My journey to better health

Done with therapy for the time being, my medical is being reviewed by Medicaid with an eye to cutting me off. No more pain in the leg now except when I really stretch out that hamstring and the permanent dentures finally fit (a tad loose sometimes when I eat raw nuts) without pain now. Numbers looking good this week so far.

Numbers are up a bit.....worry about the state cutting off my medical coverage. They want paperwork proof I never ever had in my possession.

Can't find anything within my budget either right now. So many insurance companies pulled out in my state claiming "too many losses" ie: humongous profits. LordHelpMe find something decent, I have NO help in looking and deciding.

So far not cut off......got a small refund on the teeth so I can have them redone. Three visits and counting at the new dentist. He's done much better so far at impressions, taking his time doing it right. I have a feeling I'll be much happier with the end result from him.

BGL have been much better since I got the medical straightened out--for now that is. Who knows what will happen after trump gets sworn in?

My BGL numbers are high and so is my eye pressure.....prednisone for my eye problem is to blame. It's done it before so my doc cleared it with the eye doc before I got the meds. Hope it clears up my eyelid sore or I have to go in for a biopsy to make sure it isn't cancer.

I am now trying to find a dermatologist who not only takes my pathetic health coverage but also can see me in less than two months. So far, no go. I need my eyelid looked at....it most closely resembles online pics of basil cell carcinoma in it's early stages. That eyelid itches, weeps, crusts over, then itches some more. Never completely heals up even with the dreaded prednisone my doc tried.

Pray and wish me luck getting this done before the fed and state government pulls my coverage out from under me.

I hope it sorts out!

That's terrible. I'm with Becky, I hope it sorts out too.

So far they haven't yanked my coverage.....I see a dermatologist on the 7th. That eyelid still hasn't healed, but the crust is thinner. I soak it off with a warm compress like the doc suggested but it comes right back, sometimes it bleeds and sometimes it doesn't. Half my eyelid looks shiny and red under that crust. And its just the one eye, the other one is fine. I pray it isn't cancer.....the waiting is killing me and praying they don't yank my medical coverage while I wait isn't helping any.

Meanwhile, the mole they removed from my mom a few weeks ago that had changed color and shape isn't cancer. We are both relieved about that.

That's scary. I've got a doctor's appt. the 16th.

I know it's scary, it's been this way since before Christmas. Hope your appt. goes well. I have to figure out where this docs office is, I've never seen her before.

That is definitely odd. I hope they figure it out, and the treatment is easy.

So do I, I see her next week and since there are NO dermatologists in network I have to pay for the office call out of pocket.

Because of the dividends from my small inheritance (on automatic reinvestment for my old age so I don't receive a dime of it) my rent has gone up 700% and my LINK allotment was just cut by 70%. How I'm going to eat healthy for the next 9 weeks on $48 I don't know. Rent now takes half of my monthly income, insurance on the car and apartment takes another 30%. Then there's utilities, laundry, t.p., gas to get to the grocery or doctor office. And inheritance taxes to pay and a tax preparer to pay to file it too so I know it's done right. All I'd need now would be a diagnosis of cancer to really put me over the edge.....

It's not cancer............whew! Ecxema of the eyelid, what a pain.

Now I have a huge, dilated, bulging vein just barely under the surface in the back of my throat on the right side. It's been there for years, hidden by my tonsil when I was younger. I can't see the vein on the left at all but I know there should be one there too. Must be deeper in. But now the one on the right is developing a raised spot and the mucous tissue seems thinner there. Possible aneurysm? Should I get it checked out?

Yes.

Saw the doctor today, who referred me to a ENT doc. What was supposed to take a "few days to get the insurance approval" turned into only an hour. So off to the ENT, who wants a CT scan with contrast. She thinks it's a confluence of ruptured capillaries that formed a huge vein-like area. The fact that it's sooooo close to the skin is worrying. She wants the CT done to see if it's localized. If so, I'm looking at a tonsillectomy.....at my age! If it's worse, who knows? Definitely an appointment with an oral surgeon either way.

And now according to tonights' news the federal government is trying to rescind my medical coverage again (trumpcare bill).

Pray for me!

Keep us informed!

CT scan this Friday, see the doc on the 19th, then it's onto scheduling whatever surgery I need.....so looking at anywhere from mid May to sometime in June? Everybody seems to be booked months in advance for everything when you're on Medicaid.

Meanwhile, I have to be careful not to eat anything crunchy for fear of poking that bulging vein while swallowing. I expect to lose at least 10-15# after surgery due to not being able to swallow much. I need to lose at least that much but I sure didn't want to do it this way!

I know. I agree, i can think easier way to lose weight.

It's not a bunch of burst capillaries atter all, it's the interior carotid vein! They're not going to do anything with it either....they have a "wait n see what happens" attitude about it. The surgeon didn't even see it, only what this young fresh out of residency doc described to him. They said surgery would entail a "lot of bleeding". You think??? Sheesh, I knew that just from it's size that it would bleed no matter what they do.
I know mom was surprised at that they're waiting. What if it burst while they're procrastinating? Bet if I wasn't on Medicaid they'd be doing something quick about it. I know mom is scared I will die from them waiting but is trying not to show it.

What do I do now to make them take it seriously, before they take my medical coverage away? Washington is trying again within a month from what I've read....

And they didn't recommend anything to keep you from causing bleeding? Grr!

No. Nothing. There are ways to surgically treat it but I think the docs who will accept my medical are not equipped to deal with it. I don't think there are ANY surgeons out there who will to be honest with you. The exact term they used for what it is:
retropharyngeal tortuous medially deviated internal carotid Look it up.....very scary stuff.

I need to make out a will asap.

We are still trying to find a neurosurgeon who specializes in throats that will take my insurance. Now there's a rubbery looking egg white colored vein (?) about the size of an ink pen refill sticking out from just behind that vessel lump at the bottom. Last night it peeked out a lot, then retreated this morning, but it's still there and I have no idea what it is. The doc is a bit mystified too.

We are STILL trying to find a surgeon. We've tried 6 different places so far....most of them used to take it but don't anymore. Meanwhile, last night that vein/artery was bulging, throbbing, looked about the size and appearance of a good sized blackberry you see in the grocery store. And a whitish loop of vein(?) was sticking out from under it again.

I am scared. What if that bursts while we hunt for a surgeon?

Have you called your insurance to see if they can recommend one? It sounds worrisome.

I agree. Ask your insurance company.