Finally, I was sent home! I might add, without any Rehab, no instructions, no counseling, no dr. appointments, nothing! I was literally thrown out of the hospital with a no-notice kick in the behind.
I then had to find a doctor since mine had apparently flown the coop and was now unheard of by anyone.
Thus, began the search for an MD who was honest, sober, and not in medicine just for money. The pickings were really slim. I bit the bullet and took recommendations from my insurance company. I consented to a Doctor here in town and could only get an appointment seven weeks out. So I obediently took the meds that would stay down for that additional seven weeks and waited , while still no therapy. There was nothing to do but sleep and try to rehabilitate myself somewhat. During that wait time I did have a Doctor sent by the insurance company for a checkup. He was a delight.
He gave the appearance of not wanting to be there and no information, answered no questions and I was back to square one. I had some rather serious diagnoses from the hospital. They told me I had type II Diabetes and A-Fib plus high cholesterol. My daughter came back the following weekend and she is an assistant director of food services for her state correctional department so, she had some information that was somewhat helpful, like I needed to supplement potassium . She introduced me to coconut water, She also explained more leafy greens were necessary and I could and should eat more eggs. My daughter was wonderful but had to rush back to her job in the next state over. I was still in total confusion. I was trying to nourish my body with a hit and miss technique to control diabetes. Oh yea, the healthcare system truly sucks! No wonder people die! Not from their own choices but from Neglect! Neglect of education, neglect of knowledge of their illnesses and neglect of medical attention!
During that seven weeks I was so close to suicide. Believe me when I say I now understand why suicide happens. You have no where to turn! The hospital has abandoned you, you have no doctor, your family is all gone to work daily, you are on your own. No rehab, no assistance, nothing! The desolation sets in so easily. The daytime sleepiness was a blessing. You could let it take over and not have to face this horrible state for a few hours at a time. The good Lord alone kept my head above that level of death for those seven weeks. I was literally drowning in a sea of desperation and I thank God every single day that he was there when I just wanted to give up. He was there and made me get the strength to fight, and fight I did! That was the most desolate time of my entire seventy six years of life!
After my seven bewildered weeks were up I finally went to the Doctor. That was a wake up call! He had a medical spa and was not at all interested in treating my illnesses and I certainly was not interested in buying Botox injections. I did not care if I looked good at my funeral. Besides, a cosmetologist is included in the price of a funeral. He gave me more meds and told me to go get tests. I left and had a terrible time making an appointment for tests. That is when I called the insurance company and asked to get off this medical merry go round. They found me a Nurse practitioner whom I would see in another month. Now at this time it put me three months out from the hospital release without a doctor. The hospitalist would not refill my meds. There I was, no rehab, no dr. no meds and had to wait a month to see another Provider.
She was quite a piece of work. Again we did not discuss what I could do about my diagnosis and she was happy to prescribe meds for my Diabetes and the newly diagnosed hypertension.
From there I walked into walls, could hardly see, and was scared to eat anything! The next four months I had increased dosages of the diabetes medicine, and three new blood pressure medicines and I was a real mess. Enough was enough! I felt if I was going to die it would be by my choice! I I had my husband put my computer on the desk in the living room and began to research. I uses the Mayo clinic, the university of Harvard. The holistic Medical school , the American diabetes association and the American heart association. I researched all day every day, I called these schools and clinics and asked questions and got answers. I cut my medications in half, I cut my hypertension drugs in quarters. I began to get my eyesight back and I became less dizzy and sleepy. This was September, by December I knew I needed a provider who took a holistic approach. Once again I asked my insurance company for help in finding an acceptable provider. This time I did get a holistic family practice. I was given one of his Nurse practitioners and I held my breath till that first appointment. It turned out she was great! I told her how I split my pills in fourth and they seemed to work better, She prescribed me the same drug at half the dose and was agreeable about cutting it in half. She did some blood work also. Later in the week she called and told me to stop the diabetes medicine, I did not need it . I still monitor my blood glucose twice a day and will continue to do so until I have a full year of 5. A1C. results. Currently, I am working on my hypertension. I did manage to get my cholesterol down and I am keeping it down.
It has been eighteen months since I came home from the hospital. This is what I have learned.
1.Doctors don't care! Some, as in very few might but you have to find them by trial and error.
Ask for holistic based doctors.
2. You and only you can determine your fate. They will let you die if you allow it. You have to be your best advocate. They aren't trying to kill you, they are just trying to make money.
3. No one and I mean absolutely NO one is going to get to the bottom of your medical problem except yourself! Do your research! Do not be afraid to ask questions. Be a real. pain in the ass until you understand!
4. Know your own body and listen to it! Only YOU and YOU alone knows how a drug makes you feel. pay attention to your body! It will tell you what is what. The first Nurse Practitioner I went to actually told me not to lose to much weight because I needed cushion for WHEN I Fall!! That was a red flag! It is not the disease that makes you dizzy and blurry eyed it is the medication! It is the medicine that makes you fall!
5. Don't be afraid to cut a drug in half or not take a whole dose. If something makes you dizzy, makes you sleep, makes you feel out of control, cut it in half., or take a smaller dose. Don't just stop taking a drug, because it will continue with terrible side effects. It is important to only wean off a drug and that is with a Provider's oversight.
6. always research any drug you are prescribed Check online for side effects, black box warnings, what you can not take with it etc. Be aware of what you are taking, always!
7. if you just aren't feeling great check for vitamins you may need. Ask your holistic provider to check your blood.
8. Yes, you have to almost be your own doctor in today's world. Learn all you can about how to be healthy. eating, exercise, supplements and sleep. There are so many scams out there you almost are a sitting duck if you are a Medicare recipient. I will try my best to help others to get the correct actions for the correct results. We need to stick together and perhaps then we can change some of the nonsense going on today.