Wednesday, February 11

Documents and Care

I'm here. Actually, I've been in the basement, sorting papers, looking for birth certificates. But nobody was willing to drop food and coffee down the stairs, so I had to come back up. Found one. Have two official copies ordered. No clue where the second one may be.

I plan to look into the mail order bride thing and see if there isn't someone who would be willing to come just as a personal assistant and doesn't really require marriage. That might be handy.

I called my doc to see if I could get in to see her this week, rather than waiting until the 20th. My thought was that I'd like to be proactive about the stone the u/s found in my kidney. The conversation was a bit odd. She started off by telling me that everything looked absolutely perfect. No problems at all.

*blink* What about the kidney stone?

What stone? What tests did you have done?

We sorted that out. She called the lab, which hadn't faxed the results of the bone density or the u/s back yet. Then she called me back.
**************************
Nurse: There is no stone. You're perfectly healthy. You don't need to come in.

Me: Well, what's that large mass in my kidney?

Nurse: That's just a calcium deposit. It's nothing you need to worry about.

Me: What's the difference between a stone and a calcium deposit?

Nurse: Well, it's not a stone. Really, this is nothing to worry about, at all.

Me: So a calcium deposit of that size won't impair renal function?

Nurse: Not yet.

Me: *I am screaming in my head, but not on the phone.* Well, won't it have to come out, at some point?

Nurse: I don't know why you're upsetting yourself over this. It's nothing. I've spoken with the doctor about this, and it is absolutely nothing. You just have that. And a simple cyst.

Me: *thinking I do not want to look up "kidney" and "cyst" on Google...* A what? A cyst? On my kidney?

Nurse: Yes. It's nothing. You don't need to come in earlier than your appointment. *tsk* Honestly *deep exhalation* Where ARE you getting your information from?

Me: So what does The Doctor say might be causing my pain, since absolutely everything else looks completely healthy and clear?

Nurse: Oh, we don't know what that could be.

Me: You don't think it could be that, um, calcium deposit?

Nurse: No. Not at all.

Me: You know, that's fantastic news. But, uh, I think I'd like to talk to Dr. D about all this, anyway. You know, just to make sure we're all on the same page.
*************************

So, I go in Thursday, but the nurse isn't happy about it. And I'm trying to figure out the best way to get a copy of the u/s to take to someone else. Because if I have a long-lost twin living in my kidney, I'd like to know.

And the best I can figure, a 1cm "calcium deposit" sounds an awful lot like something more than nothing. I know I'm not a doctor, or even a radiologist. But I also know that anything that large that shows up that clearly from *inside* an organ that ought not have solid things lodged in it probably isn't "nothing".

I'm not worked up, but I am also not feeling overly confident in my current doctor, who is, to be perfectly honest, probably busy being torqued that my bone density test didn't come back with full-blown osteoporosis. Because that means her argument that I am - quite obviously - an osseous sponge (because I nurse my babies longer than six months - her words) just might not be exactly it.

And that's... about it, this week. Documents and Care. I need more time playing with the kids. They're a lot more interesting and a whole lot more fun.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a certain tolerance for doctors who sometimes seem to be full of SH*T. They're human too. They might occasionally have weird beliefs, like that it isn't in my best interest to nurse past six months. I can even go along with them voicing those comments, but only if they are handing me a script for something delightful that I have to show photo ID to get. Those doctors have a special place in my heart. But, if I am not getting a script, I want the Harvard grad that graduated in the top 1% of their class and then went on to get the very best residency programs. I think you might need to start looking for that doctor!

Meliss said...

Is it that the health care profession attracts people who already have the tendency to be condescending, know-it-alls or does the training include coaching in that kind of attitude? I'm feeling defensive on your behalf, not that it helps at all.

I'm so sorry about all your trials lately. Praying for you.

Dy said...

Yeah, well she nursed for six weeks and then went back to work. Which, hey, it's her family, and I'm aokay w/ whatever she wants to do with her family. But we should all do it that way, right? (According to her, we should. We should also stop with only two, "because our bodies just aren't made to do this". WTFarkle?)

I'm... not entirely certain about the condescending attitude. I mean, if we don't want to do lithotripsy on this because it is attached to the kidney lining and jarring it loose might cause scarring, okay. Fine. But let's *talk* about it. Let's not just pretend that this is "normal". Gah. Why is the calcium remineralizing in my system? Let's look into that. Do I need more magnesium? More water? A psychic?

Seriously, all is not well in the Land of Oz, and I would like to peek behind the curtain.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I always learn so much by "visiting" you, Dy! Home repairs, how to make a futon cover, choosing a woodburning stove, and now this - calcium deposits in kidneys. You sure know how to make a girl use Google! And learn new words too (ie-osseous, etc).

As soon as my kids graduate, I'm going back to school to get my nursing degree, and I PROMISE to be a caring, concerning, non-condescending kind of nurse.
'kay??? :-)

Consent of the Governed said...

You have won an award!
http://yedies.blogspot.com/2009/02/cotg-wins-award.html

Meliss said...

Do you have any naturopaths in your area?

Jenni said...

Wow. You seem to have a little trouble finding good health care professionals, don't you? I mean there was that whole mess with the dentists and now this. And why is it so hard to find a doctor or dentist who is not condescending? I know they're out there. (We found one of each.) Well, be thankful none of them has yelled at you until they turned red in the face and their veins started to bulge out of their forehead. It's even better when it's an ob/gyn. Yeah, always something to be thankful for. I hope you find a good doc who respects your intelligence and still knows what they're doing. Don't worry too much over it though, and be careful googling. You have to know your tolerance level and know when to quit googling.

mere said...

I would try with all my might to find a new doctor. One who respects and listens to you that is a tad crunchier than this gal, ya' know?

Here's a search for you:

http://www.google.com/search?rls=ig&hl=en&q=natural+treatments+for+kidney+stones&aq=f&oq=

The kicker with all of these treatments is that pretty much all of them say to stop drinking coffee. Personally I don't know if I could do that, but if the pain was really bad I might be able to do it.

I hope that helps...

mere

Kathyb1960 said...

Stupid nurse. What does she know? I'm glad you got an appt!

I read another story on another blog about a mother who was trying to get an appt for her baby. The NURSE kept saying "oh you don't need an appt and they wouldn't give her one. That night they took the baby to the hospital, and the baby didn't have RSV, but was close. They ran into the dr, and he said "why didn't you come to the office?" She told him what happened, and he was so mad she could see the steam. He took care of the office problem! Hmmmm.

Anonymous said...

Dy,

You want to be sure it is in your kidney and not your ovary. I had a calcium spot show up on an xray and they immediately sent me to the urologist. The urologist ordered an intravaginal u/s and sure enough it was on my ovary. It was a dermoid tumor and I needed a major operation. If you have pain, something is not right. Also if you have random calcium deposits you could be lacking vitamin D. Without enough vitamin D your body will store calcium in deposits in your soft tissue. Some people are more prone to it than others.

Get a new doctor!!

Best Wishes.

Dy said...

Guys,

Thank you for your suggestions, tips, and empathy. :-) I appreciate it tremendously.

Robyn, this was found up by my ribs, and sure did look like a kidney. I'm 99% certain that it is in the kidney. (Seldom am I willing to say 100%, kwim?)

{{hugs}} and thanks all around!