Doctors and who to sue if I keel over.

I am putting this in writing.  Today I went to the cardiologist.  I stood in line to check in behind five people, two in wheelchairs.  I sat in the waiting room with a dozen folks.  The average age was 20+ years older than me. Out of a dozen patients... I was the only person in that room able to drive herself to an appointment.

Just figured out the new camera on my computer... don't I look tired after a day of docs?

I am having issues being taken seriously in the doctors office.  I look healthy.  I am sparky. (Oh, especially if I have an excellent double shot of espresso before heading in to the doctors office).  I am eloquent.  And If I am not, I write it down so I don't forget.  I am confident.  I don't whine, cry, or look sad.  Worried, yes.  I want them to take this seriously so I put on my "work face".  The one that I would use to get people to donate money and the one for public presentations.  I need something from them, so I express that need.  My old doctor pre-stroke blew off all my CLASSIC stroke symptoms because she said it was menopause symptoms.  I feel like my cardiologist blows me off because I am female, way younger than him, don't smoke, don't drink (enough), have a healthy heart, am a decent weight, eat well.  When I am in front of him, my heart is fine.  Well no duh.  After telling me I had a small stroke, (when my neurologist calls it a serious stroke) he suggested it was anxiety.  That sounds a lot like he is going down the menopause road.    They can make me feel like a hypochondriac until I remember... nope, not a hypochondriac if I had a stupid stroke people. 

Note: I am the least litigious person in the world.  I am not condoning suing. There is a lack of significant medical studies on women, menopause and embolic episodes, hence a lack of comfort by doctors to venture  outside of the "averages" of prescription drugs and medical journals.. Unless I find a study of some sort -   my medical concerns will not be addressed fully until a) I do have a heart attack or another stroke or b) I age.  Probably need to find other doctors, too.

Stroke Update

Hello, I'm Andrea's daughter and I am just updating on her condition. She had a stroke that took place in the right side of her brain resulting in weakness in the left side of her body. She is getting a lot of tests done to see what the cause of the stroke was. She is getting better, but the recovery proccess is gradual. If you didn't know her, you might not notice anything wrong with her. She cant quite type right because her left side can't keep up with the right and that causes difficulties.

How not to use Facebook. Or, Just another way I know I am getting older.

We recently attended the memorial service for a family acquaintance. On a friends facebook page it says something like "My friend lkdjlk, Rest in peace," and then attached a music video. Three people "liked" that. Oh god please when I die don't have people "liking" it on a facebook page. I realize those folks were rating the video, not the death (boy, I hope they were rating the video) it just seems a very impersonal way to express sorrow for a devastating family loss.

This is how I know I am getting old....

This is how I know I am getting old. To me, this is wrong, on so many levels. From when our kidlets were this age... when the babes have that alert tenseness about their body, it means they are very stimulated... and mine only got that way with people, or their dog. Why am I old? I don't think a kid needs to be in front of a 2d screen that flashes images every one to three seconds. And I know we are becoming more and more digitally oriented.
(The following is exerpted from kidshealth.org)
"The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.
The first 2 years of life are considered a critical time for brain development. TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and others, which encourages learning and healthy physical and social development."
I will bet you cold hard cash this wee baby will have a learning disorder or ADD/ADHD when older. If indeed they pop in a video every time the kid is in the car and this is just not a pic for advertising purposes.

When we carpooled with a group of kids, when we visit relatives, when we drive to somewhere, yeah, I get to hear bickering... but I also get to hear all sorts of other stuff. When they were this age in the car? They would fall asleep, or look at their favorite board book, or chew on something and drool.
Easy is not always better. This would be one of my cranky and feisty posts.

Health - Aging Woman - Vitamin D, iron, high blood pressure

This is the real post I meant to type, but I got sidetracked by botox thoughts (looks.)
OK, this is girl stuff to give a survey view of health as I age.
1. Approaching menopause. Seem to not have any iron or Vitamin D in my body.
2. Doctor prescribes hormone.
3. Hormone makes me have rockets of insanity and black anger clouds of mother mood.
4. Doc takes me off hormone. Due to - as she writes in her notes - "mood instability" HAHAHA
5. Still missing crucial elements in blood of iron, vitamin D, calcium.
6. Doc prescribes "menopause drug"
7. Feel calmer, can sleep at night and my ten years of ecxema disappear!
8. Still missing iron D calcium.
9. Doctor adds lower dose progesterone only hormone to my routine.
10. Blood pressure skyrockets 192/132 the next day.
11. Blood pressure barely comes down for a week.
12. Doctor prescribes a hypertension Ace inhibitor drug.
13. I am 45.
14. When I picked up the prescription, I told the pharmacist the other two drugs I was on and he said both those can cause blood pressure to go up.
15. Not impressed with medical solution of layering on medications to deal with the symptoms of the previous drugs side effects.
16. Getting my mom, former librarian, to figure out the solution to all this medical inadequacy.
17. Ask me in 6 months, I will probably be off of all this crap. My normal BP is 122/80 or 72. This is ridiculous. I will not be one of those ladies when I am 80 who is on so many medicines they can't keep track... and half the drugs are to counter side effects from other drugs. Drugs people, are not the first thing to go to, they should be the last.

Botox leads to Neanderthal forehead

I don't mind looking older and get a kick out of all the products on the drugstore shelves that promise to "bring back a younger you." HA. I actually like the worn in laugh lines and the cranky furrowed thing between my eyebrows. It shows that a) I laugh alot and b) I frown alot. I think the frown thing is a vanity since I am supposed to wear glasses and I have taken up squinting instead. (Like right now, I am somewhat squinting at the screen) And, geez, I have a 10 year old and a 14 year old... if I did not have a frown line how would I ever influence them with my steely-eyed mother squint? ??
Since I feel way younger than I look... and I act way younger than I should... I like the veneer of maturity my aged skin and body lets me wear. You can't stop aging, you can't stop death. It really freaks me out to see the neanderthal forehead men and women are willing to wear for the privilege of botox shots. Have y'all noticed your head gets all poochy in the brow region? Not a good look. But again, this is ONLY MY OPINION. Whatever makes you feel outstanding is well worth it. We have too many low self esteem people out there. Do what works for ya! Just don't expect me not to silently think to myself "Neanderthal" when you walk by. Here is a gal that has to squinch her face to get the lines to show she is so toxicized... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLork5-Tan4

Female Stuff - Procrastination II

Good lord. Another day at work and another day I am sitting here procrastinating. OR, I could look at it that I am not procrastinating on typing on the blog. So technically I am doing what I should be doing.
There, all better. Talked myself right out of that little conundrum.
I look at this as one more sign that I am slipping sweetly into menopause. Did I tell you I am slowly going insane? Well, I am. I am sure there is a physiological reason for it (hormones, hormones) but right now we can just say I am going insane. (Wait, would that technically be "sweetly" if I am going insane?) Just ask the kids. One minute I am all irreverent and light, and the next minute I am swearing there will never NEVER NEVER be another lego brought in the house with my hard-earned dollars. Did I say I said that? Well, I more yelled it, with parental crazy anger behind it. This is tantamount to me saying we will never have milk and bread EVER again at home. Or I will never let my son breathe fresh air again. And the reason? Son chose to build legos rather than get dressed and ready for school. Can we say over-reaction?
(me, not him)
It shall be such a joy to be going through this as my daughter has just turned 14. Won't we be a splendid festival of hormonal atrocities waiting to happen? Do other women go insane? I don't remember my mom going insane, but maybe that was because I was a teenager and not paying attention to anything but myself. Hmmmmmmmm.

Compadres & Kids - and whiskey voiced women

We shall title this first photo: Chief Seattle's Revenge.. the Casino

And the second glam shot is me quickly photo-ing the ultrasound machine at the doc's office

Called the kids dad this morning to tell him how to plant flowers. Sigh. 48 year old man... does not know how to put a 4' square plant in the ground. Just one more learning episode for him, I expect great results and a stunning garden at his place. When I began talking he said "Whoa, have you been drinking whiskey and smoking all night?" I have one of those colds that starts in your vocal cords, so your voice sounds nothing like it usually does. Note: I am a lame drinker, we tease that I am a "cheap date" since I rarely finish a glass of wine or beer. The cold came from the kids, who sweetly shared it with me after they were sick all week. My mantra of " I Will Not Be Sick" obviously did not work.
The pic of the ultrasound office is my little moment of "I am now aging" . How many years did I push this body of mine and ignore what it was saying back? I don't get to ignore it anymore, it starts yelling at me and so do my doctors. I may just be one of those cranky, eccentric, stubborn, know-it-all women as I grey. Yay! When I was young, I used to want to live in the south, just so I could be eccentric when I age, and have it be socially acceptable. Now as I age, I don't give a rip if I am socially acceptable (oh, and how this bothers my daughter!!). I am going to start the eccentric older lady club of the NW. All you need is an opinion that you are willing to argue about endlessly (and there is no requirement that it is based in fact... or "correct") and willing to listen to other people argue their points without resorting to physical violence or throwing things. And no yelling. I think throwing butter cookies or shortbread would be fine, however. I like those.