October 25th, 2009 by MotherJonesRN in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: #bwe09, Blog World Expo, Las Vegas, Medblogger, Medblogger Track
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What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? I think not. It ends up on YouTube. Case in point. You must be careful when you are around Dr. Anonymous. He has a video camera, and he’s not afraid to use it. You’ve been warned.
The first med blogger track at BlogWorld/New Media Expo 09 was a wonderful experience. I want to thank Johnson and Johnson and Medpage Today for their sponsorship. I also want to thank Kim at Emergiblog and Dr. Val at Better Health for all their hard work. Kim knocked on doors and got things rolling, and Val help put the panels together. This shindig would not have gotten off the ground without YOU!
I don’t know where to begin. Going to Las Vegas is like dropping in on another planet. It’s filled with a lot of stuff that can get you into trouble like slot machines, Elvis wedding chapels, and machineguns. No, that’s not a typo. I said machineguns. This is the first sign that I saw when I stepped off the plane when I landed in Las Vegas. It’s an ad for a Las Vegas shooting range where you can fire off a few rounds when you get into town. Whatever happened to the days of innocence when the most exciting thing you could do while you were in Las Vegas was get drunk, marry someone you didn’t know, and go see a Wayne Newton show? I got worried when I saw this sign, but then I thought what could happen at a blogger convention. After all, I was going to be surrounded by computer geeks and responsible health care professionals like GruntDoc and Dr. Wes. Right? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Nurse Ratched's Place*
October 24th, 2009 by KerriSparling in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Blood Sugar, Cravings, Diabetes, Endocrinology, High Risk Pregnancy, Kerri Morrone Sparling, Obstetrics And Gynecology, Type 1
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Do you know how hard it was to not tell you guys I am pregnant? Sitting on that information for three months was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. There were SO MANY questions I wanted to ask, and so many stories I wanted to share, but I knew it was best to keep my mouth shut until we were past a certain point. And it is still early in our pregnancy, all things considered, so I shared our news with hopeful optimism and in hopes of some positive thoughts being sent our way.
And holy crap do you guys deliver. I’ve read every comment on the Dear Baby post, even though I’ve had to take breaks to grab tissues because you made me tear up quite a bit. My husband, my mom, and my mother-in-law are reading the comments, too. And they say thanks for the support as well. 🙂
So now you know. And now I can talk about what the past three months have been like. (Video to come this afternoon.) Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*
October 22nd, 2009 by Happy Hospitalist in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Anger, Coverage, Denial, Health Insurance, Insurance Plan, Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Rage
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I was at the pharmacy today picking up some goods. We indicated to the pharmacy tech our cash paying status. The nice lady behind the counter explained that the drug company had a discount plan for cash paying customers that do not submit a claim to their insurance company. We had to promise not to submit the claim and not to sell the medication on the internet for which we obliged. Then we had a seat and waited.
In the next 30 minutes I had the opportunity to listen to several customers blow up in a fit of rage about why their insurance company wasn’t covering this or that. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at A Happy Hospitalist*
October 21st, 2009 by KerriSparling in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Diabetes, Endocrinology, Maternity, Obstetrics And Gynecology, Pregnancy, Type 1 Diabetes
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Dear Baby,
I’ve been thinking about you for a long time.
My doctors told me it would be a challenge to have you. They said that diabetes would be a tricky hurdle as I planned for you. They said you might not happen. There were so many reasons to be scared and so many reasons to doubt, but I never gave up on you, Baby. I have always wanted you and have worked so tirelessly to make my body safe for you. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*
October 19th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in True Stories
Tags: Flu, Frail Elderly, Geriatrics, House Calls, Infectious Disease, Pharmacy, Seasonal Flu, Sent Elsewhere, Vaccine
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I’m working with a small team of primary care physicians in Vienna, Virginia. Part of their strategic business plan is to offer flu shots to local residents via office visits and house calls. Just last week I accompanied Dr. Alan Dappen on a series of flu shot house calls to the frail elderly. They were too weak to come to the office, but wanted to be protected from life-threatening flu. I was really proud to be able to care for them in their own homes and wondered how many emergency room visits we would avert this season with our strategy.
The answer may be “fewer than I thought” – but not for the reason I expected. As it turns out, a local pharmacy conglomerate has bought up most of the flu vaccine supply, so that our practice can’t get any more. Although we have hundreds of patients requesting flu shots, we just don’t have the goods. And I can tell you that the frail elderly (who would have benefited from our house calls) won’t go to the pharmacy to get them. They’ll be at risk for the flu, and will have to wait until we can get more vaccine – whenever that happens. Read more »
