I have gone back and forth about closing this blog and letting it be deleted from Blogger over and over again. I have decided, however, to keep it open. There are too many posts about my health on here that are too valuable to lose. I also realized that I don't have a record of my short stories anywhere but here. The health records are sure to be the most important, though.
Well, what am I done with, then? I am done with doctors. I am done with them controlling the playing field. I am done with them not giving me all the information I need to be an important part of my health care team. I see my health care the same way I see my classroom. It's not one person in control. It is a partnership between the doctors, myself, and my husband who helps me stay focused and make decisions. My classroom is the same way. I am not the sole decision maker. Students and their parents have an active role in their education. As a patient in the health care system I should be extended the same courtesy.
Right before returning from Winter Break, I started having some very familiar symptoms. I have a nervous feeling, even when I am not in a situation that calls for discomfort. I am having a hard time recalling specific words I want to use at times, and I just feel a general confusion or frustration with thinking. (That part REALLY bothers me.) My muscles are tightening, and the headaches have returned. (By the time I saw the doctor I had had one headache continuously for four days. It still doesn't come close to the 37 days from two years ago, but it was annoying anyway.) And, the goofy rash is back.
This doctor at least cared that I was uncomfortable. He ordered a biopsy on my rash to see what was happening. It didn't really show anything other than inflammation and dry skin. The blood tests he ordered were normal, too. He did prescribe a migraine medication that broke the headache. For that, I am grateful.
Here's the part that just really made me angry: I saw a different doctor in the same practice on Wednesday. She prescribed a medication for the rash to stop the itching. I didn't even think to read the insert, because usually those things just scare me and I don't feel good about taking the medication. She had told me there was a sedative affect with the medication, so I should only take it at night, and I did sleep differently.
Thursday morning my heart was beating out of my chest, and I felt like I had run a 5k after walking from my car to my classroom. I thought this was from whatever this medical issue is. Saturday morning, though, I finally figured out that this was a reaction to the medication I was taking. I was seriously bitchy, and I couldn't stop the feeling of wanting to fight. I was swelling so badly that I felt like a sausage about to break open on a grill. My fingers were huge, and my forearms looked like over stuffed burritos. After I yelled at some lady who almost ran us off the road while we were driving, I figured out that I was not acting or feeling like myself. I told Daniel to stop at home so I could read the insert that came with my medication.
Sure enough, the side effects for one of the medications causes rage, irritability, and "unusual behavior." It turns out, the medication was an ANTIDEPRESSANT. You. have. got. to. be. kidding. me. IF the doctor had told me the medication was in that family, I could have told her I wasn't interested. I could have told her that we have tried three other medications in the antidepressant family in the hopes to control pain, and THEY DON'T WORK! In fact, every one I have taken has caused the same symptoms. I guarantee that if I had taken another dose, I would have wound up in the emergency room. This is insane!
I'm tired of feeling worse than I did before I went to the doctor. I'm tired of trying to get the doctors to listen to me and hear the real cause of my concern. I am tired of constantly researching, trying to find a direction to go in because I'm not being heard, only to be told I'm looking in the wrong places and the doctors know what they are doing. I'm tired of being told this is a reaction to stress and there is nothing else wrong with me.
This is the first in a new series. I am going to continue this quest until I find answers, though I was ready to give up completely and just live with this condition a couple days ago when I started writing this post. I do have a faint spark of hope left. Maybe that can be turned into a fire that will motivate me to keep pushing on.
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Nearly every home in the world has some sort of video games device. Some people play computer games as a livelihood, while others play for leisure. No matter why you are playing, games are not going anywhere. The advice below is truly priceless.
Any game you give your child should be age-appropriate. You can do this easily by checking the game's front packaging or cover for the age rating. Some online games focus on violence, which you should avoid.
In today's computer game world you can oftentimes find lots of stuff available on the Internet. You will be able to download games for your game wii, PC or mobile device. While convenient, it's also somewhat risky. Don't buy on a whim; make sure you evaluate your budget first. Before you spend your hard-earned money on a new game, do some research on it first.
One question modern gamers must ask themselves is whether they want to be a computer gamer or a wii gamer. Most games, these days, are available for either format so you need to find out which one is best for the type of games you want to play. Also, some games, such as flight simulators and real-time strategy games, are better suited to a specific type of hardware, so if you like a specific genre, plan your hardware purchases accordingly.
When the gaming industry moves ahead, so do the gamers. Gamers expect low prices, instant access, and a large selection. When a new game releases, try waiting a few months. The prices of computer games periodically get slashed as games loose their newness factor.
Research and understand the rating system used for online games. Some games are not meant for children, so consider this fact when shopping for games. Each game will have a specific rating ranging from Early Childhood (EC) to Adults Only (AO). Be sure to choose an appropriately-rated game, especially if it is a gift designed for someone else.
If you are thinking about purchasing a gaming for a child, you may want to look into what each ESRB rating means. These ratings help you learn what games are best for your kid's age level so that you can avoid inappropriate content. The ratings tell you which games are appropriate.
Use the highest grade video connection available. Most gaming systems come with a few different cables to maximize connectivity to many displays. What cables are you to use for the best gaming experience? If you can, use DVI or HDMI in order to obtain the best possible signal and picture. The second highest quality cable is S-Video. Coaxial connections, which are low quality, are the most commonly found connector. If coaxial is the only available choice, then use it as your last resort.
Play online as much as possible. Pitting yourself against the skills of other online players can improve your gaming skills and strategies. You might want to try Role Playing Games or RPGs as a way to branch out from common wii gaming. If you can master playing online, you can master any game you try.
If possible, try games out before you buy them at your local library. Most public libraries offer video games that can be checked out for free. The library usually has game titles for all different systems, so simply call ahead and see if they have the title you want.
Figure out how to operate the safety and parental controls of any gaming system that comes into your home. You can likely make adjustments that keep kids from viewing mature content. Some allow each gaming profile to be customized separately, allowing adults to enjoy games not meant for younger audiences.
Video games is a part of our yesterday, our today and our tomorrow. It's amazing how fast they grow in complexity. You can only dream of where video gaming will go in the future. It will be interesting to see what types of gaming systems you will be enjoying in the future.
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