Is your Healthcare System letting you down?

I've now been awake since 3:30am with lower abdominal pain, low back pain and painful urination (not good since I didn't get to bed until midnight because I was working on a power point presentation for work). This wouldn't be so bad, but I had these same symptoms three days ago. And being in the medical profession as a registered nurse for almost twelve years now, this is very annoying.

Monday morning I woke up with these symptoms so I went to work as usual and since my doctor works in the same building I went over and asked if they could do a U/A (urine alysis) to see if I had a UTI (urinary tract infection). By late morning the results had come back that I indeed did have a UTI and needed to be placed on antibiotics. I wasn't able to fill the prescription until after work so I started on Bactrim DS 800mg that night.

Now for the frustrating part... When I picked up the prescription, I noticed that she (my doctor) had only given me a three day supply of antibiotic, but by then she was gone for the night. So the next day I thought I would check my lab results and see what the culture on the urine showed (this is the lab result which differentiates which bacteria or microorganisms are causing all my grief). To my surprise there was no culture ordered.

Now one of the first things I learned in nursing school was that when you send either blood or urine for analysis for possible infection, you always should do a C&S (culture and sensitivity) to find out what the bacteria is and what antibiotics will work best to kill it. So I discussed this with the doctor I work with and he was shocked first of all that I was place on an antibiotic for three days (rule of thumb and studies show that to be affective, you need to take the antibiotics for 7-10 days to make sure you have eliminated all the bacteria) and secondly that the urine wasn't sent for C&S.

So I wrote my doctor an email inquiring about these two things and she wrote back as quoted, "i don't see a culture either. sometimes, the lab does not reflexively do culture unless both nitrite and leuk esterase are positive. the typical treatment for uncomplicated UTI is only for 3 days. however, if you are a patient that has a more "complicated" history, then we usually extend it to 7 days. if you are concerned, i suggest we do repeat UA with culture if UA is positive after the 3 days. if it looks like the infection has not cleared, we can certainly extend the ABX to a full 7 days."

Now, I don't know about you, but the thought of having to pay for another U/A because my doctor failed to do her job by ordering a C&S the first time is a little upsetting to me! Especially with the cost of healthcare skyrocketing every day and insurance covering less and less, I'd rather use that money for other important things...like say "gasoline"!

Maybe if I were "just another patient" this wouldn't be so aggravating to me because I wouldn't know that my doctor had failed me. Maybe, for once, it would be nice to be "just another patient" and be totally in the dark. Maybe then I would still be asleep instead of ranting and raving on a blogsight at 4:00 in the morning!!!!

Cassie's Big Day

I don't feel old but I know I'm getting older because I look at my children and they are all growing up.

Cassie got married on Saturday (this makes three out of the five) and as I watched the kids dancing with each other I was kind of sad. It seemed as if the time flew by and I'm not sure I relished every possible moment with them that I could have.

As I was making Cassie's wedding dress I kept thinking back to her growing up and how I had made her blessing dress and her baptism dress and now her wedding dress. The three most important dresses in my daughter's life. And needless to say she looked stunning on her wedding day and not because of the dress, but because she is so happy she was glowing.

She met Dan and it wasn't long after she met him that Scott (my husband) and I knew that this was the one. He made her laugh, and smile and she was so happy. Dan gave me my lovely daughter back again. She had had her share of boyfriends who treated her like crap and Scott kept telling her that if the boys didn't treat her like gold she should kick them to the curb. Now she finally has one who treats her like a princess which is what every girl deserves...I should know, because I have one who does this for me.

I love you Scott!

What Doesn't Kill Us

Now that the day is over and I have survived it, it doesn't seem as bad as it did. I know that probably didn't make a whole lot of sense, but I had one of those "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day(s)".
It all started when I woke up to see more snow than the weatherman had predicted. Last night they said this storm would be smaller than the last; maybe one to two inches.....yeah! if you live in Salt Lake!!! I first got out there thinking I could push it with the plow on the four-wheeler but after getting stuck numberous times decided that it was too much to push. So, I got out the trusty shovel and started throwing. At first I thought there was about 6-8 inches of snow but when I measured it was actually about 12 inches....no wonder I couldn't push it. So I cleared enough snow that went from behind the two cars down to about one car length at the bottom of the driveway, I figured that should be enough...boy, was I wrong! Cassie went out before me and started down the driveway missing the plowed area and driving right into the deep snow on the unplowed pavement. So the neighbor and I pushed and dug her out just in time for her to get stuck on the road. After about 20 minutes we had her out and on her way so that I could go to work.
The drive to work was fine once I got on I-15 and I got there about 10:00am. I parked in the parking lot, grabbed my things, jumped out of the car, hit the lock button and shut the door just in time to realize that I didn't have my car keys in my purse. Great! Scott's in San Diego, Cassie is gone, Braedon is home sick and can't drive anyway so my only option is to call the locksmith.
The first locksmith I called quoted me $40 even though their place of business is only a couple of blocks away. The next one says $35-45 but settles for $35 if they can come in an hour....done! Now I have a receipt showing $35 worth of stupidity which I think I will hang from my rear-view mirror to help remind me to always take the keys out of the ignition before locking the doors!
The day wears on and I finally leave work at 6:50pm...what a day! Now home to fix dinner and make sure homework is done! Phone call from Nicole asking if I can pickup dinner on the way home solves the food problem...Wendy's here I come.
After we eat I go out and finish shoveling the 4 more inches of snow that fell during the day and the third driveway. By the time I finished I was almost in tears because I was so physically tired. This is the second time this week that I have REALLY MISSED Scott!
And now I'm lying here in bed writing this and thinking maybe today wasn't as bad as it seemed when I was experiencing it, and tomorrow will have challenges anew....Bring 'em on!

Christmas Poem with a Twist

I should be getting ready for work right now, but instead I opened my email and when I read the following poem I knew I HAD to add it to my website. I'm not sure if the address at the bottom is the author, but I didn't feel right erasing it. You will need a tissue (unless you have no heart)! My only wish is that every American could read this poem.

A different kind of Christmas poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
'What are you doing?' I asked without fear,
'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!'

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.'
'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,'
Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.'
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',And now it is my turn and
so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I c an sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.'

'So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.'
'But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son.'
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

'Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.'

PLEASE , Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's remember what we owe. Make people stop and think of
our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.


LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq

Praising Children

I hadn't thought much about what I said around others until I had kids. When my daughter started saying "shit" at the babysitters house, my husband told me it was time I cleaned up my act. Can I help it that while growing up in my house "shit" wasn't a swear word it was just an exclamation? I guess that explanation didn't fly for my husband.

This doesn't just hold true for bad words but for good also. When Nicole was two years old, Scott was out of a job and so he was home with Nicole. Because he was home he got assigned the wonderful task of toilet training. Though Scott had done numerous things in his life, this was a new one for him. Part of toilet training is a lot of discipline and praise, so whenever Nicole would go potty we would praise her and tell her what a good job she did. It became evident that the praise was sinking in when one day I was in going to the bathroom and Nicole came in and said, "You going potty mommy?", when I said "yes" she said "Good job mommy, good job!" Mission Accomplished!

Do it yourself projects?

It's hard to believe that it has been over a month since my last blog. Since it is summer things have been just a bit hectic. It seems as if I have more projects on my plate than my plate can hold. I feel like Michelle Pfieffer in the movie "One Fine Day" when she is talking about all the balls that she has up in the air.

We decided to put an inground pool in ourselves. We started it last Tuesday when the guys came and dug the hole, which took two days. We placed the sidewalls and formed the bottom of the pool on Thursday and Friday then placed the stairs on Saturday. Now we are just waiting to get the cement poured around the outside to set the braces.

Would you like a straw with that?

There are some people who are addicted to coffee. Some who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc.. Me, I must admit that I'm a hot chocolate addict!! It doesn't matter the temperature outside, if I'm craving hot chocolate....I have to HAVE my hot chocolate.

I also must admit at the same time that I am a creature of habit. You name the restaurant and my husband knows what I'll order from there. Pei Wei? Chicken Lo Mein. Taco Time? Soft floured taco with sour cream. Paradise Cafe? Chicken Walnut sandwich. So when I go to the coffee hut that I have gone to at least once a week for the past three years they know that I always get a large peppermint hot chocolate no straw and an ausiago bagel. So after all that time you would think that they would stop asking me if I would like a straw in my hot chocolate.....NO! the answer is ALWAYS NO! But again today I stop and get hot chocolate and what does the cute little blonde girl ask...."would you like a straw in your hot chocolate?" Politely I said, "no thank you". And she politely hands me my hot chocolate with a straw in it! Aarrgghh...did she not listen to a thing I said or is she just paid to stand there and look cute. I'm not saying that every cute girl is stupid, because I have known my fair share of very smart cute girls....this just wasn't one of them. I was very proud of myself that I didn't take the straw out of the hot chocolate and throw it at her....I'm sure my mom is very proud of me!

I guess the moral of the story is if you get a straw just smile and say thank you then take it out and save it in the car door for the next time the kids need a straw for their drink!