Posts by mistyjackal842

I’m personally looking after an elderly patient right now—he’s completely immobile. Honestly, how am I managing? It’s tough, because I’m doing this all on my own. One major struggle is trying to turn him sideways in bed, especially if the home health aides don't feel like stepping in to lend a hand. I handle washing his hair myself since I realized I can manage that without much trouble. For some reason, though, repositioning him onto his hips is really hard for me, even though I know I should be doing it more often due to his skin issues. I bought a bunch of new pillows from IKEA, but none of them seem right. They feel too bulky, I guess, and they just aren't helpful for positioning him properly. An older, smaller pillow used to be perfect, but I had to toss it because urine soaked all the way through to the core. Another issue is that he can't get an IV at home; he has such a hard time swallowing liquids, so it would be so much easier if he could just get his fluids in the evening when he's sleepy and doesn't want to drink anything. Eating is definitely a lot easier for him. He ended up staying in the hospital today. Despite everything we tried, he still developed initial pneumonia. I have to say, the doctors were great—even though we spent a long time in the ER, they examined him very thoroughly. His condition actually worsened because of the long wait, especially since he had a fever and was struggling to breathe. Today, I saw so many mobile people being impatient, just refusing to wait, acting like they couldn't stand it. For some reason, almost everyone who was immobile had to wait the longest today, except for one lady. But I’m so thankful for a younger doctor who showed some real sense and actually wanted to help. In his current state, with the difficulty swallowing and the fever, there was just no way I could bring him home. My mom was much younger, but she never had swallowing issues. She could eat and drink normally, even when she had a fever one winter. I didn't put her at risk because I wasn't going out anywhere; Dad was the one heading to exhibitions. Fortunately, everything turned out fine back then, even though she was quite ill for a few days. It’s just... it's so much easier when you have someone else with you. Some days are just incredibly heavy, and I honestly don't know what I'll do. It was much easier with Mom around because Dad was there to support me.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a private infectious disease specialist in New York City? I'm looking for someone who specifically deals with the herpes zoster virus—ideally someone with significant experience in managing it.

-skyfall- said:Do kids usually enjoy getting vaccinated?

Sent from my PRA-LX1 using Tapatalk

In the States, kids between 12 and 15 often head to places like CVS or Walgreens to get their COVID shots; they even have dedicated rooms set up just for vaccinations. For them, it’s almost just part of the routine, since they're already used to getting jabs for chickenpox or the annual flu shot. I guess those older kids aren't really scared of the process itself because they're so used to it. But, I have noticed... maybe it's just me, but they seem genuinely anxious about the COVID vaccine specifically. It's not nothing to them. Most of these kids are perfectly healthy, too. Back when my friends and I were getting vaccinated during the school year, I don't recall anyone being particularly terrified. My mom actually worked in vaccine development, so for me, it wasn't some big, scary novelty or anything. Little kids, obviously, they're scared. I remember being terrified to even stand up after getting stitches on my leg while on vacation at the beach. But then again, I was just a preschooler back then.

I mean, I suspect COVID will eventually just settle into being another seasonal thing, much like the flu. It’s not like everyone gets a shot for the flu, right? Now, K-12 schooling is mandatory—I'm talking about public schools, so all kids have to be enrolled. But preschool isn't compulsory... so maybe they could start requiring vaccinations there, if they even end up developing a vaccine specifically for kids that young.

There’s really no need to worry. Kaić mentioned he wouldn't vaccinate healthy children himself. So, even if he ends up losing his job because of those comments, I guess it means kids are safe and won't be forced into anything. Though, from what I see on YouTube, Americans are already vaccinating quite a few kids—mostly the older ones, maybe 12 to 15 years old. Some travel a lot, while others have a sick parent. I've also noticed that kids seem pretty reluctant about getting shots, even when their parents try to encourage them. It honestly feels like kids might know more than their own parents do.

I’m glad you brought that up. You really have to stay vigilant whenever there's a hereditary tendency toward thrombosis. Personally, I used to deal with venous congestion during the summer because of the intense heat and physical exertion. It just sort of hit me out of nowhere one summer, even though I wasn't expecting it at all. I hadn't had any issues prior to that.

I honestly think you're going to have a hard time finding something like that. Especially since, well, there's no guarantee the initial exam was even done correctly to begin with. So, I guess it might just be better to redo the whole thing. I don't think they said anything wrong to you at Light. There are plenty of other private clinics out there, too. I actually visited one back in 2009, but I didn't exactly have a great experience, so I probably wouldn't recommend them.

I’ve been sending out recommendations via private message for a private gastroenterologist to anyone who asked, mostly because I’ve seen firsthand what my own family has gone through. And look, I’m not trying to bash hospitals in general—it's about medical malpractice. We're talking about major errors, the kind that actually result in penalties now. Take that case at the hospital in Cleveland, for instance; a 27-year-old guy ended up with sepsis, and the surgeon was held accountable, which is exactly how it should be. I mean, sure, anyone can make a mistake, and he probably could have stepped in sooner, but... I guess you'd think an IV antibiotic could be administered in time to prevent someone from falling into fatal septic shock. There really has to be some level of accountability.

Valerijana and those other herbal remedies... they really don't sit well on the stomach. They tend to cause a lot of heartburn. So, I guess you have to be careful with that too. We didn't give my mom anything at all, even though some private internist gave us these crazy recommendations about giving her morphine. Of course we didn't give her any morphine. She wasn't even having severe pain after her leg amputation.

My mom wasn't exactly thrilled about drinking those supplements, but she did start eating better afterward. With Dad, though, Prosure used to give him diarrhea, so I just stopped giving it to him. You really have to watch out for that kind of thing. I suppose there might be even better options available, but they usually just list those details in the discharge papers. The last thing I picked up was Fresubin, but honestly, it’s so thick and heavy—kind of like liquid heavy cream—that I didn't quite have the nerve to give it to him. It just felt way too thick.

I honestly think you’d need to have dealt with something serious, like a venous thrombosis or maybe even a pregnancy loss, before they'd even consider it. I mean, just showing up out of the blue and asking for referrals? I really don't believe they'll just hand those out. Unless, of course, another doctor actually sent you over to them to get it done. If you happen to have private health insurance, though, I guess you might be able to look into it on your own. You could probably just check if you can exercise your right to certain screenings—most policies usually include a few free checkups or tests every year, so anyone can pretty much choose which ones they want to go through.

Anything can be changed, I suppose. At least, that’s how it used to work. I only ever switched once back in 2006, but honestly, I don't really have the habit of going there, and it's quite a long trip anyway.

Why would anyone want to delay starting school? To me, it’s such a milestone—something every kid should actually look forward to. I suppose the academic pressure on children today is much higher than when I started first grade back in 1984, but back then, the cutoff was just before September 1st once you turned six. There weren't many little ones in my class; most of us were a bit older. And honestly, elementary school isn't that hard. At least, it wasn't for me. Maybe first grade was a bit of a whirlwind since we were all still so restless, but I think I just got incredibly lucky with my teacher. I used to go to the after-school program, too. Personally, I actually preferred being in school over being in preschool. If nothing else, I didn't have to deal with those mandatory afternoon naps.

Harold Anderson3 said:thanks 🙂 I actually left the mill about two months ago since the company unfortunately ended up filing for bankruptcy. I've been spending my time at the unemployment office for the last couple of months, but I'm finally starting a production role in the metallurgy industry. Tomorrow is my first day, so we'll see how things go. I was lucky enough to land the opportunity, and since I already have the drive and some solid experience under my belt for this kind of work, I'm hoping for a smooth transition.

Did they make the job conditional on having a COVID vaccination?

They couldn't find it even at the local pharmacy. So, I just ended up reading through some medical journals myself and found a cream that actually works for him. I kind of just mix and match whatever comes to mind, I guess. I did ask this lady who dealt with similar issues with her mom, but that specific cream didn't help her, and it wasn't even a lanolin-based one. For him, the irritation clears up, but then it just keeps coming back, even though I try so hard to keep his skin from getting too dry. He’s dealt with this before, really, it's just that he never used to ask me about it, so I wasn't feeling all this pressure. But having someone constantly questioning you about it when they literally have no clue what they're talking about—like that sister was doing—it’s honestly just awful.

I remember having a doctor for my patient once who basically just kept telling me, "Just go buy it, buy it." Well, obviously I want to buy it, but I can't when they won't give me the prescription! It was so frustrating. And then, when his life was actually on the line, she wouldn't even bother sending over an antibiotic—she just started yelling instead. I ended up having to handle things a different way back then, but honestly, it still doesn't feel right... especially since we're talking about an elderly person here.

Maybe try sending an email, though even then they don't always get back to you. In my case, it feels like for every little thing, the doctor sends over a home health nurse who honestly doesn't have a clue what they're doing. I feel like I know more than she does at this point, yet she just keeps inserting herself into everything. She’ll ask me what I’m using on his skin, and I'll just say whatever I think is helping him in the moment. I can, you know, use logic. I guess avoiding home visits might be better right now given the COVID-19 situation, but sending someone who lacks basic competence really seems pointless. Even the staff from home care mention when she’s supposed to come by to check his skin. So, what’s the purpose? It's almost like she needs to move in with us. I never know when she’s going to show up; most of the time, she just appears without any notice. On top of that, she’s constantly asking questions—who has been by, where people work... I mean, why does that even matter? I don't owe her an account of my life. I suppose during a pandemic, it's definitely better to limit the number of people visiting, especially an elderly person, and frankly, I haven't really welcomed visitors before anyway.

My mom dealt with antiphospholipid syndrome, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, and frequent venous thrombosis—the first one hit her when she was 50. Doctors were actually questioning if she might have multiple myeloma, since thrombosis can be such a common red flag for cancer. But it wasn't myeloma; she had two separate bone marrow biopsies at the hospital, and both came back totally normal. She saw her hematologist regularly for checkups every two or three months, and we always made sure she got her bloodwork done at the hospital, because honestly, the local Community Health Centers and private labs just can't seem to get the platelet counts right. She was on Martefarin, and for that first thrombosis, they started her on Pelentan.

Well, if you're really struggling to get any sleep, I guess sleeping pills might actually help. At least they worked for me. I felt more rested, and I suppose I just felt better overall.

Does anyone have experience using Nutilis powder for severe dysphagia? I’m wondering if it can completely replace regular liquids because the pharmacist suggested I shouldn't give him standard fluids and that he should just use a straw instead. He *can* drink, but he coughs and gasps so much... it's scary. If he doesn't drink, he gets dehydrated, which almost happened once already. So, I’m honestly at a loss. He can manage soft foods without an issue, but it’s the liquids—the water and juice—that are becoming unbearable. Also, does anyone have advice for skin breakdown under a diaper? After just a few days, his skin is raw again from sitting and friction, but he *has* to sit because things get even worse if he doesn't. That might be why the swallowing issues started; those nurses from home health weren't being very smart and insisted on laying him flat, telling me not to let him sit even though I argued against it. Back then, he could eat and drink normally without this intense dysphagia, which seems to have become quite severe now.