What Is On Your Medical Calendar For May?

[jen-cueva]

Hi @colleensteele, I love your closing statement- so cute!

I have a few specialist appointments this month and a follow-up with my PCP later today.

Do you have anything scheduled for yourself? Caregivers, are y’all promoting self-care? What about Cullen? Does he have anything other than his labs this month? Is he off for the summer?

[Carol Volckmann]

Jen, I hope your appointment with PCP went better and you feel more comfortable with her and …. you didn’t have to wait 2 hours!!!

Thank you for your kind words of support about Spirit. He was going to be 12 in Sept.

May is here and more appointments – one to remove the Medtronic stimulator that never worked. Hopefully I will find out what went wrong with my SIBO test and re-take that and probably have to see a GI doc. The only other issue is to le learn more about my 24 urine test.  Oh forgot appointment with Dermotologist. That’s enough!

Colleen,  you and Cullen are my thoughts for his appointments and hoping May is a very good time for you to make appointments.

Wishing May to bring good news for everyone – enjoy the flowers ???? ????

 

[jen-cueva]

Hi @cdvol3gmail-com, you’re continuing your busy appointments again this month. I hope that you’ll have a rest period once you get these appointments down and the GI stuff figured out a little. Between you and Dick, you two keep the doctors pretty busy, huh? You both must also be exhausted already. Do you stagger them a few days or a week apart? What’s your secret to balancing this all?

Wow, 12 years, you must be lost with Spirit; let the memories and tears flow. Big gentle hugs, positive thoughts, and prayers are with you as you check off yet another busy medical month.

Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses, or flowers of your choice, my PHriend.

[Colleen]

@jenc how did the PCP appointment go? Fingers crossed all goes well for you during the specialist appointments. Anything specific you hope to discuss with them?

Cullen has an appointment with lung transplant at the end of the month. It’s been a while since they have seen him in person so we are a bit anxious about it. He’s had some kidney concerns off and on so we are going to try and get him in with nephrology this month too.

He decided not to take a break with classes. He is close to finishing his first year so he just enrolled in 2 classes for the next semester which starts this week.

I haven’t scheduled anything for myself. I know, I know…I really need to get on it.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @colleensteele, it sounds like a busy and important appointment month for Cullen. Has his labs or BP been off again? Is this the main concern for nephrology?

That’s one of my appointments this month, and the other is the pain doctor, so not too many new concerns. But trying to learn my new doctors and their treatment approaches is always an adjustment.

MY PCP appointment was “meh” I hope I still need to warm up to her. It’s difficult after leaving a PCP for so long. He knew me and was so personable. It’s much more challenging than I dreamed, it seems. That will be part of my column on this topic, eventually.

WTG, Cullen, for keeping his classes going while doing so well and enjoying it!

And about your appointments, what better time than now to schedule one of your much-needed appointments?

[Colleen]

@jenc I fear saying it because I don’t want to jinx him, but Cullen continues to manage his BP. He has labs tomorrow (Wed.) morning so we’ll see how he’s doing in that regard. His concern is that he has been experience pain off and on and he is worried that it might be kidney related.

I’ll say extra prayers for you regarding the new PCP. It can be so hard adjusting to a new doctor. I still miss my former internist. I haven’t found another that compares to him yet.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @colleensteele, I’m saying an extra prayer that Cullen’s labs come back. But, I also hate that he’s experiencing pain relating to his kidneys. Is it his back and flank area? Poor guy.

Thanks so much for the prayers. It certainly is tough adjusting after being so comfortable with healthcare providers. Thanks for your support, and please update once Cullen gets his labs back.

[jen-cueva]

Well, I’m trucking along this month. I had my first dental appointment yesterday with my new dentist, and I love her. Yeah, I love my dentist, my least favorite specialist to visit.

But she’s the 7th dentist in her family, extraordinarily passionate and gentle. Although I had part of my deep cleaning, which was the first time I recall, she did it herself! I go back on Wednesday to see the specialist who works with her to have a possible tooth extraction that was needed pre-COVID and was put on hold. I may not love him as much, hehe. Then finish up my cleaning next week, I believe.

But, everyone from the young lady at the front desk, the hygienist, and the others were so kind and gentle. This is what I hope for in all of my healthcare providers. This is why I wanted to share such a positive experience.

I have dental appointments to finish up, labs, and an Echo this month left. I can only hope and pray my new pain specialist I see next month can keep this going. I’m feeling much better about my new PCP; she has been through and helpful with anything I need.

Doesn’t it help you get through dreaded appointments when the provider is passionate, gentle, and thorough?

[Colleen]

@jenc Cullen has been to the dentist this month too. He has a darn cavity to be filled at the end of the month. We LOVE our dentist and his staff. They are so kind and genuine when they speak to their patients.

It’s a family business and our original dentist was the father. He passed away and his son took over. I happened upon a video of Aidan after his dad(Dentist) pulled Aidan’s first tooth. It’s the cutest video of Aidan smiling with a big gap in the front and shouting, “Mom, the dentist pulled my toof!” It made our current dentist (son) smile and tear up hearing that it was his dad who pulled it.

They are good people and it does make all the difference!

[jen-cueva]

Hi @colleensteele, I hope that Cullen has a good visit and the filling is all he needs. I’m not that excited to see the oral surgeon today, but I trust he is excellent because he works closely and will be at the same office as my regular dentist.

That video of Aidan with his first tooth must be a treasure. I’m happy that you have that and the new dentist(son) enjoyed seeing it. I bet it’s hilarious. It reminded me of one of the cute kid videos on America’s Funniest Videos. Did you watch that show? It’s great to get away and enjoy some laughs. I’ve seen it currently on an older channel, probably reruns. But it always has me cracking up. I love the kid and pet videos the most, hehe.

[jen-cueva]

Hey @traceyaustralianmigration-co-za, I believe today is the day you go in for your heart cath. I’m thinking of you and sending you extra positive thoughts, prayers, and love so that all goes well and you get some answers. You’ll be home to your boys before you know it. You got this, my PHriend.

Please update us when you are back home and rested.

[Colleen]

Keeping you in my thought and prayers @traceyaustralianmigration-co-za I hope the cath went well and you are resting comfortably. Update us when you feel up to it and have the time.

[Tracey]

Hi @jenc, hi @colleensteele thanks for the concern and positive vibes. The cath didnt go quite to plan with the cardiologist noticing a narrowing of my coronary artery right at the end, so he decided to put in a stent because the pressure in my heart is still too high and he thinks this might help.
Ive gotta say that was the worst cath Ive had and it has been very painful, but he did say not to worry if I have some chest pain. Its like a marching band has been practicing in my chest. Pressure in my lungs is about 60. He’s increased my tadalafil and put me on Volibris..cant remeber tbe class of drug. Anyway I got 3 weeks supply from the hospital and now need to start motivating to my insurance to allow me to have this.
Im absolutely shattered with exhaustion and am horribly short of breath (worse than normal), bur the show must go on.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @traceyaustralianmigration-co-za, I’m sorry your cath didn’t go as planned. But, it sounds like you need that stent, and hopefully, that will relieve some of your pressure and shortness of breath. When do you go back to see them?

So, they increased your tadalafil, which is a PDE 5 inhibitor. Volibris is the equivalent of ambrisentan (Letairis) here in the US. It is an ERA.

Hopefully, this increase, the addition of another class of medications and that stent will do the trick. How are you feeling now, a few days post-op? I pray that it improves for you soon, my PHriend.