Such a great book!
Reader photos
MAYO
After a sleepless night of pain I called Bob and Marline this morning to take me to Mayo in Rochester. So many have urged me to “just drive up there – they’ll take care of you!”
I checked into the ER and many hours later was let go with yet another new pain pill and the promise that my chart will be marked High Priority. No biopsy results – THEY couldn’t even get them in the ER while I was right there. I had another ct scan, blood work, was pushed and prodded, and this takes the cake – when they were trying to get an IV in my right arm, they went into an artery instead of a vein. When I got to the scan they had to put in another IV and marked the first one with wide tape – DO NOT USE!
Marline tried to pin down the nurse about when I should hear any results and I’m not sure if she meant the biopsy or results from today. The nurse said probably Monday. I have no idea what that means.
Keeper has been heartbroken today – Rick said he laid in front of the gate most of the day. Tomorrow Bob and Marline’s dog, Molly, is coming for the afternoon – that will make Keeper happy!
At this point I don’t really know what I want or expect. My journey continues.
Mary, my thoughts and prayers continue to be with you. Healthcare is so frustrating! What you are experiencing with no call backs, no biopsy results, and the snafu with the blood draw is troubling to say the least. Is there a healthcare coordinator or patient advocate available through the providers? Persist, persist, persist. The suggestions to get on the patient portals are really good. I could not get a response from my 92 year-old-mother’s PCP (she is in Washington) but that all changed when I started sending messages directly to him via the portal! I hope and pray you have answers soon and sleep well tonight.
I am so glad your friends were able to take you to the er.
Perhaps you could enlist one of them to be an advocate for you if all of this back and forth gets too stressful for you. Have them help with phone calls and setting up the “portal” etc.
Don’t let up. Demand an answer from Mayo. Mayo doesn’t seem to be very patient friendly. Sending prayers your way.
So berry sorry…🙏🙏
So much for “you’re in good hands at Mayo”. Hope all of this crap will change in a positive way in the very near future. It’s good you are a “tough” lady.
Yes Mary I used the my chart at the Mayo also and so does my husband. It works great. And fast response! You are techi enough to use it! I know you are!
We spent yesterday afternoon up at Watertown sd at a lake with our daughter and son-in-law and his parents. We had yummy food! We stayed in a motel (my kind. If camping) and had breakfast at the motel and then spent the rest of the morning with them again and went out for lunch! A short getaway which was very relaxing!
It is hot and windy! Next week is going to be a cooker!
I’m sorry the ER didn’t work but like you say. The medical field is changing and once you hit 65 they really don’t care if we live anymore.
I’m so sorry this is happening to you, it’s just wrong ! I had a my chart when I had my hiatal hernia surgery in March, it was very informative & helpful. It’s hard to believe they didn’t set one up for you! I could answer questions before my appointment & took less time when I got to the appointment! Keep pushing them Mary, it’s their job to help you! Wishing you good luck.
We love you and are all ready to shoot off emails to patient services to let them know hundreds of people are disappointed with the lack of care that one woman from Iowa has received! At Mayo!! And, here I hoped you were doodling around at thrift stores again!!
Sorry you are going through this Mary. Mayo is such a huge disappointment. It’s also shocking to hear this about one of the best hospitals. I feel sorry for Keeper. He sure loves you. That’s a beautiful book; a very thoughtful gift. Hope you’re feeling better soon. Hugs and prayers.
Donna – tell Dan I just placed my order at Jack Stack Barbeque – I can’t wait till it arrives. Then we feast!
Oh my word. That’s hilarious Mary. It is great bbq. Enjoy. ☺️
Donna Jo – I thought it was difficult to order from their site and I’m not sure why. Somehow I had to order carrot cake and all I really wanted to order was several burnt end packages. Not that we won’t enjoy the cake!!! Haha!
The carrot cake is excellent. You will definitely enjoy it.
I agree with the others that say set up portal or MyChart. You may want to set up for both Mayo and Mason City. It’s possible the Microsoft problem could be involved.
As in other areas, there has been a wave of retirements over the past 5 – 10 years of very experienced people in health care. It takes the younger replacements a long time to gain the experience, and those of us using the system suffer. Many facilities are short staffed to go along with less experience.
Keep on being persistent with them!!!
That book is great, as are the quilts.
The doe is still dining in our garden. I believe we’ll still get quite a few beans. The tomatoes, I don’t think so. We have 10 tomato plants. The plants are good sized, most with stalks chewed off. We have very few blooms and just a few green tomatoes. I’ll be visiting the farm market. She doesn’t like zinnias, so the flowers are beautiful.
How frustrating that even well-respected Mayo has been letting you down. Certainly hope that you don’t have to wait over the weekend, and find out something today & that it is excellent news, as we have all been waiting for..
Loving the freeform hexagon piece. A very cool string type block.
The Naturalist’s book is lovely and just perfect for you. That adorable mama and her four littles know you very well.
Mary, like all the rest, I am so disappointed your trip to Mayo wasn’t more informative. I can’t believe how you have been neglected during this ordeal. As always, I am sending hugs and prayers. 🥰
Mary,
Prayers for answers SOON!! Your log of what’s going on is excellent because then you DON’T HAVE TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING – it’s down in black and white, so to speak, dated and specific. Also, a portal is the way these days, like it or not. That is also another log of your communication. Computers/internet are helpful. But, oh, my, it can make things way too complicated sometimes. In the middle of all this, thank you for keeping your blog circle of friends informed. We are all pulling for your better health.
Jan
Jan – I do know you’re all pulling for me and somehow it makes it all clearer if I talk it out. I have kept track of every single phone call and directive in a file folder, on the actual folder instead of paper. They were impressed at Mayo that I brought it along. Marline was also able to help sort it all out by reading thru it when I was in tears and couldn’t even gather my thoughts.
It’ possible that the big CrowdStrike Windows outage last Friday caused problems for both Mason City and Mayo, which has delayed the transfer of the biopsy results. My son-in-law is a doctor here in NC, and he said yesterday that our local hospital still had lingering problems from that outage.
I also recommend getting MyChart. You can access your records either with a MyChart phone app (which you download from the phone’s app store), or with a web browser on your computer. Looking at Mayo’s website, I see that they have a link to download a “Mayo Clinic” app for Apple or Android. (On Mayo’s website, do a search for “Patient Online Services”.). They may use that app instead of the MyChart app, so it would be the best place to start. You can also find it in the phone’s app store.
I hope you’re soon doing better, and get some answers. Hugs!
Mary, I am so sorry you are having health problems and problems with Mayo. My Mom was a patient there years ago and her experience was not good. I hope you get answers soon and then get on the road to recovery.
Could your computer guru who helps with your posts etc help you set up a portal? Or My Chart?
Praying for you daily that your good health will be restored.
Came to let you know that I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers. It’s scary to see what is happening to you with the hospital. It’s just very frustrating and it’s not even happening to me! Also…I clicked the ads while I was here! At least I can do that much to help you!
After rereading the comments this morning, I wonder if Mayo thinks you are getting updates from your portal? That’s not a great excuse for not getting back to you, but it might help inform you.
I’m so glad you’re keeping a diary about this experience. I kept a diary while taking care of my dad and every time I had a dispute with the medical community, I could quote to them the date, time, and person I talked to concerning the issue. That information was extremely helpful cutting the BS they tried on me. It’s tiring, but very important.
When you get on the portal, a summary of each visit should be on it. I hope Ellen can get you on it without a lot of hassle.
The Naturalist’s book looks very interesting. And to those who have been submitting their sewing area photos – Thank You! Especially those who submit everyday in-use photos, not ones take right after a clean-up.
I’m sorry you’re having such trouble with the lost/misplaced/misrouted biopsy results. By now it seems like it would be faster to get another than find the 1st one, but… NOT fun, and probably not covered either. And to mistake an artery for a vein – seems to me that’s the kind of thing that should not have happened by anyone past the first/second class in drawing blood in nursing school?
When my Dad started to decline, I got a bound paper calendar/journal to write *everything* done at doctors, or what he told me if I could not take him. It also contained information for the assisted living place, his prescriptions, names/phone numbers/addresses, etc. It went with me every time I went to see Dad. It came in quite useful when days later I wanted to verify my memory of what was said.
It is unbelievable that Mayo would be treating you this way. I do hope you get some answers and relief from this saga. The book is a lovely gift.
The irony of what is happening to you is staggering. It is as if they want you ticked off because then you fight harder and get better. It is a good thing that you are such a strong, roll with the punches kind of woman. Your faith and fortitude inspires me especially reading all of the warm and kind wishes. Wow.
I am praying for you Mary. A grandson just went though a weird thing too. He came out on the other side and is doing better and back to work. They could not pin point anything really. Now my daughter is fighting the onslaught of chiggers. Horrible horrible pain. Don’t anyone say what she should have been wearing as she had on long socks, cowboy boots, jeans and long sleeved shirt. She was in tall grass yes. She is is had made the turn to relief. Praying Mary your body will heal. The pain pills are awful but necessary right now maybe. I know things shut down over the weekend except emergency rooms. A waiting game.
Fran – chiggers??? Tell me – do bites hurt or itch? Are there chiggers here? Everywhere?
Chiggers are awful. They itch like crazy. My grandmother used to cover the chigger bites with clear nail polish. The bugs bore into your skin and the polish smothers them. Not sure where all they live but I do know they are in the south.
Oh Mary, I can’t believe you did not get some kind of diagnosis after leaving the emergency room at Mayo. They should have read the CT and known the results of blood work before they released you. The hours you were there they were waiting on results of the procedures they had just done. When you were released they then should have had some answers. This is so unnerving no one wants to accept their responsibilities. I am to old I guess and don’t mean to be judgmental but the medical community isn’t as compassionate as it once was. You got me going on a rant today, sorry. We have to believe in better days ahead! 🙏🏻
So sorry you are going through this. The medical field is certainly changing. The book is beautiful.
Mary, so sorry you did not get any answers at your visit to Mayo. Your book is a very nice one! It is fascinating, and a good read for sure! We went up to Sibley State Park up by New London MN yesterday, it is so poorly marked we drove by it twice, the sighing is not out on the highway, and how are we supposed to know it is on the county road? We don’t drive there very often, so I found that perplexing, and we took our granddaughter to see Mt Tom, it is a lookout spot, and there were a lot of kids visiting it as well so quite the adventure. We had lunch in Willmar at Grizzly’s. Nice lunch. We checked out Cub foods as every place has different products I look for in the health food section. We are carb shoppers now. We rested up when we got back home, and went to two baseball games for our grandson, his team won the first game; then they had the championship game, which they lost. Two five-inning games, fun for all, I believe our grandson will be in third grade this fall. All in a day. I did not have too difficult of a time walking to the top of the hill. I hope you hear from someone in the healthcare world soon regarding your situation. We live in such a impersonal world today.
I agree with setting up a portal. It is a pain to do but may eliminate some of the issues. I am so sorry that you are dealing with all this stuff. Not knowing is a big issue so you can’t really relax. The pain issue needs to get under control and there has to be something going on and I just hope they figure it out soon so you can be on the journey of recovery. We are all praying that you start mending soon. We LOVE you
Well I’m sorry about you feeling bad again. This hospital isn’t getting a very good review so far. Continue to keep us posted when you can. Prayerscto you Rick and Keeper.
I was hoping today would have been a better day for you, feeling better and getting answers. When you’re in pain, the last thing you need is the frustration of trying to figure out apps on your phone and a hospital portal! What’s wrong with just giving you the answers you need in person. Praying your pain eases and you get good test results soon.
Poor Keeper. Such a sensitive soul to worry so much. Hope playing with another dog helps.
Take care.
Someone should have tracked down the biopsy by now as from my lab days, we always had to document in the computer each step a specimen took. The hospital computer glitches were fixed quickly from when I talked to an IT person in our hospital system so that shouldn’t be the reason, other than a delay of a day. I also learned no patient care was compromised as nurses in our hospital submit data into a phone now. Some surgeries were delayed but thankfully no one slipped through the cracks from what I was told. We’re always going to have challenges as we rely on computers for technology.
My dog is just like Keeper Mary, and she won’t even go outside to poddy for anyone but me. My husband has to coerce her with a spoon of doggie ice cream to move! She’ll stay on the couch or her bed till I come home. Last time I was hospitalized our daughter came to let her out and put the phone to our dogs ears to hear my voice and I talked to the dog to encourage her to go out.
So I know the devotion our rescue dogs have for us. Keep busy Mary and hope your pain is manageable today. I never had any pain with my mass.
So sorry you have to go through all this, the not knowing is always the worst, Still sending prayers and loving thoughts your way,
Pictures today a great, love that book
A short piece of advice. Cut your pain pills in half. I cannot take a whole one at once. Halves help you stay ahead of the pain.
Diane – great idea! I could probably tolerate them better
Yes. It absolutely works for me. 1/2 every 4 to 6 hours depending on how they work for you. Dr said it was ok. I cannot take Tylenol PM or some of those either.
That is crazy! Mistaking an artery for a vein is insane. The nurse should have known, immediately, she hit an artery.
I hope you get results soon.
Holly is the same, when I’m not home.
Keeping you in my prayers.
Laura – my arm ached all night! I agree – an artery for God’s sake? And I screamed when they were doing this. AT MAYO!!!! So what do you do with Holly when you want to go somewhere? Keeper usually goes with me and waits in the car – he sits in the car during the day just in case it moves – haha!!!
I have lost all faith in Mayo, they are supposed to be one of the three best that we were offered with Cleveland and the U of M, but that was for the heart. But Mayo has always been pushed as excellent, not anymore in my book. I am going to pray that whatever is going on with you is not an immanent threat to your health because everyone is putting you off! Well, if it is something significant, you have a whole bunch of witnesses to attest to the neglect you have received from Mayo and especially your doctor and PA. (You really need to start talking to an attorney, and I’m one who normally lets things go because someday they will get theirs!) This is worse than a soap opera.
My thoughts and prayers continue your way. Love on Keeper, Hazel and all the kitties, that always helps. Love and Blessings, Linda
Linda – I don’t think I have the energy to be mad anymore – but I won’t keep this a secret either. I’m not going to spend my time talking to an attorney even tho it would be satisfying. I think it is an imminent threat because I worry that the tumor continues to grow. Now THAT scares me but today I will rest a bit and then, since it’s just so cool, I’m going to the shop or my sewing room while Mollie is here.
Hug all of your family, too – send a new picture of Nelson some time when you have time.
Was your hospital one of those affected by the computer glitch a week ago now? It’s been in the news but I don’t remember all the hospitals affected. It affected airlines – Delta big time.
Hi Mary, this is beyond belief! I too would not know how to set up a portal! I do hope you get some answers soon,Keeper is such a sweetheart, he loves his mom! The book is interesting, l have a book with many maps,300 or so pages and sometimes spend ages looking at it, a great way to waste time.l hope this debarkle gets sorted soon, take care everyone ,best wishes from Sandy
Gosh, I don’t understand. What a miserable mess. Whoever put the IV in should know the difference between a vein and an artery. Yikes. The issue is you are still in pain and no biopsy results to be found. I’m sorry you are suffering with no answers.
I love the book and the beautiful drawings. I’m sure there are a lot of interesting facts to read.
Poor Keeper. He really is attached to you.
Hoping your pain meds help. Praying for answers and action.
Pat in Md.
the nature book is fabulous! the quilts are great. colors/fabrics are great. such inspiration.
i’m sorry you are enduring what i call the ‘run around.’ no one knows anything. i so totally agree about downloading ‘my chart’ and putting in your mayo info. i have that down here and usually get my test results before the doctor. love having that stuff at my finger tips. i know you download the app from the apple store – i have android version. it’s the best communication tool around. hope putting ‘high priority’ on your chart helps you get information and help.
today i woke up, went to the bathroom, experienced a spasm and have not been able to stand up straight since. both my sister and my son have told me it’s probably a kidney stone and i will need to go to e.r. not what i want to do. the pain is horrendous so i imagine i will end up there tomorrow, hoping to wait til mid-afternoon. i did sew but i used what was on the table in front of me – a stack of 4.5″ i-spy type squares along with black on white squares – 60 of them. they are now 4-patches waiting for their final press open and then squaring. i knew i wouldn’t be able to do the bending and measuring to continue the borders from yesterday. but hey, more fabric is stitched up into blocks that are almost finished. progress of a different sort and kept me from obsessing over the pain.
hoping both of us are in much better shape tomorrow. i hate the e.r. and the time you end up spending there. mr. ed is good about taking me – he naps while we wait. i can’t do that. i also hate asking him to take off more time from work. prayers continue for your health. patti in florida
Mary – As Sherry mentioned, you need to set up your portal. I’m shocked that The Mayo Clinic didn’t suggest setting up a portal or at least give you information about it. You’ll need your Mayo Clinic number and email address to create your new account. I assume you can find your Mayo Clinic number on the clinic paperwork. You can get help to set up the portal from Customer Service at 1-877-858-0398 from 7am to 7pm CT. Don’t forget to write down the password you create for the portal. Good luck! I wish I lived closer so I could help you.
I am so sorry this is happening to you. I am concerned how any medical facility could lose biopsy results. Usually lab results are saved into the Medical facility’s database. If the original facility wanted a second opinion and some of the tissue was sent to another lab for diagnosis, you need to find out what lab it was sent to and the name and phone number of the pathologist. I would call the facility where the biopsy was done every single day until I got answers!
I sincerely hope and pray 🙏 you get to the bottom of this and you’re soon on your way to recovery.
Take care.
Sending hugs.
Sharon G – I’m going to try to get that portal set up today. I know my Mayo number by heart. Farmer Tim and Ellen have the portal – Ellen gave Tim one of her kidneys several years ago – now there’s another story!!!
I’ve also wondered if your results were on My Chart or whatever they use. That’s the fastest way to get results on your tests. I’ve had blood tests in the morning & by afternoon I had the results. Your Dr’s nurse should have set this up for you! I can go back to my previous Dr & check results on tests, meds, etc. it great! Love your book, what a wonderful gift! Those kids & their momma are precious! Praying this gets resolved very soon!!
Gosh, Mary…Seems like there is no excuse for this. You should have been told what you have and treated days ago. I hate that you are in pain and I hope the new meds will help you. You need your sleep.
Keeper is a sweet dog to be so worried about you.
Pat in Iowa City…I love your version of the Irish Chain quilt. And, the colors you used. If I didn’t have so many projects going I would try one like it.
Good night, All…
Sue in OR – I slept good last night and feel like actually doing something today. Going to work on the portal today with Keeper by my side.
The Naturalist book looks very interesting. I’m also enjoying the Monarch progression. I knew they loved the milkweed plants but had never seen the egg to butterfly before. Great nature lesson. They should have set up a portal for you at the hospital. It is a great tool. You would be able to see what tests & results as soon as they are posted. Definitely something to ask about. Good luck.
Mary, You are on my prayer list and I sure hope you get some answers soon and some relief from the pain! My hubby and I went to the local theatre tonight to see Fiddler on the Roof. We enjoyed it. He has been down in his back for the last month so it was great to get him out to dinner and to see the show. Thoughts and prayers are with you!
Doris in Alabama
Oh, Mary. My heart is breaking for you.
That book is delightful.
The lack of info is so very sad. I glad they are expediting your case. We all will pray for you.
You were starting to feel so much better and now another setback. Lordy.
I’m so sorry you are having so much trouble getting a diagnosis! That is absolutely ridiculous. There should be a patient’s advocate. Call them and explain what is going on. Their job is to make sure you are being taken care of. Hugs,
You have been through so much these last few weeks and so has Keeper. Keeping you in thought and prayer.
Thanks for showing some of the inside of your book. It looks wonderful.
I love all the quilts.
Keeper misses you when you are gone, sweet dog.
What about Hazel, or is she too busy keeping an eye out for rats?
Many prayers for healing Mary.
Shirley in central Oregon
Lots of fires in Oregon. 🥲
Question Mary – do you have the Mayo portal? All of your appointments, results and information is loaded into the portal for your access. If you don’t, I highly recommend.
I’m sorry that this is so messed up. It’s bad enough not feeling well and then to feel not heard or things being screwed up magnifies everything.
Sherry from Kasson MN
Sherry – nobody mentioned the portal and I have no idea how to set it up.
They do use My Chart. You download the app on your phone and create an account with your Mayo number. I have used it. The dr I saw there used it, I could directly send him a question or he could answer a question.
I do not understand where your biopsy results are- was it done in Mason City or Mayo? How long has it been? It’s terrible not knowing. Call them every day.
Mary H – Mason City sent them to Mayo. Yes, I have been calling every day and have kept a record of it all in a notebook. I can hardly remember the sequence of everything now.
Mary, I am glad you got your portal set up – and I sorry I kinda left you hanging – I would have certainly helped you get set up with links etc. I left this message and have been too busy to ‘compute’ ever since! We made a round trip to Iowa City for a memorial service yesterday and each day before that has been filled to the brim. I hope you have a portal with your home clinic too – maybe your results are in there! In the Mayo portal, there is a header called ‘test results’.
I know that when mom and dad had all of their appointments I was so glad that I’d set up their portals to help keep track of everything, and with mom and dad’s consent I was able to access their records for appointments (because you can have 2 appointments when you get there and suddenly a dr will ADD an appointment – like a blood draw or a scan and may or may not tell you – but it is in your portal app) and read results so I could help them understand what the dr had told them. I think the assumption at clinics now is that everyone has the portal – even when I was with mom at the Cresco clinic – they told her that results would be in MyCharts. She had no idea what they were talking about.
Technology is wonderful….but it was way too much for my mom except for playing games on her tablet, and even though dad enjoyed going on his computer (mostly to check for obituaries I think) anything that changed was overwhelming. On every visit I would ‘fix’ everything back to what they were able to understand.
What I don’t understand for you is – has Mayo (or your clinic – either one) said they received your results from the lab? If they have – why haven’t they reviewed them? OR haven’t received them and they are lost in cyberspace due to some glitch or communication error? And if they haven’t received them why hasn’t Mercy resent them because I would think that your clinic would have also received a copy from the lab? Did your clinic get your consent to send them on to Mayo? Can you go to your clinic and get a physical copy that you can physically carry to Mayo?
I am going thru all of the things I can think of as to why this is going on and on. I find it appalling that your dr hasn’t contacted you or taken calls since July 3rd. That is so unprofessional – and if she can’t do it herself because her feelings are hurt, then she needs to assign someone else to your case for communication. SHE should be the one pushing her clinic, lab, mayo whoever to move this forward. And the next time you call any of them….ask them if you need to contact a lawyer – you probably won’t have to – but mention it anyway…. Sherry W
I’m a lurker. But I’m sorry for all the medical BS you’ve gone through. I hope you get answers soon.
I hope you get results soon. The book you have looks very interesting.