An afternoon in the life of ....

[Guest guest]

Yesterday, I had a call from Kaiser who handle Jan's medicare/medicaid

issues. It was time for the annual check-up. I got it set up for

sooner rather and later and picked Jan up at her day program a little

before 3 for a 3:30 appointment.

I think we saw medicine as it ought to be practiced. The start was to

give Jan her Kaiser card and let her check in. They found her

appointment and told her to sit down, so we waited, but only a short

time. Then into the system. Jan kicked off her shoes for the weigh-in

and came in under 126, which is a very nice number. She's been on her

own a couple of weeks and is controlling her diet! The blood pressure

was on the low side, where most of us wish ours was! Then we were

escorted to the examining room and Jan and I had time to talk. I told

her about Whitney Houston's death which she hadn't heard of and she was

appropriately upset. Whitney contributed some of her songs for a video

Jan has on one of her years in New York Special Olympics.

Then the doctor came in and Janet called her Dr Ferris Wheel making a

play on her name which was taken positively. The exam was thorough and

friendly. Jan got praise for being something like nine pounds lighter

than last year. She got poked and looked at and her record closely

examined. She got asked about physical activity and itches and trouble

breathing .. and she was able to answer. When the doctor looked at her

ears, I looked in the other one and said I could see some light .. not

true of course.

One shot was called for .. and then we were off on our way with

instructions to come in before breakfast and get blood drawn to look at

that. That will probably be tomorrow morning. Then on the way home we

stopped and picked up sugar free caramel flavor calcium and vitamin D

chews for prevention.

It is such a contrast to where we were a decade ago when it wasn't clear

the the leukemia would kill her or if the bone marrow to save her would

succeed. She's now healthy and on essentially no meds.

For those who can get their care covered by Kaiser, they get the same

treatment as the paying customers (patients or members as you like).

There isn't a " this is a medicare patient so we need to be quick and

shallow. It was a mostly good day.

After it was all done I had to tell her that I'd just learned that the

father of one of her friends with DS had died while mountain climbing.

That is something close among some of our good friends who all climbed

real mountains and took Jan and her brothers to places like the top of

Half Dome. Jan will be prepared when she sees her friend and I'm

confident that she will express her sympathy well.

Rick .. dad to 39 year old Jan

[Guest guest]

I love the medical types who talk to instead of me!! And it makes me

proud when can answer for herself.

AND it does my heart good that Jan is doing so well. She has been through

so much.

Gem

On Friday, February 24, 2012, Rick Dill <rdill@...> wrote:

>

>

> Yesterday, I had a call from Kaiser who handle Jan's medicare/medicaid

> issues. It was time for the annual check-up. I got it set up for

> sooner rather and later and picked Jan up at her day program a little

> before 3 for a 3:30 appointment.

>

> I think we saw medicine as it ought to be practiced. The start was to

> give Jan her Kaiser card and let her check in. They found her

> appointment and told her to sit down, so we waited, but only a short

> time. Then into the system. Jan kicked off her shoes for the weigh-in

> and came in under 126, which is a very nice number. She's been on her

> own a couple of weeks and is controlling her diet! The blood pressure

> was on the low side, where most of us wish ours was! Then we were

> escorted to the examining room and Jan and I had time to talk. I told

> her about Whitney Houston's death which she hadn't heard of and she was

> appropriately upset. Whitney contributed some of her songs for a video

> Jan has on one of her years in New York Special Olympics.

>

> Then the doctor came in and Janet called her Dr Ferris Wheel making a

> play on her name which was taken positively. The exam was thorough and

> friendly. Jan got praise for being something like nine pounds lighter

> than last year. She got poked and looked at and her record closely

> examined. She got asked about physical activity and itches and trouble

> breathing .. and she was able to answer. When the doctor looked at her

> ears, I looked in the other one and said I could see some light .. not

> true of course.

>

> One shot was called for .. and then we were off on our way with

> instructions to come in before breakfast and get blood drawn to look at

> that. That will probably be tomorrow morning. Then on the way home we

> stopped and picked up sugar free caramel flavor calcium and vitamin D

> chews for prevention.

>

> It is such a contrast to where we were a decade ago when it wasn't clear

> the the leukemia would kill her or if the bone marrow to save her would

> succeed. She's now healthy and on essentially no meds.

>

> For those who can get their care covered by Kaiser, they get the same

> treatment as the paying customers (patients or members as you like).

> There isn't a " this is a medicare patient so we need to be quick and

> shallow. It was a mostly good day.

>

> After it was all done I had to tell her that I'd just learned that the

> father of one of her friends with DS had died while mountain climbing.

> That is something close among some of our good friends who all climbed

> real mountains and took Jan and her brothers to places like the top of

> Half Dome. Jan will be prepared when she sees her friend and I'm

> confident that she will express her sympathy well.

>

> Rick .. dad to 39 year old Jan

>

>

--

*Not for ourselves, but for the world were we born.*

[Guest guest]

Me too!  This was a wonderful share, Rick.  Thank you, as always.  Kiersten

> 

> " ...affliction is a treasure, and scarce any man hath enough of it. No man

hath affliction enough that is not matured, and ripened by it, and made fit for

God by that affliction. "

>

>

> Donne, Meditation XVII

>

>

>>________________________________

>> From: Gem Bordages <gem.bordages@...>

>>UpsAndDowns < >

>>Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 7:49 AM

>>Subject: Re: An afternoon in the life of ....

>>

>>I love the medical types who talk to instead of me!! And it makes me

>>proud when can answer for herself.

>>

>>AND it does my heart good that Jan is doing so well. She has been through

>>so much.

>>

>>Gem

>>

>>On Friday, February 24, 2012, Rick Dill <rdill@...> wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>> Yesterday, I had a call from Kaiser who handle Jan's medicare/medicaid

>>> issues. It was time for the annual check-up. I got it set up for

>>> sooner rather and later and picked Jan up at her day program a little

>>> before 3 for a 3:30 appointment.

>>>

>>> I think we saw medicine as it ought to be practiced. The start was to

>>> give Jan her Kaiser card and let her check in. They found her

>>> appointment and told her to sit down, so we waited, but only a short

>>> time. Then into the system. Jan kicked off her shoes for

the weigh-in

>>> and came in under 126, which is a very nice number. She's been on her

>>> own a couple of weeks and is controlling her diet! The blood pressure

>>> was on the low side, where most of us wish ours was! Then we were

>>> escorted to the examining room and Jan and I had time to talk. I told

>>> her about Whitney Houston's death which she hadn't heard of and she was

>>> appropriately upset. Whitney contributed some of her songs for a video

>>> Jan has on one of her years in New York Special Olympics.

>>>

>>> Then the doctor came in and Janet called her Dr Ferris Wheel making a

>>> play on her name which was taken positively. The exam was thorough and

>>> friendly. Jan got praise for being something like nine pounds lighter

>>> than last year. She got poked and looked at and her record closely

>>> examined. She got asked about physical activity and itches and trouble

>>> breathing .. and

she was able to answer. When the doctor looked at her

>>> ears, I looked in the other one and said I could see some light .. not

>>> true of course.

>>>

>>> One shot was called for .. and then we were off on our way with

>>> instructions to come in before breakfast and get blood drawn to look at

>>> that. That will probably be tomorrow morning. Then on the way home we

>>> stopped and picked up sugar free caramel flavor calcium and vitamin D

>>> chews for prevention.

>>>

>>> It is such a contrast to where we were a decade ago when it wasn't clear

>>> the the leukemia would kill her or if the bone marrow to save her would

>>> succeed. She's now healthy and on essentially no meds.

>>>

>>> For those who can get their care covered by Kaiser, they get the same

>>> treatment as the paying customers (patients or members as you like).

>>> There isn't a " this is a medicare patient so we need to be

quick and

>>> shallow. It was a mostly good day.

>>>

>>> After it was all done I had to tell her that I'd just learned that the

>>> father of one of her friends with DS had died while mountain climbing.

>>> That is something close among some of our good friends who all climbed

>>> real mountains and took Jan and her brothers to places like the top of

>>> Half Dome. Jan will be prepared when she sees her friend and I'm

>>> confident that she will express her sympathy well.

>>>

>>> Rick .. dad to 39 year old Jan

>>>

>>>

>>

>>--

>>*Not for ourselves, but for the world were we born.*

>>

>>

>>