Posts by mistyjackal842

I called earlier this summer to check in on a family member. We got a polite enough response right away, but honestly, we made a huge mistake by choosing that facility in Dubrava—they really ruined him. If you have immobile patients, please, for the love of God, do not take them to KB Dubrava. They’ll just lie to your face and tell you they’re providing care, when in reality, nobody even bothered to visit. Things were just left lying around downstairs. But to let him come home in such a critical condition... I guess I just don't understand how they can live with themselves. They knew I was going to find out. If I had known, I never would have stepped foot in KB Dubrava. The doctor at the nursing home provided a referral to the nearest hospital, but I suppose you can always use private healthcare if you want, or just head to an ER somewhere else without a referral.

If anyone needs a recommendation for a private neurologist, shoot me a DM. For the Washington, D.C. area. There’s honestly so much out there, but I finally tracked down someone truly wonderful who actually wants to help.

The waiting isn't really the issue; it’s more about that feeling when people just don't seem to want to help the elderly anymore. It’s almost like they write them off before they even walk through the door. I guess some nursing facilities are decent, while others are just... well, awful. If I had known certain things back then, I probably never would have placed my dad there. And honestly, the assisted living facility wasn't much better. I reached a point where I just couldn't manage everything alone anymore, but those caregivers were truly unprofessional. There was hardly any nursing staff available. I feel like care facilities used to be better in the past. In one home, they actually refused to admit him because they were afraid he might show up with a fever—they told us they'd just send him right back home if that happened. I think this particular facility is a bit better, though; it looks more like a hospital.

Everyone has shared such wonderful advice. I actually have quite a few things left over from my dad. I have two walkers; I could probably give one away. I’m going to hold onto the hospital bed, though—I bought it used myself. I also have some diapers that I was supposed to take to the local clinic. If anyone needs them, I can give away a few boxes, provided someone can come pick them up. Those creams really helped me out, too. I guess... how is everyone else coping with the loss of a parent? For me, it’s just incredibly hard, especially when I look at old photos of Mom and Dad and see what a happy life we all had.

I’m honestly just relieved to hear your mom is doing okay. I don't have much experience with what you're going through specifically, but I certainly went through my fair share of heartache while my own parents were sick... and looking back, some of those moments were just devastating. Both of my parents were in the medical field—doctors. My mom was from Washington, D.C., though my dad wasn't. I still carry this heavy feeling of regret that we didn't take her to Austria back in 2013; my dad actually had a connection with a specialist there. Here at home, it felt like total indifference most of the time. There was one young surgeon who was truly wonderful and incredibly honest, but even he was actually a foreigner. When I ended up filing a formal complaint regarding my mother's care, they really held it against me. I guess I just created more complications for myself, especially since when my dad fell ill, they wouldn't even admit him because of those residency requirements. If I could offer any advice, it would be this: maybe don't spend too much energy complaining about things. You probably won't change anything, and it might just make your own life harder. Still, I felt like I owed it to my mom to write that letter... she was only 68, after all. But the hardest part of everything was how quickly my dad's health declined; losing my mom hit him so hard, even though I tried my absolute best to be right by his side every single moment.

You can find a ton of stuff on YouTube. There are clips from their American TV shows, like *Dr. Phil*—you know, patient stories and all that. They talk about everything from different kinds of tumors to various surgeries and things like that.

Has anyone been to the cardiology department at Holy Spirit lately? According to the schedule, there are 17 people booked for that specific clinic session. I was wondering, is the waiting room pretty crowded? Like, how many people are actually sitting in there waiting? It gives you an exact time to show up, but I guess I'm worried about whether they schedule a bunch of people for the exact same slot.

If anyone needs a Holter monitor at Vinogradska Hospital, you can just head right in. They'll start by doing a standard EKG, and then they take you up to the 5th floor to attach the little device. You have to wear it until the next morning. Just make sure you show up on time to get it taken off. They actually told me there’s an option to have the results mailed directly to your house, too. I ended up needing to use that service myself.

A private cardiologist in Washington, D.C.—someone who actually knows their stuff—wants to help answer some questions. My situation is a bit tricky... my EKG came back normal twice, but now I have to go pick up the results from my Holter monitor. Even so, I keep getting these sudden bursts of racing heartbeats, weakness, and even feeling faint, even though it’s been much cooler outside lately. Again, I just felt absolutely terrible. I stepped inside where it was warm, and only then did I start to feel a little better. It happened like this... I sort of felt it coming on, but I wasn't really prepared for it at all.

I haven't even heard of anything like that existing. If they don't get back to you via email like they usually do, do you just call them up? I guess I feel a bit awkward about calling, though... I'm worried they might be swamped dealing with the elderly population and all the vaccinations, especially since the flu shots have started rolling out now too.

You can actually get a private prescription for anything related to eye conditions. And honestly, even for those eye pressure drops. In my case, I managed to get a private prescription for Acyclovir tablets to deal with Shingles, plus a cream—mostly just to make sure it doesn't spread toward the eye. So, you should have no trouble getting exactly what you need. Later on, if you want, maybe you could ask your primary care doctor to send it over through Medicare if you have coverage.

Nicole Grant48 said:Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice on which private ophthalmologist or eye clinic I should visit for a serious eye pressure exam, mainly because I want to stay ahead of any potential glaucoma. Maybe I’m overthinking this, but I just can't shake the worry.
Also, is it possible for a private doctor to write me a prescription for eye pressure drops? 🤔
The thing is, I was supposed to go to either Mayo Clinic or Holy Spirit, but the wait times are 3 to 6 months, and honestly, everything seems even more backed up now because of COVID.
I've already had my eyes checked for glasses and contacts, so I don't need an eye doctor for that part.
Thanks so much for any help.

I actually took a family member to Light back in 2014. Dr. Gavric is the expert there for glaucoma. For years, he used Tretinoin drops, and they worked really well at lowering his high eye pressure. He actually had glaucoma even when his pressure readings seemed normal. Basically, despite having "normal" pressure, he still suffered nerve damage. They did all the testing at Light. He even had to get an injection in the eye at their retina department due to macular issues. That doctor doesn't work there anymore, though. Everything went well regardless. They are quite understanding with people who have mobility issues, too. Honestly, trying to get anything done at a hospital right now is such a struggle given how things are. I managed to squeeze something in back in late October. I still need to head back to pick up the results.

The Butterfly Clinic is okay, I suppose. They’re definitely on the pricier side. But honestly, I wouldn't go back there just for an ear irrigation. It took a whole week for my ear pain to finally subside... the water they used felt freezing, and I have this nagging feeling they didn't even finish the cleaning properly. On the bright side, maybe it helped because the dizziness seems to have calmed down a bit. Still, I think those little devices that use a gentle, tiny stream of water are much better and more gentle on the ear. I ended up coming here instead, mostly because it's a lot easier on the wallet.

Their clinic is just awful; they keep canceling appointments. I’ve had a bad experience with them before when a family member went in for a checkup. Honestly, I don't get how anyone can use their insurance. I mean, maybe having their auto coverage wasn't such a big deal, but their healthcare services are a total disaster. I really wanted to go there because it's so close to my place—I could have even walked—but you just can't get an appointment. You end up waiting a month for a visit, and even then, nothing is guaranteed. I remember going to a hospital once and actually being seen on time without anyone calling to cancel on me.

If anyone is looking for a vascular surgeon recommendation, I’ll send it over in a private message. Honestly, out of that entire hospital, he was the only one who acted with any real decency. He never lied to me, and I truly believe he’s worth recommending. But just him, though. I ended up having a bit of a falling out with this other doctor because of my mom, but even he knows he’s the one in the wrong here... so I don't really get why things got so offended.

If anyone is looking for a urologist, I actually went through this recently with a family member. Since he had very limited mobility and sitting in a wheelchair was a struggle, we found that going to Holy Spirit Hospital was definitely the best move; the staff there have always been so kind and genuinely understanding. I remember one time they even ran blood work right there in the ER, even though he didn't have a fever. On the other hand, trying to get care at Vineyard Hospital was a total nightmare because their urology department didn't have enough stretchers available. They basically sent us packing, so we had to turn around and coordinate with a private medical service just to get him seen later that afternoon. We never ran into those kinds of issues at the Holy Spirit urology clinic—everyone from the doctors to the nurses was wonderful, and they always had plenty of stretchers ready. One time, while we were waiting for the transport to arrive, I actually wheeled my dad out to the entrance on a stretcher myself just because the weather was so beautiful. He could sit in the wheelchair, I guess, but only for short bursts.

Then there’s the situation with Magdalena. We used to take Mom to see a private vascular surgeon there every single year, but honestly, the guy didn't even have a Doppler on hand—which, I mean, isn't that basic equipment for patients like her? They mostly seem to focus on Heartland diseases anyway. Personally, I wouldn't go back there. From what I saw at that Labor clinic, everything was just a chaotic mess of people constantly shuffling in and out of rooms; it always felt way too crowded with everyone being scheduled at once. It really bothered me regarding my mom, because I feel like you can't call an exam complete without a Doppler, and when her condition started getting worse, the doctor seemed... I don't know, just completely indifferent. As long as the bill was paid, I guess he didn't care. He actually mentioned something about a possible amputation, which turned out to be right, and he said the pressure chamber was only for wounds. Back in early 2013, we were driving Mom all over Washington, D.C. for various specialists, and it felt like nobody actually cared to step up and help us. There wasn't much more we could do, except maybe drive her to see a colleague of my dad's in Austria, because, truthfully, it felt like I knew more about her care than they did. To me, it just felt like I was the only one who truly cared about her.

Saint Catherine is actually quite good; I’m heading there soon to see a neurologist. There used to be a cardiologist over on Amrušev, and I went there with a family member a few years back. Also, the gastroenterologist at that Amrušev location was honestly the best—though, unfortunately, it looks like she isn't practicing there anymore. As for a cardiologist, I'm honestly not even sure where to go. To be truthful, I haven't really had a great experience with anyone yet, even when I've visited private specialists with my family members.

Does anyone actually understand what it means to have your legal capacity revoked? It’s terrifying. You literally can’t do anything. A guardian is appointed
, and they make every single decision for you. They could put you in some facility or even take away your apartment if you own one. Basically, you lose all autonomy. How could anyone ever want to give up their right to decide for themselves? Imagine someone malicious just stripping away everything you own. And this can happen overnight, all for the sake of some stipend or whatever. I spent six years caring for a bedridden patient at home, and even then, it felt overwhelming when the home health aides started showing up so frequently—especially since they didn't know the first thing about medical care. Honestly, even that felt like a form of surveillance, even though I know it wasn't meant to be. It was always easiest when the aide was on vacation, or during those few months last year when they were locked out. For my mom, I had a really smart, kind head nurse. She was a huge help because dealing with Mom being immobile was all new to me. But this other one, who was totally clueless, was just a hindrance. Once she helped me get Dad settled, but the next time, she insisted she had to do it herself. It wasn't even that hard. The bigger issue was paying for the transport to the wheelchair $50 every single week just so Dad could actually get into it.

I wouldn't set my hopes too high when it comes to palliative care. Honestly, during the summer, they all seem to go on vacation. I mean, they did try to help me out by calling in home health services, because my dad’s primary care doctor told me they just don't provide IV infusions through home care. Also, while Dad was at home, I really didn't want him being right next to someone who had been vaccinated. The home health nurse was obviously vaccinated—I could tell by her swollen arm—but luckily, most of the other home health workers weren't. I was actually surprised by how much sense one younger nurse made, though; she was maybe 20, also finishing nursing school, but she hadn't been vaccinated herself and she actually wanted to help me get Dad settled. Then there was this other problematic nurse who, of course, had been vaccinated; she seemed to think she had some kind of special status just because she was vaccinated, even though she didn't actually want to do any work. Nobody really monitors those home health people, but still, most of them kept trying to help me move Dad. I didn't ask for that, either. I was mostly trying to make sure they didn't stay at our house for too long.

I