What are you doing?

[CrazyCatLady]

I just got done herding three terrorist kittens into the guest room for the night so that my poor 5 cats can stop fussing.

I'm REALLY happy to say that our neighbor's home which was burned is being fixed up and it's looking good! Lots of progress. I left some more bags of groceries on their stoop yesterday and stapled a note to one of the bags saying their kittens are very well and growing.

They have decided to do away with the garage, where the fire started, and they are turning that into an extra room, with sliding glass doors already there. Unfortunately, the front door was too badly burned to save, and now there's a new front door there. The windows are all being replaced and I'm so dang happy.

I'll be even more dang happy after all these kittens are fixed -- only $9 each, yay! -- and returned to our neighbors. That will mean they go back home, and my neighbor's home is restored and they are there again. I miss them!

But of course, we're enjoying the kittens, although they do drive us all nuts. But that is the way of kittens...they have certainly reminded me of being patient.

Would anyone like to borrow them for a couple nights so I could get some sleep?

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Oh yeah. Even baby aspirin is charged at outrageous prices. Best to bring your own.

Dawg and PF, do hospitals let you bring your own meds? The last time I was in the hospital for more than a mammo or calcium scan was when the kids were born! Back then the only "med" I was on was prenatal vitamins. Since I have 3 prescription meds (plus an assortment of ointments for the various rashy spots on my face or hands) it would be nice to know if I should grab anything "just in case". NOT that I have any intentions of needing to go to the hospital!

 

[Addie]

Dawg and PF, do hospitals let you bring your own meds? The last time I was in the hospital for more than a mammo or calcium scan was when the kids were born! Back then the only "med" I was on was prenatal vitamins. Since I have 3 prescription meds (plus an assortment of ointments for the various rashy spots on my face or hands) it would be nice to know if I should grab anything "just in case". NOT that I have any intentions of needing to go to the hospital!

CG, I have psoriasis and use Taclonex for it. It cost more then $500.00 a tube. Boston Medical Center has asked me to please (if I can) bring it with me each time. Since the tube sits on my night stand it is no problem to grab it on exit from my home. And it wouldn't hurt to bring your meds with you. You can show them what you are on and not have to depend on memory for dose and strength.

Fortunately for me, BMC and the Elder Service Plan, both have access to the patient's medical record. If the hospital makes any changes in my meds, ESP can see it when I am discharged. They also have access to all the nurses and doctors notes and instructions on my discharge. So I can never say, "Oh they didn't do that." It works both ways.

But yes. Bring your meds with you if you have the chance to grab them. And please stay home. You don't want a hospital stay. The food is lousy.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Dawg and PF, do hospitals let you bring your own meds? The last time I was in the hospital for more than a mammo or calcium scan was when the kids were born! Back then the only "med" I was on was prenatal vitamins. Since I have 3 prescription meds (plus an assortment of ointments for the various rashy spots on my face or hands) it would be nice to know if I should grab anything "just in case". NOT that I have any intentions of needing to go to the hospital!

I'm not sure if they will let you, but I do know I am going to try. Even though insurance handles most of it, I really hate anyone being gouged.

I did fight one part of the bill, I was charged with the administration of my injectable diabetes medication. Absolutely not, it was my own (they didn't carry it in their formulary) and I injected it myself.

 

[Addie]

I'm not sure if they will let you, but I do know I am going to try. Even though insurance handles most of it, I really hate anyone being gouged.

I did fight one part of the bill, I was charged with the administration of my injectable diabetes medication. Absolutely not, it was my own (they didn't carry it in their formulary) and I injected it myself.

When I had Poo, I was charged for the delivery room. I never made it to the delivery room. I was in the bathroom when he decided to show his red hair and face. I barely made it to my bed. That charge came off the bill.

Right now I have sitting on my nightstand a bill for last year with charges for services that never happened. I will report it to ESP since they are the ones who will be handling the payment. I no longer get the monthly CMS report on charges to Medicare. I have caught several bogus charges over the years when I used to get it. And I did report them. It is those bogus charges that give Medicare the problem of overpayments in the $$$ billions.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

When I had Poo, I was charged for the delivery room. I never made it to the delivery room. I was in the bathroom when he decided to show his red hair and face. I barely made it to my bed. That charge came off the bill.

Right now I have sitting on my nightstand a bill for last year with charges for services that never happened. I will report it to ESP since they are the ones who will be handling the payment. I no longer get the monthly CMS report on charges to Medicare. I have caught several bogus charges over the years when I used to get it. And I did report them. It is those bogus charges that give Medicare the problem of overpayments in the $$$ billions.

Oh yeah, like it took a respiratory therapist to come into my room to give me my Advair twice a day...they handed it to me and I took it, rinsed my mouth and handed the inhaler back. At $25 a whack.

The charges are outrageous!

 

[Addie]

Last night The Pirate had a date with a woman he has been dating for about a month. She invited him to her home and cooked him a meal. Lemon chicken, peas and green beans and creamy mashed potatoes. For dessert she made Strawberry Shortcake with hot biscuits right from the oven.

So he came here at about midnight and went right to bed. He got up really early to get ready for work. Usually he is so quiet in the morning, I don't even hear him. but not this morning. Now I am very sleepy and headed for a nap. Talk to you later.

 

[GotGarlic]

Dawg and PF, do hospitals let you bring your own meds? The last time I was in the hospital for more than a mammo or calcium scan was when the kids were born! Back then the only "med" I was on was prenatal vitamins. Since I have 3 prescription meds (plus an assortment of ointments for the various rashy spots on my face or hands) it would be nice to know if I should grab anything "just in case". NOT that I have any intentions of needing to go to the hospital!

I think it probably depends on the hospital and its policies. The hospital system here doesn't allow patients to take their own meds because they want to have on record exactly which meds you were given when and they feel like they can't track that if you take your own.

I bring some of my meds because I have to take some a certain amount of time before I eat and others only after I eat. The nurses get busy and can't always bring me what I need when I need it, so I take my own and tell them what I took. The last time that happened, the nurse manager came in and practically yelled at me. But they can't stop me and they can't throw me out, so I just do what I need to do.

 

[Dawgluver]

Dawg and PF, do hospitals let you bring your own meds? The last time I was in the hospital for more than a mammo or calcium scan was when the kids were born! Back then the only "med" I was on was prenatal vitamins. Since I have 3 prescription meds (plus an assortment of ointments for the various rashy spots on my face or hands) it would be nice to know if I should grab anything "just in case". NOT that I have any intentions of needing to go to the hospital!

I figure it can't hurt to take them with you. When I was in, many years ago, I was charged something like $24 a day for 2 baby aspirin, which would maybe normally cost $.03.

 

[CarolPa]

One time I was told in the hospital that if I brought in my own meds they would have to keep them at the nurses station and administer them to me. I was afraid they would lose them or mix them up with someone elses, so I let them provide my meds even though I knew they were overcharging for them. Insurance paid it. There was one med I was on that was new and they said they didn't stock that med so I could bring in my own if I wanted to. They let me keep that one at my bedside and I would take it when the nurse brought in my other meds. When they brought my meds I made them tell me what each one was. There's always a chance they could mix them up with another patient. One time they tried to give me an IV bag of a med I never heard of and had not been told I would need it. I refused it, and later found out it was for my room mate. Some people are not in any condition to understand what is being done to them and don't know to ask. I don't ever want to be in that position.

When I was having wounds packed, the doctor told me to take home the packing they were using. One of the home nurses who came to see me threw it away and gave me a new bottle. She said that is how I got an infection, by using the packing brought home from the hospital. I don't know how I got the infection, but it sure did a lot of damage!

 

[GotGarlic]

One time I was told in the hospital that if I brought in my own meds they would have to keep them at the nurses station and administer them to me. I was afraid they would lose them or mix them up with someone elses, so I let them provide my meds even though I knew they were overcharging for them. Insurance paid it. There was one med I was on that was new and they said they didn't stock that med so I could bring in my own if I wanted to. They let me keep that one at my bedside and I would take it when the nurse brought in my other meds. When they brought my meds I made them tell me what each one was. There's always a chance they could mix them up with another patient. One time they tried to give me an IV bag of a med I never heard of and had not been told I would need it. I refused it, and later found out it was for my room mate. Some people are not in any condition to understand what is being done to them and don't know to ask. I don't ever want to be in that position.

At the hospital I usually go to, the nurses all have a computer on a rolling stand that they bring in every time they come into the room. When they bring your meds, they go over each one as they take it out of the packaging and scan bar codes on each med and the patient's wrist band to make sure you're getting only what you're supposed to get.

Some places have done a lot in the last 10 years or so to reduce medical errors and track everything more efficiently in electronic medical records. I think my area is in the forefront of that because there's one hospital system that has most of the market and they switched to EMR a long time ago. Also, my doctors are faculty at the medical school where I used to work and the hospital system is a big part of the students' training, so they try to keep up to date on best practices.

btw, one of the reasons meds cost so much in the hospital is because they're making up for the cost of free care given to people without health insurance or who are indigent. My doctors' practice and the hospital both provide a lot of free care.

 

[Addie]

I am allergic to Heparin. When I had my second heart attack, the doctor ignored the red flashing of ALLERGIC on the screen and ordered it anyway. When the nurse hung it up and started the flow, The Pirate saw the word Heparin on it and said in a loud voice, "Ma aren't you allergic to Heparin?" A nurse standing by heard him and rushed over to remove it. It caused quite a stir. The doctor was removed from ER and severely reprimanded, the company that wrote the program for meds was notified and the program was rewritten so that you can not override any flashing notice. And because the dispensing of the meds is tied to the computer system, you can't get the med to be released. It is all computer controlled and bar coded. Poo and I met with the President of BMC and the Director of the ER. They asked me what I wanted done regarded the problem of giving the wrong medicine. I told them I wanted it put on the Record of the Doctor what had happened. The computer notified every facility that had their program of the change, and made sure they got it at no expense to the facility, the new program. I wanted the computer company to absorb the cost. Those were my only two requests. I know having that on the doctor's record could follow him for the rest of his life. But his error and lackadaisical attitude about the whole incident was seen by everyone in the ER. It could have cost me my life. And possibly other patients if he continued to ignore the computer warnings. The President thought that I was being very reasonable and thanked me. About two weeks later I got a hand written letter from him thanking me for my cooperation and understanding. He told me that my two requests had been done. That letter meant more to me. He took the time out of his busy schedule to write to me on his personal stationary. That told me that he really cared about what happened. I wasn't hurt because enough of the Heparin hadn't gone through before it was removed. But I sure was shaken up.

 

[GotGarlic]

I am allergic to Heparin. When I had my second heart attack, the doctor ignored the red flashing of ALLERGIC on the screen and ordered it anyway. When the nurse hung it up and started the flow, The Pirate saw the word Heparin on it and said in a loud voice, "Ma aren't you allergic to Heparin?" A nurse standing by heard him and rushed over to remove it. It caused quite a stir. The doctor was removed from ER and severely reprimanded, the company that wrote the program for meds was notified and the program was rewritten so that you can not override any flashing notice. And because the dispensing of the meds is tied to the computer system, you can't get the med to be released. It is all computer controlled and bar coded. Poo and I met with the President of BMC and the Director of the ER. They asked me what I wanted done regarded the problem of giving the wrong medicine. I told them I wanted it put on the Record of the Doctor what had happened. The computer notified every facility that had their program of the change, and made sure they got it at no expense to the facility, the new program. I wanted the computer company to absorb the cost. Those were my only two requests. I know having that on the doctor's record could follow him for the rest of his life. But his error and lackadaisical attitude about the whole incident was seen by everyone in the ER. It could have cost me my life. And possibly other patients if he continued to ignore the computer warnings. The President thought that I was being very reasonable and thanked me. About two weeks later I got a hand written letter from him thanking me for my cooperation and understanding. He told me that my two requests had been done. That letter meant more to me. He took the time out of his busy schedule to write to me on his personal stationary. That told me that he really cared about what happened. I wasn't hurt because enough of the Heparin hadn't gone through before it was removed. But I sure was shaken up.

You can't fix stupid.

 

[creative]

I spent some time doing what I do best...helping others with their emotional problems. My skills (psychology degree, advanced co-counselling skills, developed compassion and intuition) make it easy for me to be able to this and I love alleviating suffering.

 

[Kayelle]

Today is going to be rough. I'm meeting all of my late husbands family at the cemetery for grave side services for his dear sweet father. His ashes will be laid to rest between his beloved wife and his son, my husband. My sons will be there for their grandpa and my dear sweet Steve will be by my side. My own parents, brother and nephew are just steps away so I'm stopping on the way to fill the trunk of the car with flowers. Sigh, thanks for listening, I just needed to put it all in words.

 

[creative]

Yes Kayelle...of course, a day you must have been dreading. At least it affords some kind of closure and the day may prove quite healing. ♥

 

[Dawgluver]

My thoughts are with you, Kayelle. Rough, indeed.

 

[JoAnn L.]

Wanted a BLT sandwich for lunch. No bacon, so I used some bacon bits that I had. Wasn't too bad.

 

[taxlady]

(((Hugs Kayelle))), my thoughts are with you too.

 

[Addie]

Today is going to be rough. I'm meeting all of my late husbands family at the cemetery for grave side services for his dear sweet father. His ashes will be laid to rest between his beloved wife and his son, my husband. My sons will be there for their grandpa and my dear sweet Steve will be by my side. My own parents, brother and nephew are just steps away so I'm stopping on the way to fill the trunk of the car with flowers. Sigh, thanks for listening, I just needed to put it all in words.

Kayelle everyone needs an . So here's one for you and Steve, and one for your late husband. . Just know that you are being watched over with caring during a difficult time.