He’s an incredibly talented neurologist, but he’s based in Ireland—Dr. Nail Tubridy. As for the state of things here, I honestly don't even know how to describe it. I grew up in a family of doctors, and my dad... well, he knew more about neurology than all of them combined. If anyone is actually interested, I could send over some basic neurological facts via private message—things that just aren't being recognized or followed here, even though they're clearly outlined in the guidelines from American children's hospitals online. And it isn't just that; I also know of two elderly patients where everything was explained completely incorrectly.
I wanted to share a recommendation for a female radiologist over at Anova Polyclinic. She’s honestly incredible—she goes through MRI results with such detail and precision. Because of her, I actually understood everything about my situation down to the smallest point. It really makes a difference when you don't have to rely solely on whatever other specialists might decide to tell you. I guess it just shows how vital having a skilled radiologist is; they can really uncover so much more for you.
Does anyone have an orthopedist recommendation at the Chicago University Hospital Center? If you have someone you trust, please let me know. You can also just send me a private message if that's easier.
On another note, the urologists over at St. Catherine are honestly the best. I guess you really can't go wrong with anyone there—all of them were excellent when I went with an older family member about two years ago.
I suppose you all have a point there. Honestly, I was really hoping my dad could just be seen by the same doctor we met during his ER visit, but she wasn't available. Still, everyone there was actually quite good. He’s been treated by three different urologists at that facility now. One time, they even went as far as running blood work on him, even though he didn't even have a fever at the time. I suspect a hospital in another state probably wouldn't have bothered with that. The nurses were also incredibly kind; one of them even helped change his clothes because I asked, since we were stuck waiting so long for the medical transport. They brought him inside and got him changed.
The swallowing part is just awful. My dad had a really hard time swallowing liquids too. He could manage soft foods, though. It's funny because my mom, who was younger, could swallow almost anything—even just half a Klavocin pill. Last year, I actually had to grind up Dad's antibiotic and mix it with some yogurt just to get him to take it. I guess I don't quite understand why swallowing became such a struggle for him.
You can actually find the waiting lists for every hospital right there on their website. I suspect you won't be waiting nearly as long here compared to those massive metropolitan medical centers—you know, where getting an initial cardiology consult can take six months easily. Since this is more of a smaller community hospital, they just don't have as many appointments booked up.
I never really had to wait long for my dad to see a urologist. Back then, you could practically get an appointment almost immediately—sometimes in less than a month—using a referral from his primary care doctor. But that was back in the summer of 2019, before the pandemic hit. Now, earlier this year, we had to wait three whole months just for his first cardiology appointment. Of course, if it’s an emergency, you can always head to the urology ER. That’s how I knew I could take him there. They share the same space as the main emergency department, though the urology clinic is located just a bit further down on a lower level. Everything there has been renovated, too; they have plenty of stretchers for patients with limited mobility. Last summer, it was actually possible to stay by a non-ambulatory patient's side the entire time. Honestly, I think those are the best and kindest staff members out there, and I say that having been through several different hospitals with my dad. At another hospital, they actually told me I had to take him home because they didn't have enough stretchers available, so we ended up having to turn around and come right back for the exam the very same day. So, that's exactly what we did, and I actually had to call private medical transport just to get us back, otherwise we wouldn't have made it. After that incident, he was never even scheduled for a follow-up, and with a standard referral, you can choose whichever specialist you want for the exam.
Alex Watson93 said:Hi there! Could someone recommend somewhere in Chicago for a high-quality venous color Doppler?
Thanks so much!
I actually went to Medikol with both family members. They did a really thorough job on the arterial and venous Doppler, though that was back in the spring of 2013 and again in the spring of 2014. Both times, the Doppler scan felt very detailed and well-executed. The first time, we had a younger doctor, and the second time, it was an older female physician. I was actually inside the room during the first appointment because my dad and I had to help Mom up from her wheelchair. The second time around, Dad could manage on his own, so I just waited outside.
I won't get into all that right now. For the most part, I’m not planning on going to St. Catherine or even out to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is just too far away, and honestly, it's way too expensive. I've actually found that smaller clinics—the ones that really focus on just one specific field or specialty—turn out to be much better options for me. They seem to have more time to spend with you, you know? You don't feel like you're just being rushed through some endless battery of routine tests.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a private hematologist? I can't make it to St. Catherine, and if possible, I'd rather avoid Aviva. I went there once before, and I don't think I'll be going back.
It’s the same thing with the Holy Spirit. They’re actually quite kind and show a lot of understanding toward people with mobility issues; I’ve been there with my dad several times. They always stepped up to help him, even prescribing antibiotics he could take home.
It’s definitely better if you can manage without a feeding tube. As far as ostomy supplies go, there's actually a Stoma Medical shop available. They used to be at the Remiza location, but I think they might have moved. You should probably check online. I believe there's a local Stoma Association that could potentially send a specialist to your house once you're back home. And regardless, you really ought to look into getting a primary care doctor for home health services. Now, the big question is whether that specific nurse will be experienced enough. We worked with Dominic. Usually, if they aren't sure, they'll send someone who actually knows what they're doing. That’s how it worked for my dad when he was dealing with IV infusions while still at home. Plus, home health aides can come to you. Typically, if the doctor doesn't come out, they'll refer you to home health, and then that professional can assess the need for ongoing care. You also have Preradović's home care options—maybe try checking who has nurses available, because everyone is usually on vacation during the summer. And honestly, regarding those classified ads you mentioned, you could get anyone responding to those, so please, just be really careful. I think you're entitled to receive ostomy bags via mail order, so maybe ask the folks at Stoma Medical. They are very kind people. You should also be able to get diapers delivered through that same system.
I’ve had some really kind, young nurses come by through home health care. To be honest, I mostly needed them to help manage my dad's agitation, since I’ve been the one washing his hair myself this past year, and even then, they always seem to be in such a rush. But when it comes to managing things like feeding tubes, catheters, or stomas... well, they often lack experience. Some might know the basics, but they aren't quite on the same level as hospital nurses. Home care feels more like assistance for bathing while someone can still make it to the bathroom. I honestly think a residential facility might be your only real option. It’s just incredibly expensive, and you never truly know how much expertise they actually have there. If you ask, they’ll always claim they can handle everything. You might want to look into the Medisal facility in the suburbs. Even though they don't have an elevator, I've read that they have great staff for patients who are heavy or immobile. When I checked with them last year, they said they were full. Based on the photos, though, it looks quite clinical, almost like a hospital.
If someone is dealing with a nasogastric tube, honestly, you’ll struggle to find anyone who actually knows how to manage it properly. An older sister mentioned she knew how to handle the feeding part, but the real issue is that the tube just keeps shifting—it feels too short. At the nursing home, they don't really care if the tube has moved out of place or anything. They just feed through it and call it a day. Usually, it's just the aides doing it because there aren't enough nurses on staff. And having someone conscious while they have that tube? It’s just awful. It was clearly bothering him. In my opinion, those tubes should only be used in a hospital setting, where you actually have skilled nurses who know what they're doing. I've personally seen nurses in the hospital swap them out all the time to make sure everything is right. There was even this one man near my dad who pulled his out himself, and the staff fixed it immediately. While he was still at home for those first two days, he was getting IV fluids via home health care. Palliative care wouldn't come out to us, so everything was handed off to home health. But during the summer, they are spread so thin because everyone is on vacation. So, the whole situation is just... nothing. In other parts of the world, there are hospices where people are moved to immediately after leaving the hospital. Here, palliative facilities are incredibly rare, and they won't transfer you if you're outside of the Washington, D.C. area. They claim it's strictly for their own county. I say "palliative" because, in that facility, nobody except my dad was actually being fed through a tube. There was one man in that very same room, in pretty bad shape, who was only being given water through his tube before he passed. You just have to figure it out however you can, based on what you know. You have to be ready for anything.
If anyone needs to get a heart ultrasound done privately, I’ll send you a recommendation in a DM. It isn't expensive at all, and the doctor is really good—honestly, I’m definitely planning on going back there in six months. Just keep in mind, they only perform the cardiac ultrasound itself; they don't do EKGs or prescribe medication there. But then again, that's why it costs less.
I don’t have any actual pain, honestly, zero problems at all. But I am taking Aspirin Protect because of some heart issues. So, I was wondering if anyone else deals with longer periods if they happen to be on daily Aspirin? I’m 44, and my cycle is usually very regular—actually, it’s been more consistent now than it was back in my 20s or 30s. But one month this winter, my period ended about two days early, and I had been taking the Aspirin Protect every single day that month. At this rate, I guess I’ll probably keep having cycles until at least 50. Because of those chest pains—which happened three times in such a short span—I just don't dare stop taking the Aspirin.
I think everyone is overcomplicating this. Maybe they're just getting used to a new computer system or something. Honestly, Mayo Clinic is a great hospital; the cardiology department is wonderful, and both the doctors and nurses are so kind. They’ve always helped my immobile dad with his urology needs at Mayo Clinic, and I’ve always trusted them. Last time I was there with him, they truly did everything they could. Wasn't it mentioned yesterday that the other major hospital was also struggling with lab delays because so many people showed up on Friday to take advantage of the holiday weekend? Some people didn't even wait in line. I often end up calling Quest Diagnostics, a private lab, for my dad because they're so reliable, and honestly, it was the only way he could actually get his blood drawn. The home health nurses just don't have the experience with blood draws, and even if they did, they're usually too busy with other tasks to get to it. In a few days, I'm heading over to Breyer to get some blood work done that my pulmonologist ordered. One nice thing about private labs is that you can just request what you need. For instance, I’ve had my BNP levels checked several times on my own, even though no cardiologist ever specifically ordered it. Quest Diagnostics offers a heart disease package, so that's included too. My BNP was actually quite elevated, so I'm really glad I took the initiative to get it checked myself.
I’ve honestly tried just about everything. For a long time, I was caring for a bedridden patient. Regarding those lanolin creams, I spent some time reading through various medical articles online and eventually reached my own conclusions about them. I remember one woman who was looking after her immobile mother, and her primary care physician suggested using Cicratidin hyaluronic cream. It didn't really work for my dad, though. But then again, I guess everyone reacts differently. Sometimes, I would combine it with Mirobact ointment and use gauze to make sure nothing got infected. Those were mostly superficial wounds. They seemed to heal much more easily on his legs since there wasn't as much pressure there—he even grew a new toenail once the old one fell off. For those, I also started out by applying Mirobact ointment and covering it with gauze, just like the doctor instructed. There were times when I used Byvacin ointment too, which is an antibiotic ointment.
My dad's last doctor was honestly wonderful. She didn't mind getting emails at all. Even though she wouldn't come by to see him in person, her replies were always so kind and professional. It’s just... I don't know, where I am now, even just showing up seems to bother them. Some of the younger doctors there used to be great too, maybe even more experienced than the ones I'm dealing with currently. Still, I suppose I wouldn't move everything over there, even though they knew me well—first when I was coming in for my dad, and then once the pandemic hit, we handled everything through email.