The apple doesn't fall far from the family tree I guess!

[Rena705]

My sis-in-law is not doing very well.  She had been having seizures, has had her driving license revoked for at least a year, her memory is terrible, she is very hard to deal with and they don't know what the problem is yet.  She was going for a tilt/table test today as her BP tends to drop when she stands.  She has had an MRI, CT Scan, Multiple Blood tests.  She still has to see the cardiologist.

However, the point I am trying to make is that regardless what it is that is going on with her...she is still getting crappy, stupid, waste of time help from...guess who...HER NEUROLOGIST!!!

She had her MRI a few weeks ago and had her appointment made to see her neuro this week.  When she went to see him, he had a copy of the MRI report but no copy of the MRI itself!  Now most of us here know that a neurologist can read an MRI far better than the radiologist can...and yet they didn't send him a copy apparently.  

Now my sis-in-law has to wait until AUGUST to see the neurologist again!!  How stupid is that!  It just seems to me like I have been here before...grrrrrr.  I don't particularly get along with my sis-in-law but I am worried about her and she is sooooo one minded that you can't suggest anything to her to help...may as well talk to the wall which is very frustrating.  I told her about 6 times not to go to motor vehicles to ask about her driving and she did so anyway and they took her license for a year and she will have to have yearly physical's now in order to keep it once she has been seizure free for a year.  Yup...very frustrating.  I do have a feeling though that some of her thinking may be due to abnormalities in her brain and I just wish someone would take this more seriously!!  She has 3 kids aged 12, 16 and 18 and they are so frustrated as well with her eccentric notions.

Sorry, but I had to vent to someone.  People don't believe me when I tell them that I hope they never get seriously ill because if you are not able to advocate for yourself and you have no one to help you...in Canada you are basically screwed.  I sure feel for people that don't have the energy or ability to stand up for themselves and I think there should be more advocates out there to help these people.

Rena  

Thanks for letting me vent here and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

[slightlybroken]

I just wanted to let you know I feel for you...

Vent away

[Rena705]

Alex...how in the world can you afford $600/month for co/pay?!  That is insane and because you do you should get better service than having to deliver your results but I guess we all have these problems.  I have come to the conclusion that most people don't have a CLUE as to the trouble people that are sick have to deal with on a daily basis.  Perhaps the powers that be should be given a good dose of illness and then see how they like living like we have to!  It just makes me so angry and when a person has to look at having a gall bladder out as a luxury you have every reason to be frustrated!  I just wanted to know...if you see your neuro and can only bring up on topic at a time does he have someone in the exam room keeping track or what?  That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard and I think any doctor that follows these rules shouldn't be a doctor because I don't think they are following the hypocratic oath the took to become one...or do they bother with any oath anymore...why bother if they are not going to live by it right??

Red Flame  They haven't given a name to her seizures yet but she loses consciousness and usually loses control of her bladder and bowel.  Her doctor told her not to drive until they got a diagnosis and never told her to go to Motor Vehicles.  He never threatened to take her license away...just told her not to drive under any circumstances.  Not much sense in talking to her about psych issues.  She has one son that she doesn't get along with AT ALL because they are so alike and she has always claimed there is something wrong with him.  She has taken him to psychiatrists to "find out why he is so hard to live with" and they have always said that she is the one that has issues she needs to deal with.  He is FINE...She is NUTS!  he he  Anyway, to bring up something like that wouldn't work anyway...talking to her is like talking to a wall except she responds to any suggestions VERY adamantly and won't take any advice.  She thinks all her problems are hormonal but I don't think so.  She has no hot flashes or anything else to indication she is going through the "change" She just paid $250.00 to a naturopath for blood tests...I think that would be a last resort...she doesn't even KNOW what is wrong with her yet...to me, that is more than a litte scary!  I will let you know how she makes out!

Rena

[RedFlame]

Hi Rena,  It does sound like a horrible situation to be in.  You sister is acting strangely that's for sure.  What types of seizures is she having?   Did her neurologist tell her to go the DMV or did he threaten to take her license away.  

It's such a catch-22, if you tell your doctor you are having trouble driving he becomes liable and has to take it away.  Still, we are responsible to make the right choice when it comes to driving.  This is going to put more strain on family if they have to take her places.  

Has she been seen and cleared for any psych issues?  Perhaps this can be done now as it is something you or she can initiate without a referral---at lease I think so.  That way she will recieve treatment if she needs to and also get support through the diagnostic process.

take care and vent all you wans

lois

[HVAC]

I don't know I have the same problems with the U.S. Health Care System. I deal with one of the best health systems and I could tell some stories. If I do not physically pick up my MRI and other lab reports, cd, radiographs, and records they do not get to the doctors even the ones ordering the tests. These are Doctors working for the same hospital. I spend more time in the car picking things up and signing releases then I do seeing Doctors. Then on top off the $600 a month in premiums for myself for a group plan, I spend over ten percent of our income on copays, deductables, and coinsurance and that is years that excludes hospitalizations and ER visits which I consider luxuries. Having my gallbladder out was a luxury.

I get to see my Neurologist every six month for 15 minutes. I am allowed to bring up one symptom only and it costs $120 copay.

Alex