After reading your comments this morning I decided you were right and I called Mayo. Yes, they should have called me to tell me the phone call was cancelled. And it was cancelled because all that info about meds and allergies had already been entered in my chart from the ER visit on the 25th.
The gal I talked to was VERY nice – I don’t mean to imply that everyone has been discourteous because they haven’t. I did say I didn’t want anything to interfere with my appointment on Tuesday – what if I got up there and because that phone call didn’t happen they wouldn’t see me??? Then what? Then I would give up and come home and go about my life, whatever it will be.
So thank you for pushing me to make the call.
Mary,
Calling regarding the missed call and confirming the Tuesday appointment was definitely a good idea. I continue sending prayers. So glad you don’t have to go alone; thanks to Michele. 🥰
I am glad you called. Yes, they should have called to tell you that they had the info they needed . Instead, of letting you get upset and worry about things. Good luck Tuesday.
good luck tuesday. august 6th is our 59th wedding anniversary. i have an app’t at mayo next month. i have been to iowa city (my 20 hour surgery 40 years ago, mason city for aortic valve thing and for several things, so far no problem with any of them. i’ll be thinking about you tuesday. i’m waiting for cooler weather!!! good luck tuesday!!!
Lael – so fun to hear from you! What a successful surgery you had – and congratulations on 59 years of putting up with each other! Haha!!
So glad you called Mayo and got some answers. How frustrating. When you don’t feel well and aren’t part of the medical world, how do they think a lay person would understand these processes? I’m so glad you were persistent enough to follow up with your care. You have to be your own health advocate. 😔
Mary, expect the bruise on your arm to take at least 6 to 8 weeks to heal. I fell and the bruise on my face took 3 months to go away. Luckily I could cover it with foundation.
Glad you called them and checked on it! Yes, we must take it into our own hands sometimes to make sure everything is being done. Hoping you can find out good news SOON!
We learn so much from your blog. Not just about quilting and collecting and sewing rooms and our animals but, also how to be your own advocate and speak up for yourself. What a wealth of information gained from everyone’s experiences. It often feels like friends sitting around the kitchen table.
Went to an Amish Haystack Supper today. Wonderful food and pie and ice cream for dessert.
Mary,sorry you’re getting such a run around. I have concluded with my recent experience with my husband and my mom, you have to be your own advocate and ask lots of questions. If things don’t sound right, you need to speak up. I think the health care system in general has not recovered from Covid and have had doctors admit as such. It’s disappointing that patients have to suffer. Hoping your questions are answered when you go to Mayo and glad Michelle will be there to support you and be an extra ear.
My two cents worth: Don’t be afraid to question the info they put on your portal if it seems “off”. Mine said to take 4000 mg calcium per day. I questioned the doctor as I thought that was A LOT! His response was “dragon misunderstood me, it should be 1000 mg.” I think dragon must be their automated transcription software. Glad I questioned it before I started taking anything or bought mega bottles of pills!
So glad that you made the call, now you can enjoy the weekend and maybe some iced tea. It’s a great idea to take Michele with you, another pair of ears is good. Make some notes of questions you may have and let them know that your primary doctor should receive an update after your visit. Its super-hot here in middle Wisconsin and the air quality is poor. We are staying inside and unpacking more boxes. We had a few appointments with tree removal companies and bids on getting our yard done, once the trees are gone. Unfortunately, they damage some tree roots when they dug the basement, and we now have lots of dead trees that have to go.
Kim – oh, no! They killed the trees? Big trees? We need all the trees we can get – I hope they have to pay the bill to remove them. I am so sorry, Kim. Nothing is easy, is it? Nothing.
They cut the major roots when digging the basement, so the trees will die within a few years. Most of them are 35 feet tall and poplar or ash. We are working with an arborist to save a few oaks and to plant some trees in the spring that are good for our area. We have ash bore and oak wilt in our area, so many trees are dying from these diseases. We love having woods on 3 sides and hope to fill in the empty spots and maintain a nice, wooded landscape with natural growth underneath these woods. I don’t need a big yard to maintain. The woods give us the fun of watching numerous birds and black squirrels. I love trees and the rustling of leaves in a breeze.
Mary, I agree with Kim. Remind Mayo to share anything with the primary care doctor that you would like them to know. I’m remembering having some lab tests done when I wanted another doctor to have the results. I forgot to mention it at the time of the lab draw. When I called the lab back, I couldn’t just tell them over the phone to send results to the other doctor. I had to go online and go through a few steps to have that doctor added. It would have been so much easier if I had remembered to tell them when I was there. It’s good to know you have someone going along for the appointment.
I liked the pictures today. The chickens from Norway looked much like our American chickens. We saw some good looking chickens at the local county fair this week.
I’m so happy your friend will be with you! An extra set of ears and questions is great! And a shoulder to lean on is also good!
It is a hot one today. 92 and no breeze!
I’ve been in a reading mood this week! Good thing to do when it is hot!
Take care every one!
Joy – what are you reading that you liked?
Hi Mary…glad that the appt schedule is finally worked out. This has been a disappointing process for you. Thoughts and prayers with continuing “get well wishes”…
I remember having those same worries and thoughts as you wait for appointments and things to happen. Your brain goes crazy. So glad you are making progress toward actually seeing someone that can give you answers.
Prayers for you, Rick and your animals.
Glad you called, Mary. Prayers that all goes well on Tuesday. I’m so glad that Michele will be with you! Jan in MA
Thank you for calling. I think you would worried and stressed all weekend if you hadn’t. And now you know they have all their pre-questions answered for the in-person visit. That makes for an easier start to that visit. And I am so glad Michele is going with. News (whether good or bad) can be very stressful and we can miss hearing all of what is said. To have a second person, to help ask questions, take notes, and be your “did you hear that” sounding board after the visit is vital. When life throws us curveballs, we do better with someone with us. I always think of questions to ask that my husband does not.
What great ideas the bog about nothing has produced for Dr. visits. I think it is overwhelming for many of us because we are not trained in the medical field and find everything foreign to our daily lives. Personally I can’t pronounce half of the medical terminology words and medications😂.
Mary I hope you are feeling well enough to enjoy your chickens and of course dogs. Relax on your porch and enjoy a good book.
I am so glad that you called! These days you have to totally stay on top of it!! Sometimes it is exhausting….
So glad you called to find out why they didn’t call. I’m wishing you good luck Mary on your appointment! They usually do want a list of the current medications you are taking.
Wishing you the best! I wish I lived closer to you. Your family! Would be helping with chores, preparing meals etc. We live on a farm here in Indiana. It’s hard getting chores done when you don’t have the energy to do it. Keep us posted on yourself. Your in all our prayers!
Tammy – have the chores down to a science – and they’re not hard. Just cold water several times a day for my hens and yes, they have water buckets but it gets the temperature of bath water in this hot weather. Most people just don’t understand chores unless they have their own. Last year the youth group helped me clean out and one “farm” kid didn’t know what a gutter was!!!
Gosh, I like the way you are thinking. I read all the time and it has happened to us where a phone call did not happen and the appointment could not continue. Hope you also wrote their names down. Yes. It is overkill. I like saving their time and mine.
Everyone is right, we have to be our own cheerleaders and advocate for ourselves. Taking someone with you is great . I write my questions and my daughter writes hers and then we talk about them. Sometimes it’s the same questions but at least we’re on the same page. Prayers for you.
Mary, wise idea to have a scribe! I did my note taking when I went to Mayo in December. They told us to plan on a 3-5 day stay. Take the shuttle from your hotel. Do not try to find parking. Wonderful people that drive the shuttles as well. I found the medical people I saw to be the greatest and most caring people. Pay the $35 or whatever your co-pay is the day you are there, I felt hounded for that so I sent the payment before I was even billed, as I thought theater was a bit much, the only negative part of my appointment. Excellent medical care. Today Larry and I are doing the MN sho hop got the SW section only. Hot day too. Hoping your appointment goes well.
Mary I like everything that our friends are encouraging for you. I too write down the questions I have and let the doctor know I have them. I usually wait till they explain everything and then if my questions haven’t been covered I can then ask them. Saves me time and the doctor also.
So glad that you called and can move on without wondering why they didn’t call. Hopefully Tuesdays appointment goes well. Keeping you in my prayers.
👍🏻
I’m the worst at advocating for myself, so I appreciated everyone’s great advice about how to do that. Clearly that seems to be what is expected of patients these days, but I somehow missed the memo. All the wise advice given to you I’m going to try to apply to myself on my future doctor relationships. I’m so glad you called Mayo back, got to the right person, and can now go up there to your appointment with a clear mind. So glad someone is going with you, too.
So glad you followed up and made that call, Mary. And happy it was a pleasant experience. Makes going to your visit a more hopeful thing to anticipate. I agree with the reader above who suggested you write things down so you are prepared for your visit.
Great!! Continue to advocate for yourself. Do you have someone going with you to your appointment? Also, write your questions ahead of time and take them with you. The other person can take notes also. Now that the Mayo business is cleared up, maybe you can relax and enjoy an ice tea on the porch. Oh, happy day!!!
Martha – yes, my friend Michele, Hanks mom, is going with me to listen because I’m sure I’ll be a puddle
Great. Take a small tablet or paper. I like a clip board with notebook paper for notes, because if this turns into something big (and we hope it doesn’t) then you can start a 1/2″ or 1″ notebook to keep your papers in. I’ve even put the plastic sheets that have pockets in them to put smaller pieces of information, a list of medications, any of my doctors’s information, etc. Everything is together in one spot. I keep you in my thoughts.