Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Peaches, You Guys are Just Peaches!

Thanks so much for your shared outrage and support over our dealings with Dr. Dillweed and the Dips.

Hubby came home with the mail last night after work. Got a letter from SS announcing an appointment with a NEW doc that basically said:

"Since you didn't make your previous appointment you better not miss this one with the new doctor, or else we'll make a determination on medical records alone."

And the date was scheduled for the day after Little Guy leaves for a week at summer camp.

I just about sat down and cried.

Then I bucked up. Screw them. His medical and school records are sufficient and complete. There ain't nothing in there that's going to indicate that he was actually trained to be a jet pilot in disguise who could earn 150k a year under the table while ripping them off for their $53.00 a month. No, not a typo.

About an hour later, the phone rang.

It was my sister-in-law, asking if I knew how to get a hold of Hubby. I told her he was swimming laps in the pool, and she said, "ok, can I talk to him"?

Can he call you back? He's been really stressed out, and I didn't want to go out there with the phone and get growled at.

"No, I need to talk to him now."

Yikes, is everything ok?

"No."

I've talked about his mom, who is 86 and lives back east. Since his dad died about a year and a half ago, he goes every couple of months for a week or so to spend precious time with her and help her with anything that needs to be done. He's got plane tickets to go spend a week with her on the 12th.

His siblings are actually half-sibs---children from his dad's first marriage. The half-sister who lives locally and the half-brother who is semi-local have been wonderful about filling in when he can't be there. But he's his mom's only baby boy.

Turns out that MIL went for a mammogram yesterday. While she was "in the vise" so to speak, she told the tech that she was feeling shaky and needed something to hold on to. The tech said, "wait until I get this picture".

Well, she fell down, broke her femur, sprained her wrist, ripped up the very thin skin on her arm---not to mention the--uh--part that was in the "wringer".

And the tech didn't even get the picture.

When we got the call, she'd been in the ER for hours (we got the call at 6pm which was 8pm there).

Blessedly, sis-in-law's son is a doctor with privileges in the hospital, and went down and raised hell about everything. And he knew her medical history better than the people from her assisted living place.

They were going to operate on her leg today, but she still had too much cumoden (blood thinner--don't know if I'm spelling it right) in her blood, so they put it off until tomorrow early morning.

Good news is that she isn't apathetic---she is thoroughly pissed off about the stupidity of the whole thing. Plus the hospital food. It sucks.

Better to fight her way through it, in our opinion. Oh, and Morphine is great.

Send good thoughts for her, would you?

So this morning, instead of feeling sorry for myself over this idiotic SS thing, I decided to work with the system, called and talked to the medical compliance person.

She assured me that the letter we received wasn't a reflection on the Dr. Dillweed episode, but a form letter that Social Security sends out. I told her the dates (before and after summer camp) that we could be available and she promised to work with us.

Whew.

_________________

Update: The surgery went well---they put a steel rod in MIL's leg, and she's resting---not exactly comfortably, but with a lot of good drugs. Thanks again for all your kind wishes!

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

lots of prayers for your MIL. I'll be thinking of her!

phlegmfatale said...

gosh, sorry about the MIL - tough run of luck.

Was getting a mammogram myself on Tuesday, and the woman was like "Are you okay?" and I was thinkign "just take the damned picture already!!!"

Medical shit = no fun. Ugh.

KrisMrsBBradley said...

Sending up prayers for your MIL.

Star said...

"Just wait til I get the picture" ? I vote we put the tech in a vise-and leave her there a while.

Brenda said...

Poor MIL, how inconsiderate and incompetent of the tech! Sounds like your Summer may not offer much of a break for you ATM, I sure hope you manage to get some down time soon.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that doesn't sound good! I hope she recovers well.

Green-Eyed Momster said...

Good thoughts have been sent. I'm wishing MIL well. And you? How are you? It seems to me that your sense of humor will get you through anything but are you taking time to be nice to you? I sure hope so! Sending you big hugs, ATM!

Beth said...

I don't think the chaos ever stops in your life.
Perspective - it's all about perspective - keeping it (and our sanity).
Best wishes for a speedy recovery for your MIL.

stinkypaw said...

Hope your MIL feels better soon. I must say I was relieved to read it wasn't cancer. That was a serious fall!

Keep your spirit up, the little I know (of you), you'll get through this!

QueenofPlanetHotflash said...

Prayers heading out for MIL..Curse upon the head of the Boob smasher who caused this!

carmachu said...

Good the the SS folks will work with and AND the letter wasnt a real reflection.

And thoughts and prays to your MIL.

Mary said...

I've heard the phrase "don't get your tits in a wringer" but that's just going too far. That poor woman!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh dear. Poor woman! So glad she's got family to rally around her and put up a stink.

And I have to laugh--of COURSE it's a form letter you received. You need one reasonable scheduler on your side and disregard the rest. Sounds like you found her--I hope it is smooth sailing from here on out!

Jennifer McKenzie said...

OMG!!!!! That's awful. I'm sending you good thoughts for you and your hubby. I hope all is well.
And they keep her on morphine since she likes it so much.
AND that tech get REAMED!!!

Anonymous said...

Best wishes and hugs for your MIL !!!

abfh said...

I hope MIL recovers quickly and finds a good personal injury lawyer.

abfh said...

I hope MIL recovers quickly and finds a good personal injury lawyer.

Litzi said...

Hi Attila,
OMG! I had high expectations of you enjoying a relaxing and serene summer vacation. Sometimes I think a thundercloud of doom is hovering over your house.

My 85-year old mother fell and broke her hip and wrist last year. She spent three weeks in a Hospice, learning how to bend, sit, lie down, prepare her meals, etc. without further injuring her hip. Even though she was advised it’d be close to 6 months before she’d be able to drive, she was out doing her own grocery shopping within 2 months. Her doctors felt that the reason for the rapid recovery was her positive “I will survive this” attitude, as opposed to giving up and expecting someone to wait on her for the rest of her life. So your mother-in-law’s definitely on the right brain wave…

Unfortunately, broken femurs don’t heal quickly. She may be in a wheel chair or have to depend on a walker for quite a while. But when the spirit is willing, the body follows.

Hang in there, Attila. The first 100 years are the hardest (say what??). I hope Little Guy has a blast at camp!

Anonymous said...

Big hug. The SSI process, especially in the begining, is awful!! They drive me crazy, so unorganized. I am glad made contact with a person who will work WITH you, what a concept.

So very sorry to hear about your MIL. That is awful! I hope she heals smoothly.

You need a much better start to your summer. Vacation time???

Take care.

XOXOXO

Anonymous said...

Glad MIL is doing OK - what a mess that was. And I hope you get Little Guy sorted out at SS. Sounds like you're having a stressful time at the mo!!

Litzi said...

Hi Attila,
Dr. Dillweed and the Dips could be the name of a new all-boy band. Maybe Clay Aiken could be the ever charming F-Up Dillweed and the Dips could be the Backside (oops! Backstreet) Boys. Just sayin’…

Anonymous said...

I am really glad to hear MIL is doing better!!! Give hubby our love and you TELL HIM (I don't care how much we have going on, lady) that if he needs anything to just give us a ring. ORDER!