Posts by shadownomad43

Rachel Brooks63 said:Essentially, he might not grasp the specifics, but he's certain it's always tied to neurological processing. 😕

If I were in this position, I'd just ask her directly: link na .pdf. She’s probably the only one who actually knows 😕

Thanks for the link. I'm going to try reaching out to that professor. If she doesn't have the answer, then nobody does... Lp

Rachel Brooks63 said:MEP is an intraoperative monitoring technique 😕 It isn't used on patients for diagnostic purposes; rather, it’s utilized during complex surgeries to prevent nasty complications 😕

It seems like your spinal surgeon is being a bit difficult here. 🤷

Yeah, I actually figured that out myself while browsing a neurology clinic's website. But how am I supposed to explain this to the doctor? I emailed him about the issue, and his response was basically that because of my specific condition, this test is absolutely necessary...
Here is a direct copy-paste of what he sent me:

Dear Madam,

MEP stands for motor evoked potentials.

This procedure is somewhat more complex (though not more painful) than SSEP (somatosensory evoked potentials), and it is required given your condition involving thoracic disco-medullary conflicts.

I am honestly not sure which hospitals perform MEP, but it is certainly always part of neurological diagnostics.

Please try using this information to find a facility where you can have this testing done.

So, what am I supposed to do now...?

Does anyone happen to know where I can get an MEP (motor evoked potential) study done here in Washington, D.C.? Because of some significant issues with my spinal cord, my spinal surgeon and trauma specialist have requested that I undergo both SSEP and MEP testing. I managed to get the SSEP (somatosensory evoked potential) completed over at Mayo Clinic, but when it comes to the MEP—I’m hitting a total brick wall. It sounds absolutely absurd, but it’s the truth: I haven't found a single hospital that offers this specific test. I’ve spent hours scouring the websites of private clinics, only to run into the exact same dead end. At this point, I feel like this forum is my last resort. Does anyone here happen to have any leads? Best regards to everyone...

rowdyhawk9 said:The presence of IgG antibodies suggests an infection with EBV or CMV that occurred sometime in the past; once you've cleared them, those levels tend to stick around for good.
On the flip side, IgM antibodies are what signal an active, acute infection, and since those came back negative, there's no sign of anything current.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

That’s pretty much how I interpreted the results myself, but I have to admit, these incredibly high IgG numbers are throwing me for a loop... To someone without a medical background, they look almost unnervingly high.

I had no idea that after an old infection, these values could actually skyrocket like this...

Is it actually normal for these specific numbers to be this extreme? Or would it make more sense if they were, say, two-thirds lower than what I'm seeing here?

Hi everyone...
...if there happens to be an expert in the group, I’d be incredibly grateful if you could help me make sense of these abnormally high IgG levels. It's for a woman, 52 years old. Her medical history is far too long and complicated to dump all at once right here.
Thanks in advance.

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If you ask me, the whole issue likely stems from your spine...
To be honest, I deal with all sorts of weird sensations myself, and my entire spinal column feels about as sturdy as a piece of wet, rotting twine...
That said, those "electric shocks" show up differently for me depending on how I'm positioned; these sudden jolts tend to stress out my entire body, and occasionally they even shoot up one side of my head—sometimes the left, sometimes the right...
...over the last thirteen or fourteen years, there have only been maybe two or three times where a shock was intense enough to actually jar me awake in the middle of the night.
And I have to admit, they aren't exactly unpleasant; quite the opposite, really. They’re actually so pleasurable I could almost rank them alongside an orgasm... 😁
They seem to hit hardest when I'm finally relaxing, specifically when I'm sunk deep into a comfy recliner with my legs stretched out and my ankles crossed.
I've also noticed they get incredibly intense right after I eat. It sounds completely absurd.
But then again, I've always been a bit of a "complex medical case," so I suppose anything is possible at this point...
I'm not quite sure what advice I can offer you...
However, you should definitely see a neurologist and make sure you get all the necessary testing done.
If it turns out everything is perfectly fine, then you might as well just laugh it off... 🙂

Brandon Brown35 said:Hey everyone,
It’s a strange thing how quickly everything can shift. On Friday, I felt like I was in peak condition—not a single symptom to my name. Then Saturday morning rolls around, and suddenly I’m dealing with this persistent cough paired with chest pains. It’s the kind of productive cough that feels useless because whatever is stuck in there is too thick to actually move, and frankly, I’ve never been particularly good at coughing things up anyway. My temperature stays pretty unpredictable; I’ll wake up feeling fine, but by the afternoon or evening, it climbs to somewhere between 99 and 100 degrees. It isn't a steady fever, either—it just flickers on and off. One minute I’m feeling perfectly normal, and an hour later, the heat is back. I went to see my doctor today, and she prescribed some Fluimukan to help loosen things up, along with an order for some blood work. The frustrating part is that I’ve struggled with this specific type of cough before, and every time she runs these tests, the results come back completely normal. It feels like a bit of a loop. I’m curious to hear if anyone else has dealt with symptoms that feel like this, or if you have any insight into what might be going on. She mentioned that she was throwing it her way. I’ve got pneumonia, but to be honest, I’m not exactly itching to head back to the hospital. After five years of seeing her and still never getting a straight diagnosis, I’ve lost a bit of faith in the process. I’m just not in the mood to go sit in a waiting room only to pick up some other bug while I'm there.
My apologies for the delay in getting back to you; I appreciate your patience.

So, are you dealing with those tonsils? You know, the tonsillitis situation?
I have a feeling this might be heading toward strep throat... maybe even one of those nasty cases with the pus and everything.
If you haven't gone through with a tonsillectomy yet, there’s a good chance you're still dealing with those bouts of inflammation popping up every now and then.
Whether you're dealing with a bacterial infection or a viral one can be a bit of a toss-up without the right data. Before you jump headfirst into any kind of medication or treatment plan, I’d suggest having a quick word with your doctor. It might be worth asking them to schedule a throat swab right there at the clinic before they draw your blood next time, just so you aren't left guessing which direction to take.
First, we really need to determine whether we're dealing with a bacterial infection or if this is just some pathetic little virus making its rounds.

While you're stuck in that waiting game for your test results to come back, you might want to try keeping things comfortable with some homemade remedies—think brewing up some marshmallow root or sage tea to sip on, gargling, or even just breathing in the steam from a hot mug.
Once those lab results finally land in your inbox, you’ll have a much clearer idea of whether you actually need to book an appointment with an ENT specialist or if it’s just a matter of tightening up your hand hygiene and giving your immune system a bit more support.

In any case, keeping everything we’ve discussed above in mind, you also have to account for the fact that everyone seems to be coming down with a nasty bout of the flu right now, along with some pretty miserable colds going around.
I’ve been completely outmaneuvering her for three weeks straight now.
The symptoms were almost indistinguishable from what I’ve dealt with before, but I have to admit, this was easily the most grueling cold I’ve ever had to endure.
Well, let's see...
There's really no need to spiral into a panic over this.
Just take some fever reducers to bring that temperature down, crawl under the covers, and just nurse yourself back to health with endless cups of tea.
🙂

George Sanchez59 said:I was a smoker for over two decades. Lately, I’d been burning through three packs a day.
I quit cold turkey—no nicotine patches, no therapy sessions, and certainly no whining about it. I just made a clean break one day and that was that.

As it stands, my total smoking history adds up to about 34.5 years. Two packs a day is my standard operating procedure; any more than that would be overkill. Honestly, the thought of quitting hasn't even crossed my mind. My ultimate life goal is to lounge back with a glass of champagne in my left hand and a cigarette in my right, while Coca-Cola's rendition of "Goodbye Margaritaville" plays softly in the background.🙂

George Sanchez59 said:Looking back ten years later, I realize just how much I stank and how pointless the whole thing actually was.

It’s funny how differently people perceive the same things...
Personally, I find the scent of nicotine and dirty ashtrays absolutely intoxicating.
To me, that aroma feels a lot like listening to "The Dreamer" by Calvin Klein.😁

George Sanchez59 said:Someone might be recognized as a top-tier expert in their field, but if they don't show any regard for their own well-being, how can I expect them to care about mine?
🤷

Don't be so pessimistic, kid... 🤦
Didn't you know that Native Americans used to treat pneumonia with nicotine...? 😁
I actually survived a pulmonary embolism myself because I managed to slip out of the hospital just to step onto the sidewalk for a smoke... 😁
If I had actually bothered to worry about my health, I wouldn't be here. In my case, ignoring the rules was exactly what my body needed to recover.🕺

rustymason82 said:If you’ve been hospitalized as often as you claim, hasn’t there ever been a moment where you forgot to pack something essential? Don't you just rely on your family to bring it when they come to visit?
I was only hospitalized once, back when I had pneumonia, and I actually did forget to pack my face cream—which is a problem since my skin gets incredibly dry. I was practically counting down the hours until my family could visit on the second day just to bring it, because my face felt so tight and uncomfortable. Or was I supposed to send a nurse down to the gift shop?

Personally, I’ve never had an issue forgetting anything I need when I head to the hospital. Organization has always been one of my strongest suits. 🙂
The only time I ever showed up at the hospital with absolutely nothing was when the paramedics picked me up straight from the street and rushed me directly into the operating room. My brother was just standing outside those OR doors, waiting for any word on whether he’d actually see me alive again. For those first five days, I didn't really need much of anything; I was so high on morphine that I was basically floating through life on cloud nine 😁 so I didn't have the "capacity" to worry about dry skin or dental hygiene, let alone fussing over lip balm.
Everything I eventually needed, my mom brought in a duffel bag, waved it through the door, and handed it to a nurse to pass along to me. She did all this right after she finished picking out a plot at Arlington National Cemetery, because during those first five days, everyone kept warning her to prepare for the worst. 😁

Andrew Peterson2 said:Imagine you're hooked up to machines indefinitely, nobody is checking in on you, and you can't exactly ask a sister to grab you something personal or a snack from the local CVS.
I certainly hope you don't think you can just call home and expect them to drop it off at your bedside, given that you're currently in a hospital.

It’s pretty clear you’ve never actually spent any time being hospitalized... Because if you had, you’d likely be aware that next to almost every bed—usually right above the pillow—there is a call button, a switch, or some kind of cord designed for assistance.
See, when you press that button, an alarm rings out through the entire ward. There is virtually no chance the nurse on duty won't hear that ringing...
...and they aren't going to miss which room it's coming from, since there is usually a little light positioned above the door that flashes to signal exactly which patient pressed their button and called for help...

Brenda Alvarez24 said:In my view, there simply shouldn't be any designated smoking areas within a hospital...
You have to eat, drink, and use the restroom... but you don't necessarily need to smoke. The idea of hospital staff smoking while on duty is just incomprehensible to me.
During their breaks? Sure. While working? No. Not in a hospital, and certainly not anywhere else.

Oh, come on, don't be quite so harsh... 🕺
Healthcare workers are human beings after all... 😁

That said, since I'm a chronic smoker myself, I might look the other way if I saw them having two or three cigarettes over coffee in some corner room at the end of a hallway in a place like Mayo Clinic.
I can find a way to empathize with them...
Fortunately, I don't work in a medical setting; I run my own business. Solo. And I tend to be most productive when I have a cigarette tucked away. I can afford that little luxury because I don't have oxygen tanks or any other volatile inventory sitting nearby.
And I have to admit, anyone who would try to Ban me from smoking on my own turf—be it my private life or my professional one—would be asking for trouble. Honestly, someone like that hasn't even been born yet. 😁

Betty Foster97 said:Even those guys always looking for a high seem to be getting drafted into those community service projects lately. 🙂

Oh, absolutely. Well done. 👍
Work details. And we’re talking about them being carried out under a strict, military-style regime.
Waking up at 4:00 AM in the Forest, rolling up my sleeves, and just getting stuck into the work ahead.
I wouldn't wish a single speck of dust settling on you if God himself were to orchestrate it.
That’s all I have to say regarding physical activity.

When you really look at what defines the foundation of true culture, it comes down to how we carry ourselves within the family. It’s found in those quiet, instinctive gestures—like when you reach out to show your mother genuine affection, or the way you instinctively show your father a level of profound respect that borders on reverence.

Jap. I honestly think she’d drain them dry if it weren't for the fact that after 10 p.m., there isn't a single thought left in her head besides how much she wants to hit the mattress.
I’d much rather learn how to actually build something for myself—to earn enough to cover three solid meals a day—instead of spending my entire life acting like a parasite, just coasting along on everyone else's hard work.

Oops... looks like we’ve drifted a little bit off course.
I think we finally get where the other is coming from. 🙂

Brenda Alvarez24 said:But there's another issue: at the Forest Hospital, I personally saw medical staff smoking in the restrooms...

True...
I can't get behind people smoking in bathrooms either.
For God's sake, they should just give them a designated smoking area. People are entitled to breaks, a warm meal, and maybe a coffee or two during their shift. Presumably... :misli
Drinking coffee without a cigarette... now that's a struggle. 👎

And honestly, I feel like smokers are being unfairly vilified lately. Sure, there are those who genuinely have no respect for non-smokers, and those types definitely need to be held accountable.
But ostracizing someone from society simply because they smoke?
Give me a break...

A single drunken binge probably does more damage to an individual and the community than a pack of cigarettes ever could.
It makes me wonder why we don't penalize alcoholics with that same level of intensity...
Not to mention any other forms of addiction.

Those people are viewed as being "ill," so they need treatment and compassion...
Well, I'm not interested in watching that movie, let alone playing the role of the merciful nurse.

wearybison8 said:And what about the ICU—what can you even say when someone’s visitor (specifically, the mother of some absolute moron) tries to sneak cigarettes in to their kid?
Well, the guy in the coronary ward, where about 90% of us are hooked up to oxygen tanks without anyone saying a word, lights one up.
That idiot could have quite literally blown the whole wing sky-high.😠

Honestly, that should be a criminal offense; hit them where it hurts financially and make them undergo treatment in a correctional facility. Assuming there's actually anything left to fix...

Man, I've been a chronic smoker for years, but even I don't think about lighting up while I'm lying in a hospital bed.
I don't reach for a cigarette until I'm discharged and well away from the hospital grounds.

George Sanchez59 said:I had the distinct "pleasure" of spending two weeks in the ICU, tethered to a collection of rather fascinating medical devices.

Well, well...
My streak of good luck in the ICU lasted about two months... 😁
Well, that’s just great.
Connected to all sorts of medical machines, constantly poked and prodded—essentially drugged up on whatever they could find—it was easily the hardest thing I've ever had to endure. It was supposedly my "visiting hours," but the most absurd part of the whole ordeal was that those visits weren't even intended for me; they were meant for my roommates.
If I actually had the slightest bit of mobility left in me, I swear I’d have wiped them all out myself.

Grace Richardson24 As stated by:
We got ourselves into a bit of a standoff, but we didn't quite have enough time to actually settle the score.
I don't particularly care for anything regarding that "baby" situation. 🙂...but calling it a "fly in the ointment" felt like a bit of an overstatement, if you know what I mean. 🕺
It’s entirely possible we find ourselves standing on the same side of the fence more often than not.😁

Oh, Grace Richardson24... the moment you mentioned you were hitting those "serious years," I found myself liking you even more. It’s nothing personal, really—I’m certainly not at a stage in my life where I’d just toss someone aside, regardless of what their medical history might look like. 😁
Maybe take a look at things from a different perspective; did you skip foreign language classes back in school? 🤔
Baby equals kid, which ultimately means child.
It’s essentially like taking a rural Midwestern accent and trying to force it through the filter of a fast-talking New Yorker. 😁
As for where we stand on shared perspectives... Well... Perhaps it might actually be worth sticking around to see what else you have to say. 🙂 We might actually manage to find a few common threads if we looked hard enough... "A", "B", "G"... 🤣

George Sanchez59 said:I got into a bit of an argument with shadownomad43 regarding certain topics, and we certainly don't see eye to eye when it comes to the healthcare system, but as far as hospital visitation goes, I am right there with her.
I second everything she said. 👍

There are outpatient facilities and day centers available for those who want to hang out, so they can go pass gas to their heart's content over there.

The absolute worst are the people who show up and immediately claim my hospital bed as their own personal lounge. As if I’m supposed to just scoot over so they can stretch out comfortably. Yeah, right.

Visits should be limited to a quick two-minute window where a family member drops off clean laundry and asks if anything is needed.
I have zero tolerance for those massive family reunions complete with rotisserie chicken and dessert trays. 😬

Oh, baby, baby... 🙂 (That's just how I talk to my favorites... it's practically my catchphrase. Anyway, let's move on... 🙂)
Where on earth did you get the idea that we were fighting...? 🤔
I viewed our little back-and-forth as nothing more than a healthy exchange of perspectives. 😁
After all, we live in a sovereign nation built on parliamentary democracy. 🙂
By the way, it actually warms my heart that we finally found at least one thing to agree on... 🎉

Andrew Peterson2 said:People go to visit as a gesture of support, a way to show they aren't alone so the patient doesn't spiral into dark thoughts or nonsense.
Maybe we should just implement visitation rooms modeled after prison visiting areas, complete with a nurse standing guard to ensure there’s no physical contact or smuggling in chocolate and candy; after all, who can guarantee there isn't some bacteria lurking on the wrapper? It's a hospital, for heaven's sake, not a playground or a club.
That last part was a joke, so please don't take offense.
To you, shadownomad43, it might seem pointless, but not everyone shares your cynical outlook. Take, for instance, a woman undergoing surgery for a tumor—having her children or husband come by to offer support can be everything to someone trying to recover.

In my very first post on this thread, I noted that this is, and I quote: my personal opinion, which doesn't necessarily align with the views of other "patients."
Given that I have spent a significant amount of time in medical facilities, what I've written is rooted in actual lived experience rather than mere speculation.
I have had the opportunity to see firsthand how these much-touted "visits" affect people, both to myself and to other patients being treated.

Those who are fortunate enough in their lives to have never found themselves lying in a hospital bed cannot truly grasp the reality of what seriously ill individuals endure.

For me personally, visits under such circumstances are entirely unwelcome. When I am spread out like a starfish, tethered to various IV drips, drains, and catheters, drifting in and out of consciousness due to a high fever and heavily medicated, smelling of my own stagnation because I'm in no state to brush my teeth, let alone shower, while fighting death with my final atoms of energy...
...the absolute last thing I need is someone's "sympathetic faces" performing forced smiles with strained facial muscles, or their vague, rambling chatter that, in those moments, becomes indescribably irritating.
To me specifically, that isn't support; it's just an additional and completely unnecessary drain on my strength.
So, those of you advocating for visits probably haven't walked in those shoes, because if you had, you would understand exactly what I mean.
The risk of infection from potential bacteria, viruses, or parasites—that's secondary. Those are just added complications.
I repeat, THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION.

And based on that personal experience, I ASSERT that most people who have ever been hospitalized share this exact sentiment.

And, yes...
The idea of "visitation rooms" isn't actually a bad one, even if it was mentioned as a joke. For the vast majority of critically ill patients, it would make their stay significantly easier.

Susan Anderson said:It really comes down to the etiquette of the visitor.
When you’re visiting someone, you have to maintain some level of consideration for the other patients sharing the room.
- If more than a couple of people want to stop by, there should probably only be two or three in the room at once; everyone else should wait in the hall or take a walk down the corridor. In our culture, it usually happens quite organically—you step out into the hallway, someone else steps in, then when they leave, you head back in, and so on.
- You shouldn't be talking loudly in the room. Conversations should be kept low, though in my family, whenever we start whispering, it's usually a sign that a massive argument is brewing, haha.
- If a patient is awake and doesn't have anyone visiting, sometimes people will ask if they need anything. They might try to figure something out themselves just to avoid calling the nurse.

It’s those little things, but ultimately it boils down to being mindful of the people around you. It's something people need to be taught, because honestly, I don't see how a hospital could function without visitors at all, especially during longer stays.

The point is, there seems to be a general lack of basic courtesy these days.
And as for being considerate, we could go on forever...
Those two or three people rotating in and out of the room... that constant shuffling "in and out"...
It's honestly exhausting.
It’s incredibly irritating for the person who is actually sick. In my long career working in hospitals, I haven't met a single roommate who was actually happy about visitors. Every single one of them was just counting the minutes until they finally left.

And let’s be honest, visitors rarely have anything meaningful to talk about in a hospital room. Not even in whispers, let alone out loud.
Then you have people trying to play doctor, attempting to solve problems for a patient...
For God's sake...
That is exactly why nurses exist. It is literally in their job description; it’s what they are paid to do. And most patients are paying their fair share into the healthcare system and taxes that fund those very salaries.
I'm not saying it isn't difficult work, but it is THEIR job, not the visitor's.

It might sound strange to some, but I have personally issued a Ban to all my friends, relatives, and acquaintances regarding visiting me if I ever find myself stuck in a hospital bed.
And I am so grateful to them for respecting that. Honestly, I wasn't bored for a second.

A hospital room is a hospital room. Most of the people in there are dealing with serious illnesses. And believe me, when you're feeling like that, you aren't in the mood for small talk or chatter...

As for those who feel the need to blather on, there is another place for that. It's called a coffee shop.

Look, I feel like I need to weigh in on this topic...
To be perfectly honest, I’ve been hospitalized quite a few times over the years due to various health issues.
So, what follows is just my personal take, and I realize it might not align with how other "patients" feel.
But still...
Based on those personal stints in the hospital, I would actually Ban visitors entirely, and not just during flu season. Period.

When someone is lying in a hospital bed, one thing is absolutely certain—they aren't feeling their best.
And the last thing a person needs when they are that sick, exhausted, and vulnerable...
...is a sudden influx of visitors that only serves to drain their remaining energy and stall their recovery process.

And don't even get me started on the "roommates" you end up sharing space with.
First off, there is nothing worse than being completely wiped out—recovering from surgery or heavy medication—only to have a whole crowd of family and friends from the next bed over storm into the room. There is no way to guarantee that this group isn't carrying some sneaky bacteria, a virus, or some other bug right through the door...
It’s awful.

Secondly, these "crowds" usually lack any sense of situational awareness. They are either way too loud, wandering around the room like they own the place, or opening windows and doors to create a draft because they arrived bundled up and feel "too hot," while you're sitting there in thin pajamas, immunocompromised and fighting a fever. To make matters worse, they can be incredibly inconsiderate; if you try to tell them the draft is bothering you, they often act like they didn't hear a word, and when you're that weak, you simply don't have the strength to get into an argument.

So, to all the POTENTIAL VISITORS out there: please try to grasp the fact that someone is in the hospital because they are unwell, not because they are visiting a tourist attraction. For goodness' sake, just let them focus on getting better...!!!

If they need something, just pack it in a bag and ask the nursing staff to drop it off. Use your phones, send an email, or hop on a video call... we live in an age where communication options are practically endless.

At the end of the day, your dear friend or relative will likely recover much faster if you leave them in peace to heal. If you truly care about them, there are plenty of ways to show it that don't involve crowding their bedside. Wait until they are back home, and then you can shower them with attention and help them recover properly, because that is when your presence will be far more meaningful than it was in a sterile hospital ward.

That’s my two cents on VISITS.

As for the healthcare professionals, I would strongly suggest that you strictly enforce a Ban on visitors. It’s not just for the peace and speedy recovery of your patients, but for your own sake as well; I doubt that while you're trying to perform your duties with total focus and professionalism, you need to deal with aggressive or potentially infectious visitors hovering over your shoulder.

So, in favor of banning visitors in hospitals, I am raising not just one 👍, but three 👍👍👍