Tag: neurology

He’s just not that into you

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Pardon the brief hiatus in providing high quality content, read: run on sentences and profanity, times have been a bit weird lately lots of flux and lots of bullshit, which is discussed below. For shorter quips and such please do tune in to my instascram @the_illest_blog also clickable here. I like to think I’m funny so it’s worth a quick look…maybe?

Anyway back to your regular programming:

He’s just not that into you

Most people by their late twenties have experienced a breakup, maybe with a romantic partner or even just a bestie that turned into a a major a-hole. Let me tell you, heartbreak is no joke. As someone who literally got broken up with on Valentine’s Day for being chronically ill and no fun any more (yeah I know, what a dick right?), breakups are the worst, and yeah yeah whatever we grow from them, they teach us, whatever, blah blah blah.

If you’ve tuned into this silly blog of mine for a while you’re maybe like wait, isn’t she married to her home health aide husband? Yes, I am still married. Today is not about a partner or a best friend, it’s about someone dare I say even more important: my Primary Care Physician.

On Tuesday July 16th, 2019, at 2:44pm I read the words that made my heart sink.

Dr.Lang will be leaving the practice, to relocate to California to be closer to family.

Uh, EXCUSE ME, what the literal fuck? No one consulted me about this? How dare he just throw away all we’ve built the past three years togethers? And to break up with me via public announcement on the website?! That’s worse than that episode of Sex and the City where Carrie gets broken up with via post-it note. I was in shock, denial, and all around emotional disarray all at once. I exclaim “YOU CAN NOT BE FUCKING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW, THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!” And only a little concerned my husband looks up from his work like, “candy crush?” (Obviously I’m never over dramatic at all…) to which I respond, still shouting mind you, that the worst has happened, and read aloud the heart-wrenching news. To this my husband responds, “Ok so we’re moving to California?”

You may read this and think it’s silly, it’s just a doctor, who gives a shit, there are loads of them. Why on earth would someone be in such shambles over, well…this? For me Dr. Lang was a lot more than just a doc. When you have such a long ass list of ailments like most in our club do, you typically have a lot of doctors. With so many, some experiences are not so great. They can even be so awful and traumatic they can result in forms of medical PTSD.

When I moved to a new city in 2016 I was petrified at the idea of having to find a new primary care physician. I had to leave a rheumatologist I loved in Cleveland and start over, which after having a horrific experience prior to that doc I was not super excited about it: enter Dr. Lang. I did research, stalked his ass online like you do for your friends tinder dates, and thought YOLO let’s do it. Who knew I would find one of the most dedicated docs I’ve ever worked with.

It’s unfortunately all too common that medical professionals don’t believe patients with rare autoimmune disorders leaving them undiagnosed, untreated, and in pain for years on end. Dr. Lang never doubted a word I said, and stopped at nothing even the classic “your bloodwork looks fine,” mystery that happens so often. It’s that dedication to your patients’ quality of life that was something I’d never really had before. No doctor ever responded to my online patient portal questions at 11PM on a Saturday night, or even figured out that all my symptoms for the past 8 years meant MCAS, not just shrug and say I don’t know.

When 98% of your life is managing your health, your partners in that battle with you are your doctors and caregivers. So yeah, this does feel like a personal loss, a breakup if you will. I am sad as fuck, I am losing such a great partner, and dedicated member of my team. Not to mention he’s the one that gives me all my drugs. I know I’m one of many patients, but I think it’s pretty remarkable when a care provider makes your care feel like a priority and that’s something that sucks to lose.

If there are any budding medical professionals out there reading the utter nonsense I write on here, be a Dr. Lang for your patients not a Dr. Asshat. You don’t know which ones might blog about you. (See bio for more info on Dr. Asshat)

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Oh you made plans? That’s cute.

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The first time I really remember my health ruining my plans was in 10th grade, I was supposed to go to a party at a friend’s house, and this was like a group I was trying to establish myself in as a young and spry 15 year old. But alas my body had other plans. During the social studies portion of the Ohio Graduation Test, given to all sophomores on that Friday, I turned my head abruptly and all of a sudden I was like holy fucking shit ballz, what just happened. So my head was stuck turned to the side and in like bonkers pain about an 8 for young Alex. However being the person I am, I of course didn’t tell the teacher because it was a testing environment and I didn’t know the teacher proctoring the test and didn’t want to draw attention to myself and also had a very important chemistry test 8th period. The rest of the day everyone is like uh are you ok? And I’m like yeah it’s great everything’s good I don’t need to go to the nurse I’m fine. Not a single teacher asked about it. Thanks guys. Make it to the end of the day, meet my older brother and get in the car to go home. We drive in silence per usual, (it was a rule of his at the time), until we cross the railroad tracks on our route and I burst into tears, am blabbering about the neck and the chemistry test and meanwhile he’s like what the fuck is happening and also what kind of psychopath stays at school to take a test, we’re going to the ER.

All in all, after a lot of crying mostly due to the unwanted attention, and some morphine, they concluded I had a pinched nerve and sent me on my way with some muscle relaxers. Way to go to my 18 year old brother at the time he handled things pretty well in retrospect. But the worst part was my Mom with all her love and concern (so annoying right?) told me I couldn’t go to the party because I was too high. I planned and planned and studied and planned and alas a stupid nerve ruined my fun. Little did I know at the time that this would be the first of many a plan my health would ruin.

I’ve dragged you all down memory lane with me largely because it’s so funny how little I’m bothered by it all now. My doctors office called me about 4 hours before my minor surgical procedure today and told me they had to reschedule. Insurance decided they didn’t think it was necessary anymore and now we have to do a bunch more shit. The office administrador was super apologetic and I’m just like, “whatever man it’s not your fault let’s just reschedule that shit.” Whenever I try to make a plan more than a month out I feel like I’m tempting the chronic illness demons, or whatever else demons. Like oh you wanna get your PhD in Art History? you already took the GRE? and did your applications? LOL SIKE Let’s hospitalize you and make you dependent on 6 medical specialists instead!

Now I think to myself Oh? You want to make a long term plan? That’s so cute. So naive. You know nothing Jon Snow. What I do know for certain however is I will never prioritize a chemistry test so high such that I end up in the ER as a result. What a dumbass.

PILLS, Baby!

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In the (semi) famous words of Parks and Rec’s ever ridiculous Jean Ralphio, in response to the question, “Why are you like this?” I too respond with, “PILLS, Baby!”

Although Jean Ralphio’s pills were most likely recreational, the sentiment still rings true for me and perhaps others that are rocking the Rx life. Just last week I was at my Primary Care Doc’s office, who I love dearly, seriously the best ever, which is why I can never move. We were chatting about the timeline of my really bad flares over the years since this past year has been especially shitty. The conversation ended up comparing how I felt during times when I lived abroad vs. here in the states.

My Doc asked about what medications I was on if any at that time, to which I responded candidly,”oh I was still on my baby’s first drug cocktail.” My Doc is of course very used to me saying shit like this, we’ve been together 3+ years and see each other A LOT. So after shaking his head in slight amusement and disapproval, he responds, “so just the cymbalta, flexeril, and plaquenil then?” To which I smile and say, “see Dr. Lang you understand me so well.”

So for reference those 3 little pills have now turned into 30 little and some quite large pills, which comically enough none of my docs can keep track of, once my beloved Dr.Lang asked me what I was taking and I was like “pull up my chart brah,” and he looks at the computer then at me and then I’m like “UGH FINE ILL PULL UP MY LIST ON MY PHONE YOU ARE SO LAZY.” Jk jk he’s the best but that interaction did happen. And of course I always have a detailed list of my medication on my phone because once an ER doc asked me about a potential drug interaction and I was thinking like umm isn’t that like your job? (More on being chronically ill and going to the ER later).

Anyway PILLS Baby! So here we are with more pills than a care team can keep track of and I’m on the light end of the spectrum folks. Because I have yet to add auto-injectors, a port, or IV fluids and medications to my list like so many have to manage. But for someone who bopped around with nothing but a backpack for months it’s a different life. Drugs (and not the fun kind) are their own line item on my budget now. I have to carve out the 30 minutes every week to fill all the goddamn little compartments which is no easy feat with a tremor.

None of this is debilitating or particularly life altering, it’s just something that you now have to always consider. There is no more crashing at a friends because it’s late and you don’t want to call an Uber, because you need those fourteen PM pills in the Friday compartment, or your whole Saturday is going to be fucked up. Uff don’t even get me started on travel, Oy mother fucking Vey! It’s just this kind of tether, you’re only as free to wander as the number of pills you can get mail order. As a previous self proclaimed wanderer that kind of fucking sucks.

Still figuring out this new paradigm. A pill paradigm if you will. So far the number keeps going up, hoping some day it may go back down. Also if you are reading this and thinking how do you know if they even help with so many blah blah bullshit blah self righteous blah…. I have had to do a full wash out of all my meds before aka not taking them for a week or so until they’re out of my system for testing, and lets just say I definitely know they work.

Insomnia: Can’t Stop Won’t Stop

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So I suffer from some serious insomnia, which *spoiler alert* is how this internet sensation came to be. Insomnia is a HUGE symptom and side effect for many chronic illness sufferers. Coincidentally being in constant pain makes sleep challenging. Then not sleeping makes pain worse it’s a lovely cycle. I could talk about insomnia all the live long day, lit’rally #teamnosleep However this post is dedicated to a very specific form of self sabotage that for whatever reason I just keep doing despite its adverse effect on my overall sleep hygiene.

A common practice among many “regular” people is to read before bed. Maybe some news, a little non fiction, a contemporary novel, the People magazine Snapchat feed, have your pick right? I, an avid reader, when my eyes/brain are working love to dabble in all of the above. However, unlike most people when I start reading a book I really can’t stop.

This quirk we’ll say is honestly like some sort of character flaw that has been interrupting my circadian rhythms since I was 7. I find myself picking up a book or opening my kindle app and then it’s 4hrs later and I’m like wait pause excuse me was I drugged where am I? what time is it? I have no memory of this; I was in the book this whole time.

All this brings me back to insomnia and why I cannot read before bed. It will almost certainly turn into a literary binge because I can’t self-regulate. I just voraciously love to read. I’m inclined to blame my first grade teacher Mrs. Taylor. Though I also think the clip on booklight industry shares some responsibility because that was just fuel on the fire. Pro Tip: if you experience insomnia DO NOT engage in interesting activities to kill time because you won’t sleep ever and will get bad skin and be crabby.

Is anyone else stuck in this masochistic cycle? Just me? Cool cool cool cool.

Did you know you’re shaking? Essential Tremor 101

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Throughout the life of this blog you guys will probably hear about my tremor a fair amount because quite frankly it has been the source of some of the most hilarious and most dumbfounding moments of my life thus far. So today is just the tip of the iceberg my internet friends. However, I feel I have to start the tremor saga the way it tends to start in life with one of the following:

A) “Oh my god, are you ok? your hands are shaking!”

B) “Did you know you’re like shaking?”

So I’m going to use one of my favorite psychoanalytical phrases, and lets unpack those statements below:

Response A: Ok so first things first, this person is most likely coming at you with concern and general regard for your well-being. However their alarm is 9 times out of 10 totally unnecessary and ends up kind of being a pain in the ass.

Response B: My personal favorite way to recognize a tremor, to which I want to scream, NO FUCKING SHIT DUMBASS, but like I don’t. Deep down I say to myself, they know not what they do, and hope that they too are coming from a place of concern. But again as with before it’s unnecessary and more of a pain for me while I spill hot liquids on myself because I refuse to give up on coffee mugs.

So when I say these responses become a pain in the ass it’s often because people assume that one cannot be both “ok” and have a tremor. This is often rejected or met with more probing questions, which of course makes you anxious and oh wait! Makes you tremor worse and I’m like “ENOUGH Barbara! I’m not probing you about your medical history so back the fuck up!”

The second reason this bugs me is I hate having to make other people feel comfortable about my disability, or my chronic illness. And I am incredibly lucky to be able to fly under the radar most of the time. But it’s bigger than tremors it’s any illness. It’s the notion of oh sorry me coping with my illness bums you out, let me take time and energy to normalize this for you. Ain’t nobody got time for that! I’m perfectly happy twitching up a storm at yoga, and I am not going to worry if watching me deal with my tremor will harsh your mellow.

In short, YES FOR FUCKS SAKE I KNOW I’M SHAKING AND NO NOTHING’S WRONG.

“I feel like I’m in a Relationship with your answering machine.”

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This remark by none other than the polarizing Ross Geller of NBC’s Friends, is not only so 90’s, but it also perfectly describes the relationship I, and basically anyone trying to get an appointment in specialized medicine, probably have with at least one of our physicians’ offices. When I think about the collective amount of time I’ve spent on hold, at the mercy of the scheduling people, or the billing people, or the insurance people it takes me to a bad place. Like a fuck this I’m gonna eat a pack of Oreos with ice cream, and get hives, then pick at the hives until I look like a leper, kind of place.

My most recent one sided relationship happens to be with my neurologist who needs to see me before refilling meds, funny part is her next appointment isn’t for…wait for it…drum roll…almost 5 months! So as one might imagine this is a teeeeny bit problematic as without said meds my brain and central nervous system misbehave quite a bit. After a brief hold of 55 mins (under 60 is brief) I explained the time sensitive nature of the situation and was advised to call back daily to see if there are any cancellations. Cool cool cool cool cool. So just like Ross (in yet another relationship blunder) I again find myself asking: What do I do now?

Before I continue I feel like it’s important I recognize two things: the first is that I know healthcare administrative staff are doing their best, it’s not their fault as so many are working for systems that aren’t patient centered. The second is I also recognize I’m not the only patient, there are so many others suffering this same bullshit which only makes me more upset when I’m on hold for an hour because that means someone else is on hold for two hours. It’s bullshit man.

Being chronically ill starts to become a full time job when the only solution you’re offered is to spend an hour on hold every day to maybe be able to snag a cancellation. Lest we forget we’re doing this on top of already feeling like garbage, managing our meds, and all the other regular adult human shit like paying rent and feeding yourself. The “solution” I was offered doesn’t feel very solution-y to me, but at the moment it’s all we got. Unfortunately I can’t take a break from my neurologist a la Ross & Rachel. I can at the very least rewatch Friends while I’m on hold and thank my lucky stars I have unlimited calling on my cellular plan.