Rant

Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Just a head's up!
Yeah, I am loving MySpace....however, I get on this space today and find my "rights" are being infringed by the possible overturning of Roe VS. Wade. hmmmm...ad for planned parent hood. Yeah, I could probably pay to have ads removed, or I could use this fodder they so amply supplied, and blog about it.
I am no one's judge or jury and I only have to answer for myself in the end, however this planet I live on, is so overwhelmingly inconsistent, in it's rules, morals, judgments and thoughts, that it leaves a person completely befuddled. On the one hand, I am told that taking a human life is wrong, a sin even. On the other hand, it is allowable, by law even, to end a life in utero. Some even argue, that this life can and should be allowed to be taken in utero, up till the last trimester, as long as you kill it while it is still unborn. Oh, I could go on, but it has been discussed ad nauseum. However, in my warped little brain, this opens the flood gates to the inconsistencies we live by.
For instance, you remember the lady (yes, I know her name) who drove her children into the lake? Now, in my convoluted mind, I say that based on the consensus of a woman's "right to choose", wasn't she just exercising that right, delayed? That's absurd, you say! Things, like that can drive a person plumb mad, if you spend more than a second thinking about it (which, I try not to do, or you get my rant of the day, like this one).
Go a step further...why is it legal to drink, but not do other drugs? Why is it legal to drive to a bar, but not drive away drunk? Why is it legal to drink coffee, jolt, cola's and energy drinks, but not take other stimulants? Why do we quote the constitution as saying there is a separation of church and state, when it isn't even in there? Why do we think homosexuality is "the sin of all sin's", but lie, or cuss, or steal and think nothing of it? Sin is sin, there are no levels or degrees.
Why do we speak in the most beautiful of tongues, sing in the most beautiful of voices and hate our brother? Why do we believe our church is right, and all others are wrong? Why do we ask on all documents, all these years later, what race a person is? Would American and Non-American suffice by now? Why do we even ask sex? For one, it is usually (not always!) obvious, but does the answer to the question serve a purpose? Anything he can do, I can do better, comes to mind....
Why, can we euthanize a suffering pet, but not our suffering loved ones? (Oh, a dichotomy, a paradigm even of the afore mentioned abortion right ?!)
Why do we look down on those who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, and shake our heads in pity, all the while ordering an extra order of Fries to eat on the drive home?
Oh, I could go one forever, but I am now saying why do I as opposed to why do we and the introspection has depressed me beyond measure. Those fries I mentioned sounded good though didn't they?

Irate to say the least!

I had my dad's truck taken to Wally World on 9/13. Got the more expensive service, you know the one where they check the fluids, top them off, vacuum,wash windows, check several things, air in tires,treadwear. Anywho, paid my 22 bucks.
So like I was saying in my last spiel, I took the truck to fix the recall. The service manager tells me the brake fluid is bone dry,saying that is why the brake light is on, not because of the recall. For 76 bucks he can fill it with brake fluid, and diagnose whether there is a leak. So, I tell him, no thank you.
Personally, I figure I can got to HEB, buy brake fluid, put it in. Hey, guess what? If it leaks out, I have diagnosed a brake fluid leak for $1! Lets see $76 vs. $1...hmmm, what is a girl to do?
So I get it home, go to put the brake fluid in, and yes both break lights are on, and lo and behold, the fluid is full to the top! Ok, as long as my head is under the hood I start looking around, and how about that, my wiper fluid is empty, my wiper fluid disperser (my word for the thingy mabob) is unplugged! Well, I just diagnosed and corrected the reason my son cannot get the wiper fluid to come out! Ok, then, moving on I check the oil. BONE DRY! I mean nada on the dipstick!
So, I go buy 5 quarts of oil. Put one in at a time, and it took 4 to get it over the safe level. So, I look at my Wally World receipt. I changed it on 9/13. There is no leak, no smoke, no nothing. Mileage at oil change 87378, mileage last night 88049. so in 671 miles, I am to have burned or leaked 5 quarts of oil, with no evidence of it at all.
So, my theory is, they never put oil in to the truck to begin with. The other fluids were not checked or filled, and even before I left, I had to make them put air in the spare,even though it was on the receipt as done. So, today I go to the manager, and tell him my theory. He is of course doubtful, says he will review the tapes (apparently WM tapes their auto employees as they work) and tells me to bring the truck in so they can check for leaks.
So, I bring it in. Nope, no leaks. No, the assistant manager says, it is doubtful you could burn 5 quarts of oil in that short of time without smoke, or evidence. So, they will review the tapes and call me. Good, sounds like they will see their error and correct it. So, I leave semi-satisfied.
So, I get in the truck and head home. I am traveling at about 45 miles an hour, when BAM! the hood flies up and onto my windshield. I slam on my brakes, try to see through the small opening under the hood, and try to get off the highway, only to narrowly miss some mailbox! Finally, coming to a stop right across the cemetery, on 1069. So, of course I have a mini breakdown, call Wal-Mart, tell them what happened, tell them they forgot to latch the hood, and that I am ok,but livid. After I hang up, I tried like the dickens to get the hood down and it wouldn't budge! So, I again call Wal-Mart, and tell the manager to come help me! This was at 2:27. No one came. I am by the road alone with the hood bent up, no one with me, no manager. Finally, at 2:43 I call Teddy to ask how long should it take a manager to come 3-4 blocks down the road to help a stranded customer? He said wait 5 more minutes and call again. At 2:51 I call again, angry to Wal Mart, and the guy says he is on his way. (What the heck had he been doing since 2:27?)
So, finally Wal-Mart manager Chris arrives, neither of us can budge the hood, so he climbs on the bumper and some plastic piece inside the truck engine (I told him it was going to collapse, so he got off and quick), then from the bumper he pulls the hood down, but it won't shut or latch. So he gives me a ride home and takes the truck, somehow to WM.
The hinges are now broke, the hood is shredded in 2 places, there was green paint all along the bottom of my windshield, and it is undriveable. It is sitting at WM, waiting till Monday to get a body shop to look at the damage. Did I get a loaner car? NO!
Anyway, I have fibromyalgia, and stress begets pain. So, when I tensed up when that hood came flying at me,OMG, I thought I'd die. Panic, pain,tension, instant headache and now, full body pain. Oh, well, at least I didn't kill anyone or crash! BTW, I was on 1069 for 45 minutes. No one, save a very ice man on a motorcycle, came by or even looked my way. The man on the motorcycle was awesome, asked if he could help and such. Really nice, especially in light of how much traffic was whizzing by, without a care. There was even some guy working at the cemetery...he'd glance over from time to time, but never came over. I bet he even saw it happen!
Oy,vey.....it has been a rough day. Guess it could be a lot worse so I thank God it didn't cause any chain reaction accidents or break the windshield! Glad I missed that mailbox! Could have been impaled! Oh, the horrors of what could have happened....ok, now I am just draggin this out, bueno bye!
Meanwhile back at the ranch...

Incompetence Every where you go!

Not health related today, unless you consider my paranoid delusions, and hypertention health related!

I know it has been said that to err is human or some such gobbledygook! However, today I am so befuddled by the current trend of incompetence that I must rant about it. I can hold it in no longer.

Examples of this incompetence are easy to give, and I am not talking about your average Joe, who just doesn't have the proper training to do his job correctly or even the occasional person who can't spell or use proper grammar. If I was to rant about those individuals, well I'd be ranting about myself, so there is just no need for that at all!

So, instead I offer the examples of this thing that is in my craw, starting with taking the truck to a particular service department, that shall remain nameless, and the lack of service they are performing. So I take my **Dodge Ram** to this unnamed dealer *grin*.

I called, told the service manager that there was a recall to be fixed. "Oh, yes man, bring it in tomorrow at 7:30 and we'll get right on it". So near 5 the following afternoon, I call and ask if it is ready (I know it is not or they would have called me,right?) and the manager says, "oh, no mam, we had to go all the way to Corpus to get that part, we won't get to your truck till tomorrow'!

Ok, now I called the day before to arrange the recall service. Is it just me, or wouldn't it have been more accommodating, and practical, to say~ check inventory of said recall part, order if needed and then when the part arrives, call me and make an appointment? Is it just women who think this way, and men just don't see the whole picture or is it just plain incompetence,despite sex?

This isn't the first time I've had this happen! Every time my Focus breaks down (and unfortunately, that is often) I take it in and it sits there for days as they either can't reproduce the problem, that I can reproduce at will, or they are waiting for a part....my car spent August 17 the thru the 29th at the shop! Still idles rough...*Cough*lemon* ! Three trunk latches,three CD players, two O2 sensor flushes,who knows how many flight recorders, diagnostics,yada,yada...still runs crappy...Focus....Bofus?

Sorry, I cannot help myself. Now car service not withstanding, that does not encompass the full brunt of my rant.

Does anyone at the local fast food restaurants listen? Do you ever get your order without a burger missing, or have the one child who wants nothing but mayo and will cry if even sees something else on his burger, get the burger made the wrong way? Or have you ever handed the cashier a little extra change, so they can give you a bill instead of say the 95 cents, only to see the confused look on their face as they have no idea, what it is you want them to do with the extra? Last night, I ordered the Mayonnaise only burger again, only to get home with the burger totally dressed, and the ticket on the side says no mayo!

Is it really that hard to do it right the first time? Are my standards too high? Or has customer service disappeared from our culture altogether?

I was raised to believe the customer was always right (even when they are wrong) and that a happy customer is a return customer. I don't know...there ought to be a way to rectify this whole dilemma, but as usual, I will just blog it and forget it, because I too am complacent now, and am just too tired to fight. You know they just spit in your burger or loosen the oil pan plug if you complain! Did I mention I can be a little paranoid?

Ok, Bueno bye! Putting Eeyore to bed, to wake up Tigger....

Fibromyalgia

In 1999, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. For those curious enough to read on, that is a pain syndrome. What is a pain syndrome? Is it a disease? The adjective *Syndrome* is given to a group of symptoms that act as a criteria to be met for diagnosis.
Clear as mud I am sure. I could go into at this point, the trigger points, and what those criteria's are, but there are extensive websites on the subject and most, if not all, will be adequate in explaining it all.
Instead, I'd like to explore, the treatment of Fibromyalgia patients. It seems that the consensus in the medical community is to under treat, under research and under fund Fibromyalgia. As some would play a race card in a given situation, I could throw in the feminist view, that if men were primarily afflicted, there would be relief by now, but I won't go there...or did I already?
That aside, the medical community as a whole are still (I say still in regard to the fact that Fibromyalgia has been diagnosed since the 1900's, back then called Fibrositis)arguing among themselves as to whether Fibromyalgia exists at all.
Some are of the persuasion that Fibromyalgia is actually somatic. Others still believe it is an actual disease that encompasses several other syndromes as well. Noteworthy are the overlaps in several syndromes, a few of which are Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome,Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome,Restless Leg Syndrome. The list goes on, with symptoms, causes, and theories, that do nothing more than confuse patients, and it would seem doctors. Treatment, or the lack there of is of the most import. My experience with the medical community is that there is a lack of compassion in the treatment of pain. I can see that with all the sue happy people of our time, the medical community is at best gun-shy. It is a catch 22, as well, that a doctor is held to JACO standards with rules on adequate pain management, all the while held to strict standards on what they can prescribe to treat pain with. Due to many who have abused the system, by over prescribing and/or patients and the illegal sales of medicine,patient abuse, and malpractice lawsuits, doctors prescribe only those drugs that are not going to raise red flags.
I have been told personally by the pain specialist, that Fibromyalgia cannot be successfully treated, but that I should take walks and talk to my plants. I am infuriated by the lack of compassion. I am not sure that medicine is even the answer, since I have never responded to any, thus far. I have come to the point in my quest for relief, of realizing that pain relief is mostly found in massage, electrostimulis, and relaxation. Fatigue is a big factor in Fibromyalgia, and when that is successfully treated, productivity and self worth returns.
There is a balance needed, in the medical field, and in the regulatory fields. It is not prudent for the two to be working against each other; the two should become a cohesive entity. This entity,as such, should seek answers, make the patient and the doctor proactive, offer solutions, throw rules and fear out the window and explore the possibilities...ah, yes, Utopia. Always just out of reach, yet if you aren't seeking are you really living?

Lest We Forget...

September 11, 2005

Remembered, not forgotten,
The horrors of that day.
Watching as events unfolded,
not knowing what to say.


The amazement and confusion,
as the first plane went in.
An accident, it must be,
the first thoughts we all had then.


The 2nd plane brought new fears,
as we learned it was an attack.
The horrors of the 3rd plane crash,
and the plane, they would last hijack.


The breath we held as buildings,
in piles of dust, came down.
Billowing dust and darkness,
had soon enveloped the town.


Yet, heroes we would soon see,
of so many shapes and size.
While terror came to kill us,
our spirits and patriotism would rise!


Never before in a lifetime,
would country pride be so strong.
Never before in a lifetime,
would a day, last so long.


And then the stories came,
of Pennsylvania's plane.
Headed for the Whitehouse!
The terrorist are insane!


But pride and duty rose up that day,
and with grim awareness, they prayed.
They took control to save us all.
Justice would not be delayed.


So with "Let's Roll" they accomplished,
what needed to be done.
They took down a plane midair!
This attack would not be won.


The stories each would follow,
how each had done their part.
Police, firefighters, and loved ones,
were heroes from the start.


What did terror take that day?
Not our spirits, or our pride.
Instead it gave us unity,
and gratefulness inside.


So always on this day,
we put everything aside.
To remember the loved ones lost,
who are now at Jesus' side.


No innocence or complacency,
no longer naive are we.
But, still filled with hopefulness,
we remember...we are free.


Carla Boehm Copyright 2005

Do you read the history?

I will tell you, I have spent more time with "specialists" than a person should. I have seen the good, bad and the ugly of it all, but as with everything, the bad is what stands out the most. I've seen medical specialists, for a myriad of reasons. My own health issues aside, I am the primary driver for my disabled husband and my disabled father. In both cases I am there, not only for the drive, but also to explain or rather translate, to them what the doctors have just said, prescribed, and or suggested. I am not sure if it is part of their disabilities that they can't grasp what the doctor's are saying, or if it is that as someone who worked in the health field, I can glean the meaning of what the doctors are trying to convey. Either way, such is life.
There have been too many times, especially in my father's case, that it is especially fortunate that I was there, which brings me to the crux of my diatribe. On two separate occasions, with two separate doctors, we have been required to fill out extensive forms, on his contact information, medical history, complaints, and family history. Told to come early, to fill this information out, so as not to delay, what is usually an incredible wait time regardless. I fill this paper work out, as I am my father's eyes for the most part, thanks to diabetes, and diabetic retinopathy. In both instances as we were leaving, the doctors have given a prescription, both of which I knew were contraindicated for Congestive Heart Failure patients! I asked, can he take this having CHF? The doctors, both times, then said, "oh, no that will kill him." Taking the script back and then looking at his history, and writing something else.
Is it too much to ask, that if required to write the information down, that the doctor be required to read it? A quick glance would be sufficient.
Another specialist, when asked by my father for a prescription for his sinus infection, actually had the audacity to say "I am a specialist, don't you have a family doctor," in a pompous tone. Really, why take care of now what you can put off for weeks, as you wait for your family doctor to get an opening in his schedule? Yet another specialist scheduled my father to return for a follow-up visit 3 weeks later. After a minimum of a 3 hour wait, the doctor actually asked, "why, are you here again so soon?" Well Doctor, I don't know, could it be because you told me to be here?
This same doctor will ask him which insulin he takes and how much, several different times in a visit, prompting a curt "do you not right down what you prescribed," as I am further and further disgusted by the whole visit. I leave shaking my head every time. It seems the specialists, specialize in incompetence. Must be a required subject.

Today, I venture into the ever growing realm of blog. It is quite a daunting task, sitting before a blank screen and wondering if I have anything to offer.
Ranting? Oh, I can do that. I seem to have a never ending supply of thoughts on inadequacies, incompetence and redundancy.
We'll of course have to focus on the above as they relate to others, strictly avoiding at all cost, how they may apply in our own lives.
Acknowledging that would be of no fun to anyone, and would not be useful, surely!
I especially, as a chronic pain sufferer, have an interest in all things health. While in no means an expert, I would say I have quite an extensive array of qualifications in what does and does not work for pain, the importance of staying healthy, in mind, body and soul, and how to implement healthy choices. I am constantly amazed by the health field, and the time and money wasted, by insurance, and doctors, in "cures" they know are at best bandaids, not answers, and even in the inconsistencies between multiple medical "specialist" and the lack in coordination of care given. Is there an answer to all the questions we'll probe? Possibly. It is worth putting time and effort in, considering the extreme, ever growing public, who are frustrated with the care, or lack there of, they are getting. Is it the fault of the doctors? Somewhat, yes. The fault lies in the patient, as well. Adding to that the lack of decent insurance coverage and the lack of monetary compensation for health care providers...It is a boiling pot of frustrations and aggravations. So, what can be done? How can there be improvement, and who is willing to put a foot forward, and say "I think this, would help."
Well, someone has to do it. It might as well begin with me...
We'll learn, we'll complain, we'll rant, we'll rave, and finally together, maybe even implement change through awareness. Who's game? Let's start this adventure, find some answers, some relief.
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