Monday, November 27, 2017

Immovable objects meet unstoppable force


As I stood up from the MRI this morning and disturbed everyone else in the room with a fine display of disorientation, a new post formed in my mind. 

MRI’s disturb my body. The resonance in the tube, in my body, and today in my head, for it was a brain MRI, confuse my body, sometimes for days.

I told the new neurologist I would not have another. He offered a sedative. I’m not anxious; it’s the magnetic waves bouncing off my heart, my lungs, my brain, my muscles, confusing them. I couldn’t drive after a sedative, I said. He shrugged and handed me the order to schedule the MRI.

I had to find a new neurologist, as mine threw up his hands at the current state of medicine and went to Ohio State to teach and do research. I understand his frustration, and sympathize completely. But I still need a neurologist to follow the effing brain injury.

The neurologist recommended to me has no openings until February, and I still need (or not) anti-seizure meds filled by a neurologist. You don't just quit those things. So, I settled for another member of the practice, and will play the immovable object/unstoppable force game until I am satisfied or ask to go to the top of the practice.

Every brain doctor since George Washington Medical Center in DC was convinced I have seizures. Except Dr. DeRen, but he threw up his hands and quit patients. So, I’ve had innumerable cat scans, an EEG, two MRI’s, three neurosurgeons and one neurologist signing off on the lack of seizures, but here’s a new neurologist, who has to have his own pristine set of findings. He and I have now met the impasse.

He said, to end the visit, “Well, I still haven’t cleared you to drive.” Ask google. Look in a text book. Apparently this brain injury precludes driving. No matter every authority has ticked the “drive” box. The new man on the scene must have an opinion weighed, too.

I told his back, as he left the room, “I parked my car in your lot this morning.”

There is a more lighthearted immovable object in the kitchen; my granddaughter, the cookerer. A while back she tried biscuits. I watched her plop butter from the butter dish to the flour in the bowl. In passing I remarked she should try to use cold butter. The biscuits were a little chewy, but OK.

Several weeks later she made biscuits to die for, and I remarked to that effect with every one I ate. “Yes,” she said, “google recommends using cold butter and I put a note to do that in my ‘cooking notes.’”

Don’tcha love it.

Last week I tackled the kale question. Kale has its place, but an exclusive two year run is long. I suggested chard. Putting away groceries Saturday, I stowed kale in the fridge, but no chard. “They didn’t have any,” Laura rejoined.


Yesterday we stopped at Kreiger’s for a small item. On the way out I took a good look at the greens. I poked Laura in the ribs and pointed. She looked, shrugged and headed out the door. A couple of years ago I made a rule: there will be a vegetable with every meal. Time to make a “less kale, more chard” rule, too.









31 comments:

  1. When did the medical profession start using Google as their 'go-to' for medical advice? My son-in-law's stepdad got the same response when he asked a question about a medicine he was prescribed after a heart attack/stroke. Google it! Perhaps Google will soon start billing our insurance.

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  2. Joanne, I understand your dislike of MRI's... they are noisy and disturbing in general and with your condition probably more so. What I don't understand is why you need to 'continue to have them'... is it to show whether the injury has improved or ?
    As for chard vs kale, I'm not fond of either, although I do like most vegetables. The greens offered in your store look wonderful.

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  3. What fun we have at this stage of our lives, eh Joanne?

    There with you in spirit, if not visible.

    Cheers,
    Mike

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  4. On cooking I would trust Grandma before Google.
    I hate, loathe and despise MRIs. Only the thought that if I scream my lungs out they will have to start again keeps me quiet and still.
    I am a tad claustrophobic and that and the noise do my head in. And like you I am disoriented for days afterwards. I have said no more. Never no more.

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  5. I think doctors use us as test animals and I don't like it. Good thing you are an unstoppable force.

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  6. That doctor has "god-itis" as my sister-in-law (a retired nurse) calls it. I'm sorry you have to deal with that on top of everything else. A doctor with real compassion and the ability to listen is a rare thing, unfortunately.

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  7. And two years of kale. Lord. Yes, it's time for a change!

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  8. Sometimes, hell, lots of times I tell my doctor no, and bless his heart he accepts that. I'm all for eating greenery, I do it ever day, but Lord, tell Laura to Google some different ones. Keep driving.

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  9. What a screwed up universe that you have to endure the physical crap you're going through while also running through an obstacle course of obstinate doctors.
    I really tried to like chard since it came with my farm share allotment for a while, but it tastes like dirt to me.

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  10. look at the multi-colored beets, yummy, I do love swiss chard, try baking the kale, kale chips are good. Ha. hope you get your health straightened out. it seems many doctors are not willing to listen to the patient who knows what is happening with their own bodies since they reside in them constantly. Oh bok choy is good too I had it once recently. dh went to wally world for some vegetables and they were all sold out except asparagus, I guess that isn't popular in the south. lol

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  11. There are such a variety of vegetables outs there, wonder why Laura is so in "love" with kale?

    betty

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  12. Is chard that green leafy stuff with a red stem in the final photo? We have that out here, but it's called something else. I'll check next time I go shopping.

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    1. Hari OM
      Yes, Swiss Chard has the red stem, Silverbeet the white stem... one of the yummies, as Joanne says, when plomped with a dollop butter - and plenty salt and pepper! YAM xx

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  13. sorry about needing another MRI. Hope your body recovers faster than you have experienced in the past, and that the results are good.

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  14. It is amazing to me how many doctors you have to choose from Joanne. We don’t have much choice here.

    That looks like a nice selection of green vegetables.

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  15. A salad every day for lunch is a good way of ensuring some green veg. I like spring cabbage myself, do you have that where you live?

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    1. Probably. We seem to have veggies from every corner of the globe.

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  16. Yesterday i bought kale for the first time here, it is new here and still waiting to me to see what google can tell me about it.

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  17. keep on in there...it is your body,not theirs. Theirs to advise,yours to know.
    Blessings on your learner baker...when do they ever take our word ?!

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  18. Hari OM
    I put my bit about veges in with River... meanwhile, am praying you can get things moving in a more favourable direction re the medical situation. On a side note , how's Laura's driving coming along? YAM xx

    (ps; the harp is under glass, but open at the sides. It's called the wind harp. Surprising that... Yx

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  19. yeah, I have a husband who thinks everything I suggest is wrong until he hears it elsewhere. even so I don't get the credit for being right. I used to get angry about it but it did no good. and what is it with doctors, not trusting the results of the previous doctors tests from the same machines they want to use to conduct new tests. we don't eat kale so why not try spinach or any of the other greens...mustard, collard, turnip? lots of vegetables to chose from in those pictures. but I get it. I quit accompanying my husband to the grocery store because if I picked something he doesn't like his remark was always...you going to cook that?

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    1. No remarks for me; it just doesn't get cooked. So, I don't buy it.

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    2. PS-it's OK. She will be 16 in a week and on a good and interesting path.

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  20. Your Kreiger's greens section is wonderful. I hate that you have to do those MRI's. I have vowed never to do one again without being unconscious.

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  21. Spinach salad? Steamed broccoli?

    Love,
    Janie

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  22. I have been taking my anti-seizure medicine for so long that I simply tell the doctor what I take and have him/her prescribe it. I go in a couple of times a year to do blood levels but other than that I don't do the tests either.

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  23. I'm with Laura on this one-I love kale and don't care much for chard. My favorite way to have it is blended with pineapple into a shake. It makes this gorgeous green color that you just want to consume. At least I do. I guess it sounds kind of gross but I swear it's not. I have never had an MRI. I'm hoping I never do but that's probably too much to ask for right? I hope your neurologist realizes sooner rather than later who's the boss of you:-)

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  24. That's a good rule, but I just can't do it.

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  25. I don['t like either kale or chard. So I'd be in trouble at your house!. I'd put my foot down to all those MRI's. It's your brain!!

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