house on Thursday.

I keep hearing in sickness and in health, ringing in my ears, but I wonder if he truly is sick, or he is just a lazy, leaching bum. ( well I have more choice words for him, but I'll be nice here ).  After seeing him this weekend, fresh off his little binge, I truly don't think he wants to get better.  Its sad, but he's using ever excuse in the book not to get help. He's left an inpatient rehab program(April). Stopped going to outpatient therapy; cuz he doesn't like groups, totalled my sisters car; blamed it on an animal, that no witnesses saw, has scraped the car so bad it's had to be repainted 2 times; the excuse to those was he got side swiped in the parking lot. I'm scared because he just got his license back after having it taken away after the April-totalling the car incident.  My sister claims, she's not buying him a car, but he has parents & grandparents, that will do anything for him(i.e. give money), except help truly him. My sister also said after dealing with this secretly for 3 years, that she would leave if he did it again, because the threats are getting more real. But she's stayed the last 3 times he's done it, because, he was sorry.. ( his M.O. ) every time.. once he comes down off whatever, he's remorsefull. His set backs date back almost 3 years.  He's been found outside almost dead, after he downed a bottle of vodka with some sleeping pills. He's spent several overnights in the hospital, complete with being restrained by my step dad ( who works at the hospital). My sister has spent $$ on a lawyer, for his DUI that totalled the car ( at 4in the afternoon ) + the money she spends on his probation, & community service( he refuses to do ) so she has to pay. I know when you are married, that finances are joint & all, but it's a little lopsided here. Sitting around all day doing nothing.. just isn't working for me anymore.

My sister is generally a smart girl. degree professional with MBA. but when it comes to him. She is dumb.
She says she loves him, but not the same love as when they got married. She wants to see him get better. He was the Stay at home dad before this all happened. so he hasn't worked in a few years. He is not an educated person, like her. She & his probation officer have been encouraging him to get a JOB.. it will occupy his time.. but he's not motivated. He is the true definition of a leach. When she comes home, she still has to cook, clean, take care of the kids, he is of no value anymore to any of these things.

Sister # 3 & I tried to have a mini -intervention with her late on Saturday after the birthday party, when the kids were in bed.  My mom will say nothing to her, she's just "there" for her, when she needs a place to go.
We tried talking to her & she got really defensive & said we just don't understand. I said, please help us understand why a smart intelligent person like yourself, is continually letting this person, drag you down. She literally has not allowed any of her friends over to her house, has not told a single friend anything because she is embarrassed. Only our mom- step dad, & brother & sissters know ( well & my husband ) no one else has spouses. We told her we love her, but we can't continue to sit around & watch him do this anymore to you.
Each time something happens with him, we can't imagine, that it has come to this, yet again, he does something the next time to top it.  I honestly thought totalling the car, was rock bottom. People tell me that until he hits rock bottom, he won't seek help. What is rock bottom?

All this caused a lot of tension between me & hubs this weekend. He says he doesn't want help & she won't leave & doesn't want to use anyones advice,  so she gets no more help. We've offered her monetary help, a place to stay, free babysitting, etc.  I've  told her I will be here no matter what! My husband & I .. have told her she has done everything in her power to get him to seek help.. and that she needs to leave for the safety & well being of herself & the kids. Hubs says no more help for her, it's hard, I said I just can't kick her to the curb ( figuratively) like that. He says when me & my mom & sister, stop being her enabler, she'll finally do something.  I fought that this was not the right thing to do. But the more I think about it, he is somewhat right.. (but don't tell him I said so)

The BIL's parents, want him to see a psychiatrist They are big pill pushers. Meaning they think their is a pill to cure everything. They are, I believe part of his problem. My argument to this. 1) he'll use it as an excuse to pop more of what he's used to doing, because he'll think it's legal cuz he has a prescription for it. 2) Not going to fix the problem. 3) their will be more pills just 'left lying around the house, for a walking 10 month old to pick up & swallow.  4) masking a deeper problem.  BIL is an only child & BIL's mom has lost 2 brothers to druge OD's. One would think she might be a little more supportive/helpful in getting her son help.  Plus the iritating thing is BIL'mom  gave BIL a list of dr's names & told him to call & make the appt.. Yes on one hand that makes him show initiative to want to seek help, but on the other hand. So what happens when he doesn't... leaving the options to an unmotivated individual, is not smart.  Oh yeah hisparents with the PSY degree (NOT) think he has anxiety, which is causing his set backs. So by the numbers, this set back was because his kid had a birthday party, last one, because he had to go meet his probation officer, before that , because he had to go to court for DUI, before that, holiday weekend, before that holiday , the list just goes on ..

I think my sister is still in shock that 2 of us talked to her about it at the same time.. She hasn't called or talked to either of us since then. ( unusual ). Reading into it, I think she's mad at us. I just worry, that all this time she spends taking off of work, that her very supportive boss, might become unsupportive & she might lose her very good job. I also think after the talk with her, she thinks he won't be able to get medical help if they are divorced, because he doesn't have a job , & won't be able to get a job with health benefits. So that's her justification for staying. She also thinks that if she produced some papers to kick him out of the house ( note everytime something happens she leaves the house w/ the kids) that he will do something drastic & not reversible.

 I worry that if they do get divorced, that our screwed up custody system, will let him have unsupervised visits with a 10month old & 3 year old, who are not old enough to seek help if something went awry, during a visit.

So I am torn.

So back to the first question of the post, to help or not to help? 


**Sorry to air all the dirty family secrets today, but it has relieved so much stress just typing this all out. I'm not going to even spell check it, because, it will start my mind going more. I hope you can live with the bad grammar today.

L. I. Medium

So--- I am fixiated on the show L.ong I.sland Medium.

I wonder if if is really possible, for the dead to be able to communicate thru the medium.

I have been having a rough time with losing my dad, although it has been 9 years, it still seems like it was yesterday.  Seeing what communication comes thru her, I just want to know, was he in pain, or what were the circumstances of his passing. I don't have those answers.  I found him laying in bed. When I found him, there were no clues, and because I found him Christmas eve, their was very little option for an autopsy.. Well we could have had one done, but they told us we wouldn't have been able to find out the questions we were looking for, we could have only found out what was in his system. My birthday is the 23rd & I never talked to him that day.. For the last 9 years, my birthday & Christmas just haven't been the same for me. I keep thinking if I can get some sort of message from him, to know he wasn't in pain. My husband doesn't understand, he thinks I'm being super emotional, cuz of the progesterone I'm on. He thinks it's weird that I kept dirty clothing of his, cuz it smells like him, I keep them in my closet & smell them often.. I haven't gone as far, as to see if their are any local mediums yet..  Give me a slow day at work.. & we might have the answer to that soon.

how to be happy & sad in one day.

happy news: I got to watch my nephews tonight, while their mom & dad went to look for 3 year old birthday gifts for E.

I know I should be happy for my sister in law, but I just can't muster up anything inside of me to say congratulations. She had baby #8 today.. Well.. she's my husbands older sister. She only calls, to tell us either that she is pregnant or had a baby.. so we hear from her about once a year. Since we have been married she has had 4 kids.  I don't begrudge her. but Having this many pregnancies is taking a toll on her body. the last 2 have come earlier & earlier each time.  Today started with an FB message that her water broke, but she wasn't having contractions. Later in the day. someone posted that she had a baby.. but no further info.??? really.. & oh no name for the boy.. ( we found out that it was a boy from someone else) .. We still haven't received a call telling us she had the kid.. that will probably come 2-3 days from now.. One would think she's on vacation with someone else caring for her 7 kids.   Okay.. I'm probably being a little mean.. but she knew we were starting w/ a NaPro dr. & she calls like 3 weeks later, oh yeah by the way were pregnant.. her youngest at the time had just turned 10 months.  I feel selfish praying for just one healthy one.. when she's been hogging all the good baby news. . . .  I just feel like giving up..

All Saints Day

So I received the call yesterday.. to plan the All Saints Day party at our church..  Well the good thing is I don't have to worry about food.  the scary part is activities ....  I keep having to remember I don't have kids.

It's a  cult like group of homeschool moms.. + a small group of  public school kids that will be attending.  Girl to boy ratio is 1:3  .. the boys tend to get out of control. if the activities don't hold their interest.
There will be about 40-50 kids.

Last year we had 6 stations of games.. 
*St. Patrick's shamrock toss ( cornhole game -- decorated with shamrocks)
*St. Cecilia's musical chairs. ( the chairs all had the name of a saint on them ) we pulled the name  of a saint & that person was out, until the next game started.
*St. Therese's rose toss. -- tossing silk roses into a kids basketball hoop..
*St. Francis' animal golf  - I found a mini golf game at a garage sale.. set up it looked like a putt-putt course,  the only problem is the boys, started using the plastic golf clubs as weapons.
*saint BINGO.
* sixth activity I can't recall. -- probably a coloring station.. ( means it wasn't super busy )


Anyone have any suggestions of their favorite All Saints day games/ activities.

It's only 1 month away.