Dr Carter at the Mayo Clinic in Az

[flowerfloosey]

Has anyone had any experience with this neurologist? It seems I read something recently but can't find it.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks all,
Cynde/flower

[Lulu54]

Cynde,
What format are you MRI's in right now?  Perhaps someone here can tell you how to convert them onto a CD  - or if you call the places where they were imaged at, please request they burn them to a CD and see what they say.

I am truly getting excited for you - this has to be the medical help you have been seeking for so long.  

- Laura

[flowerfloosey]

Thank you for all of you input. My husband is going with me and doesn't mind driving me to and from and waiting for me. We are going at this together..hoping above all hope to get answers to my failing health.
They didn't tell me to bring all my records with me...but I am going to. I have some of them and have to obtain the others. I will take your suggestions about organizing them. I found a good help at "howto.com". about medical records.
I got my itinerary yesterday and I have three appts with the neuro the first day and then nothing and then second day with three other docs. Did you have to wait to see the GI doc? Was he hard to get in to see? I have GI issues too and since I will only be there a week, I am kinda nervous about getting it all done.
Also, they request that your mris etc are on cd. Most of mine aren't. I wonder what to do about that??
Does anything happen at the clinic on the weekends? Hope you are getting some answers! Thank you again for the time you are taking to write! It helps soooo much!
Hugs,Cynde

[goofysmom1]

The Courtyard Marriott is an okay hotel.  It isn't fancy, but it isn't run down either.  The rooms are comfortable - again, it isn't a high end hotel.  If you haven't ever been to Scottsdale, AZ - it is fairly close to most things.  I have liked being close to the clinic just so that I could come back between appointments.  My appointments the first few days were either grouped together, so I stayed at the clinic, or they were far enough apart that I could come back to the hotel & have lunch or take a nap or whatever before going back to the clinic.  

If you have someone who can drive you - and doesn't mind waiting around for you, or coming back to get you - then stay where you are comfortable.

How your appointments will be scheduled will be dependent on what tests they have prescheduled, what they cancel after you have seen the Neuro, and what additional tests they decide to do once you have seen the Neuro.  My itinerary changed 4 times while I was here.  So how it is when you get here will (probably) change once you have seen the Neuro.  They have a scheduling department that even puts an appointment on your itinerary when you have to go to the scheduling department because of a change in schedule, or if they don't have everything scheduled yet. (an example is that they needed confirmation from my insurance company about a test being covered, so they couldn't schedule it until they had heard from the insurance company - so I had to go back to get my new itinerary once the test was approved & scheduled) It is quite amazing really - how they run the clinic.

If you don't have someone to drive you, then I would suggest staying as close to the clinic as you can.  If you do, then stay where you are comfortable.

As for your medical records - bring all that you can.  Just in case.  I brought my GI stuff & ended up getting a referral to the GI department, so I was glad to have brought those records as well.  I bought a notebook and put dividers with pockets in it & seperated the records by department.  (I tend to be overly organized...)    :)

I saw all sorts of folders/record keeper type things that people were carrying around - so again whatever is easiest for you to keep things organized, so that when you have to pull a specific record/test result out - it is easy for you to find.

I know that I was unsure of how things would work when I got here, but you figure out how things work pretty quickly - plus everyone who works at the clinic is very helpful if you get confused or overwhelmed.

Hope this helps!

Chrisy

[flowerfloosey]

Can anyone give any advice on how to organize your medical records to go to Mayo or another large medical clinic? They asked me to bring some of the test results with me but I am not sure if I should get my records from all the doctors I have seen for various things that may be related to MS? Since I have no diagoses, I am just wondering. What about order of them so the doctor can easily read them? Any help you can give in this area would be most helpful!

[flowerfloosey]

Hi Kristen and Chrisy, How did your appt with the neuro go yesterday? Thank you both for all of your info. It is most helpful.
I read all the reviews on the courtyard at Mayo and people said it was older and needed redoing.How is it?  Can you give me your opinion on what your day looks like schedule wise while you are there? I am trying to figure out how I am going to feel about staying 9-10 miles away from the clinic?? I can easily cancel my reservations. Since I don't know the layout of the area..it is just a guess. We have reservations at the Gainey suites. I am having second thoughts about staying so far away. I asked a friend that just came back from there what they would do and they said they would stay someplace away from there. I am just thinking that I might be really tired and want to lay down between appts. Did you feel that way?? Thanks for all you are doing to help those of us who are on our way there!
Hope you are feeling ok!
Hugs,Cynde

[Lulu54]

You are a great example of what this community does best - sharing!  I am not going to Mayo, but if I were I know I could count on you to guide me.  good luck, Lulu