So sad

My life has been so normal lately, I have nothing to share. This makes me both happy and sad at the same time. *sigh*

Square One

Hey there! Remember me?
I know it has been almost a year since I last posted anything...and I think that's a good thing! I was using this blog as an outlet to vent my frustrations about people that create drama in my life. Well, I am happy to report that CZ is out of my life for good! She was laid off back in May and I couldn't be happier with my new boss. As for the Wiccan, I did bump into her (almost literally) at the local Wal-Mart a few weeks back. The hubs and I were there and I wanted to check the clearance clothing rack. When I looked up, there she was, staring right back at me from the rack next door. I didn't want to deal with her, so we just headed for the checkouts - and when I turned around to see where she was, she had disappeared. Man, have her powers gotten stronger! ;-)

Anywho...the real reason for my post is to update you on ME. I haven't posted on here about my heart before, so I'll give those that don't know me a quick synopsis of the last three years:

I had a racing heart while at work one day, went to the doctor, sent to a specialist, diagnosed with right ventricular outflow tachycardia (easiest way to describe it is that I have an extra "wire" in my heart that causes a faulty connection from the top to the bottom of my heart, causing my heart to beat up around 150-160 beats per minute), specialist scheduled me to have an ablation ( a procedure much like a cardiac cath - they go in through an artery in your leg and travel up to your heart, but instead of cleaning out any arteries or placing stents, they are supposed to find the faulty "wire" and burn it to get rid of it.) the doctor performing the procedure poked a hole in my heart, Blood collected in my chest around my heart and they ended up having to do a pericardiocentesis (basically stuck a long ass tube into my chest around my heart to drain the blood) and I spent the next four and a half days in Cardiac ICU. Once I stopped draining and started feeling somewhat better, they sent me home. Two days later, I ended up back in the hospital with fluid around my heart and lungs. After all of this, my rapid heart rate still wasn't fixed because he had to abort the procedure due to the hole he punctured in my heart. So after all of that, I was still at square one. This was in May of 2009. He put me on a medication to control the arrythmia and wanted to schedule me for another ablation asap...I said no. I was scared and wasn't exactly happy with my surgeon. Not because he poked a hole in my heart and caused me to be in the hospital so much longer than expected. Not because the procedure ended up costing ten times more than initially anticipated. Nope, I can overlook those things because sh*t happens sometimes with surgery. I know this, I work for orthopedic surgeons. What really pissed me off was I didn't get to see my surgeon until FOUR MONTHS after my surgery. Sure, I got to see his nurse practitioner, but not him - even when I was having problems after the surgery and ended up in the ER. So, I decided it was time to find a new doctor...but I had to get my courage back first.

I went on August 31st and saw the new guy. I like him. He is very much like my PCP - no nonsense, lays it out on the table and is up front about everything. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell me too much about any possible treatment plan for me yet, because he wants to review all of my old EKG's before promising anything. What he DID tell me was that my previous doctor's operative report was gibberish. He said he couldn't really make heads or tails of what was written and that the finalized report had blanks in it. Yeah...seems to be par for the course with that guy.
He also informed me that the possibility of correcting an outflow tract tachycardia, like the one I've been diagnosed with, is only about 50%, something the previous doctor informed me was a 99% possibility of correction.
Another question I had for the new doc was about my medication. I really want to start a family, which I can't do while taking the medication. I also believe I'm developing an allergy to it (which my PCP believes as well), so I'd like to try and do something to get off of it. He told me the medication isn't a necessity. It's only used in cases of outflow tract tachycardia to control the symptoms - that the type of tachycardia I have won't kill me, it would just be bothersome, but I could live without the medication. Another piece of information the other doctor never shared with me.
So, for now I'm just waiting before I do anything rash - like stop my meds completely. I want him to review my old EKG's to verify that I do have outflow tract tachycardia - and then we'll discuss what my next step will be. Until then, thought and prayer gladly accepted.
Love to you all,
~G

Do you want a pedicure sodomy?

Every August I go away for a girl's weekend with some of my closest friends. This year, a few days before we left, a few of us decided it would be fun to go get manicures and pedicures. One of the ladies offered to make reservations for everyone, but she just needed to know what each person was going to have done.
I texted my friend, the divine Miss M, to see if she was getting her nails done, a mani/pedi or a pedicure only. I typed my message and sent before proofreading. Less than a minute later I received a text back saying that she just wanted a manicure. It was at that point that I glanced at the message I had sent to her.
I'm still not quite sure what letters I actually hit to have auto correct change my message, but it changed "do you want a pedicure only?" to "do you want a pedicure sodomy?"
GAAAHHHH!
What did I just ask my friend?!?!?
First of all, OUCH! GROSS!
Second of all, I'm NOT doing that.
Thirdly - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I immediately text her, explaining what I meant to send, and she replied that it was not the first time I had auto-correct-texted her, and basically she's learned to assume what I mean to say in my texts.
Whew! Thank heavens she knows me so well and we have a long history of friendship, you know?
Now, fast forward about 4 months to last night.
My hubby and I are driving home from some holiday festivities with the "Florida group" of friends. I may or may not have consumed a tad too much alcohol before I decided it was a good idea to pull out my phone and update my status on Facebook. This was what my friends got to see at about 1 am this morning:
"I think I drank too much tonight. Scratch that - I know I did. Tomorrow is gonna suck. I think I need some Taxi Bell and water."
STUPID AUTO CORRECT! I MEANT TACO, NOT TAXI!!!
I immediately tried to post an explanation as a comment, but as I type TACO again, it auto corrects to TAXI again, and also offers to add TACO to the dictionary.
It was at that point, in my drunken moment of clarity, that I realized I am completely disturbed by the fact that my auto correct dictionary contains the word sodomy, but not taco.

That's not on policy

At my place of employment, they implemented a policy about 2 years ago telling us that we cannot accept gifts from vendors. That means no free lunches, no pens, paper, mouse pads, gift baskets, etc. We were told that if a company wanted to, they could donate money to the hospital, but any and all gifts are prohibited.

Now, y'all know from my previous blogs just how ridiculous the people I work with are. Over the last two years, we've complied with the policy...mostly. The last 2 holiday seasons, Dr. MF has had a company bring us lunch - usually the Friday before Christmas - and she'd call it our Christmas party. She has also allowed a handful of vendors - ones that she deemed worthy - to bring lunch on days when her brother is working. THAT is not on policy.

Dr. MF is also squatting in our office. Yes, you heard me right. Squatting. She keeps all of her practice charts and equipment in our office, uses our exam rooms to see her patients, uses our phone lines and DOESN'T PAY RENT! How does she get away with this, you ask? Well, she is on the board of the hospital and is a special assistant to the president of the hospital. That apparently allows her special privileges that other physicians do not receive. On top of all of this, she pays MY office manager to work for her - billing, scheduling, etc. - and pays her on top of what she makes through my employer. My manager does the majority of her work for Dr. MF while she is "on the clock" with the hospital.Can you say double dipping? Now, I understand that my manager is a salaried employee, but I'm sure they wouldn't be happy about what she is doing if they'd get off their asses and investigate the complaint my co-worker filed. THAT is definitely not on policy.

Dr. MF has made the PA's and the RN do things that are WAY out of their scope of practice - like taking call and making medical decisions for patients so they don't bother her brother. She uses threats and intimidation to get them to do what she wants them to do. THAT is definitely not on policy.

So, you'd think with all the occasional "adjustments" she makes to policy, she would also make that exception at Christmas time when a vendor sends the employees in the office gift baskets at Christmas. I received one, the nurse received one as well as my manager. It was a small basket with a bottle of wine, cheese, crackers, chocolates and fruitcake. When Dr. MF saw the basket sitting on the RN's desk she asked if it came from a vendor. When the RN replied that yes, it had come from a vendor, MF flipped her lid. Seriously. Dr. MF immediately got on the phone with the vendor and proceeded to tell him (via a voice mail message because he was with a customer)he was in violation of our vendor policy and that his company was no longer allowed in our clinic until this violation was taken care of. How do they take care of it? Yeah, he has to come pick up the baskets and THEN he'll be allowed to resume business with our practice. Uh-huh. You heard me right. We have to give them back.

This all went down before our lunch break. We went to lunch - phone lines are forwarded and doors are closed - and when we went back to work at 1, Dr. MF left to go to a meeting and said she wasn't coming back to the office. About and hour after she left, said vendor appeared at the desk, slightly shaking, paled and highly apologetic. We told him no worries, that Dr. MF was gone and that WE appreciated the thought, but that we had to give the gift baskets back to him.

You know what he did?

He said "Ok, I'll tell Dr. MF that I picked them up. I'm really, really sorry for the trouble I caused." He then proceeded to pick up, and then set down, each and every basket and then mumbled "I'll just have to make sure to get your home addresses next Christmas."

I chuckled and thought "Oh good, I don't have to lie. He did pick up the baskets..."

Just some tips

to make things a little easier on you when dealing with the health care industry.
DO always, always, always bring your insurance card(s) and picture ID to your appointment.
DON'T hassle the staff because they ask for your picture ID and insurance card(s). We ask for it at every visit to ensure we have the correct information to bill your insurance and to verify your identity. This ensures YOU do not receive any unnecessary bills and that YOUR identity is not stolen.
DO get angry if you have to wait an unnecessary amount of time for you physician. Your time is just as valuable!
DON'T take out your frustrations on the office staff if you do have a long wait. We schedule all appointments according to what the doctor has specified. If you have a long wait, take it up with your physician. That is the only way things will change.
DO call your physician's office after you schedule any tests that require prior authorization from your insurance at least two business days before.
DON'T call your physician's office an hour before said appointment for us to obtain authorization and then get upset when you're told the appointment needs to be rescheduled.
DO call the office three days in advance when you need a prescription refill
DO guard you narcotic prescription like it is cash.
DON'T call the office 10 days early for a narcotic refill. No matter what your excuse is, it makes you look like a druggie.
DON'T call up and ask us to fax something for you, and then proceed to get angry because we ask you for the fax number and you don't have it. No, I'm not going to look it up online or call information. YOU want it faxed, YOU need to provide the number.
and lastly,
DO treat us how you want to be treated. I am much more apt to go out of my way (like call in your refill RIGHT NOW or look up that fax number you need if I have a free minute) if you are nice and not snarky.
I hope this has been both informative and helpful in your future endeavors into the medical community!

Shankfully, we are not a bank

Not too long ago while closing the office on a Friday afternoon, there was a knock at the front door. I opened the door to find a man about 6 feet tall, braided hair, dirty t-shirt and jean shorts. He asked if Miss B was still in the office, to which I replied she was on vacation for the next week.
"Awe, man! What about Dr. B? Is he here?" He asked, to which I replied that he was also on vacation for the next two weeks.
"Fer real, man?!?"
At this point, he pushes past me into the waiting room while continuing to speak to me.
"You gots to be kiddin' me. See, check this out. I was on my way downtown, man, and I ran outta gas and they just called me for my Social Security hearing and I gotta get down there, like, right now."
Now, while he speaking, he got those shifty eyes and is all fidget-y, so I decided to get straight to the point and ask "What exactly is it that you need?"
"Just like, fifteen dollars, man."
Is he serious? Does he think this is a bank?
"We don't keep cash in the office. At all." I replied.
"Awe, man! Fer real? All I need is, like, fifteen dollars. I can pay it back - Dr. B and Miss B know me and they can vouch for me. Don't you have any money on you?"
"No, I don't bring cash with me to work. Ever."
Long pause where he is just staring at me.
"Ok, well, I'm closing up, so you have to leave now."
He stared at me for a few seconds more and then went out the door, which I promptly closed and locked behind him.
I do have one thing to thank him for. Because of this little incident, I now carry a shank on me at all times- a #15 blade surgical scalpel. Nobody better ever think I'm a bank again, shank you very much!

Who's a good CZ? You are! Yes, you are!

While most of the time CZ shirks her responsibility onto S, B and myself, there are rare occasions where she will help out, but it always comes with a price.
I have been working my four tens (YAY!) for just over a month now and Tuesdays are my day off. When I was granted permission from CZ to start my new schedule, she added pre-registering and verifying all patient insurances onto my list of responsibilities because "I would have free time in the morning and afternoon". I have no problem with this because I know that if I get into a bind and can't get everything done, S and B would help me in an instant.
Well, last week I was sick again - don't worry, I didn't call in - but Thursday I was feeling like such crap that B finally convinced me to go home at 3:45 and she stayed to cover me. I came home, took some meds and was feeling much better by the next day.
Friday was super busy and I was behind on pre-registering and verification because I left early the day before. I had completed everything I was going to need for Monday before I left Friday, and knew I could finish Wednesday, Thursday and Friday when I came in the following week. Well, turns out, I ended up having a major case of the Mondays. I was just so busy, I was only able to get through Wednesday's stuff, but figured I'd finish the week when I came into work today. Yeah, what was I thinking?
As soon as CZ walked into the office this morning, this is how our conversation went:
Me: "Good morning"
CZ: "Mornin'. Hey, I pulled, prepped, and pre-registered all of Today's and Thursday's charts for you."
Me: "I already had today's pre-registered and verified, so you didn't need to do it again."
CZ: "Well, what I meant was I put the pre-reg numbers into today's charts for B."
Me: "Oh, OK. Thanks."
CZ: "and I did all of Thursday's for you since they weren't done Monday."
Me: "OK, thanks."
And then she repeated it at least twice to other people how she pulled and pre-registered Thursday's charts for me, looking for praise wherever she could get it. I swear, working with CZ is like having to train a puppy.
That's a good CZ! Good girl, pre-reg'n the charts for me! Who want a treat?!? Who wants one?!?
The sad thing is, CZ now thinks that she has done so much work for the office that she'll sit on her a$$ for who knows how long before "helping" again. I'll let you all know in a few months when it happens. *sigh*