A good start for Texas

[NYCgrrl]

I have no idea. I work for neurosurgery so I know more about my department.

I would assume a transplant is urgent due to the organ only being good for a certain amount of time but my hospital doesn’t do organ transplants.

Pain doesn’t equal urgency. If you need a spinal fusion due to radiculopathy most of those are waiting. If you need it due to cervical myelopathy and are at risk of being paralyzed those are being done. Brain tumor are being done.

Sadly most of those conditions are "Greek" to me but I do get the point you are making.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Good for him. My brother has diabetic neuropathy in his feet. He has already had toes amputated on both feet because of it. He is supposed to be monitored by his doctor every month. His last two appointments were cancelled because they weren't an "emergency". I am terrified he's going to lose one or both feet because of this. But hey, let's all just focus solely on this virus.

There is no cure for diabetic neuropathy, And it doesn't take a doctor to monitor his blood sugar which is the way to slow it down and it doesn't take a doctor to look over his feet and see if trouble is brewing. And it doesn't take a doctor to monitor for pain. And if trouble is brewing, he'll get an emergency appointment long before they have to cut his foot off. So. He isn't going to lose his feet or his legs because of social distancing. Further, given how covid 19 smacks those with diabetes hard, it is not in his interest to be trotting out and about unless trouble is brewing. Social distancing is in HIS best interest.

 

[AustinTink]

Good for him.

Thanks.

 

[AustinTink]

Goody for him.

Aw, shucks. Thanks.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Aw, shucks. Thanks.

Sorry you got negative feedback when you were trying to give a positive comment. It’s happening a lot lately and it makes this forum tough to read.

Keep looking up!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Sorry you got negative feedback when you were trying to give a positive comment. It’s happening a lot lately and it makes this forum tough to read.

Keep looking up!

I kinda read the "he stayed safe" as a bit snarky/jab at the situation so I get the tone of the responses back even though yes it's great (and I mean that sincerely) that someone didn't get sicker while awaiting an appointment.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I kinda read the "he stayed safe" as a bit snarky/jab at the situation so I get the tone of the responses back.

People read tone differently I guess. In my experience if you post something positive you get snarked at by certain posters.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

People read tone differently I guess. In my experience if you post something positive you get snarked at by certain posters.

Honestly, I would have read it 100% as positive if the caveat of "he stayed safe" wasn't added and normally I tend to give posters more benefit of the doubt (and am wrong at their intentions as well at times).

Either way I understand and can see what you mean

 

[AustinTink]

Sorry you got negative feedback when you were trying to give a positive comment. It’s happening a lot lately and it makes this forum tough to read.

Keep looking up!

Thanks so much for this. We're just laying low and doing what the doctors tell us to do. His life is on hold at the moment but we know it won't be forever.

 

[Notrealname]

I’ll be happy if Texas doesn’t experience significant increases in deaths and hospitalizations. I’m preparing to be sad.

 

[choirfarm]

I’ll be happy if Texas doesn’t experi significant increases in deaths and hospitalizations. I’m preparing to be sad.

What exactly are you worried about possibly causing the increased numbers?

 

[EveDallas]

I’ll be happy if Texas doesn’t experi significant increases in deaths and hospitalizations. I’m preparing to be sad.

Barring a vaccine or miracle, people are going to catch this virus whether we start to open things tomorrow or three months from now. Every expert I've read acknowledges that. Unfortunately, increased infection may lead to increased deaths but hopefully by slowing the spread so hospitals aren't overwhelmed we can keep the numbers minimal.

 

[tcufrog]

No offense, but that may be part of the problem, people don't exactly understand what that means.

Hernia? Sorry, wait.
Routine cardiac cath for monitoring? Sorry, wait.
Hip surgery? Wait.
Spinal Surgery? Wait.

At some point these have to happen, or some things will become an emergency, like hernias for example.

Not necessarily. My father fell and fractured his hip Thursday. They operated on Friday. Luckily he went in because an MRI of his brain reveals that he's been having micro strokes and they were able to put him on medicine for that.

 

[Shelley Chiarats]

I broke my ankle a few years ago. My local ER said it was a sprain but the swelling and coloring did not behave accordingly. My primary care doctor sent me to the Ortho clinic. They looked at the original xrays in preparation for my appt and called and told me to become non weight bearing immediately because it was broken. Up to that point all directions were to walk as tolerated as it was only sprained. I was discharged from the ER without any walking devices (crutches / walking boot). Luckily from previous issues in the family we had crutches and canes in storage.

So my point for this story is that the Ortho doctor took more xrays and recommended that I have screws put in. That surgery was scheduled for a few days later. He mentioned at the time that they could use a wait and see approach but it not heal as well and I was young enough (in my 30s) that surgery was the better option. In the new pandemic world, I have to wonder if they would not have leaned more toward the wait and see approach because of not wanting to do an "elective" procedure.

Though I can tell you that I don't see repairing broken bones as elective. And my story is the less traumatizing of our family. My husband's broken leg stories are even more upsetting and the thought of what he would have had to go thru now is scary. It was upsetting enough last year when the last break happened.

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

The “stay at home”, “face coverings required” and “try to send 1 person to shop”, haven’t been lifted/cancelled in my area of Texas. However, I had to do my usual store run for myself and some family members yesterday and it was like a regular pre-Covid day. Lots of traffic, hard to find a parking spot and whole families of unmasked people casually strolling the store together. Kids were picking up whatever and telling parents they wanted it. A dad and child were playing catch with an apple. My Nan wanted some sidewalk chalk to write messages to neighbors and down the toy aisles were kids having a big time playing with whatever they could get their hands on. This was all at one Walmart and one H-E-B. Where I am we do not have a butcher, cheese shop, bakery, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Whole Foods/sprouts/natural grocer, etc. Walmart and H-E-B are your options unless you drive 2 hours (one way). I think many of the people here heard “Governor is going to start opening things up” and took it as “free for all!”

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I'm glad Texas never banned doctors' visits the way some states apparently have. I'm a Texan and we've always been able to go to the doctor and physical therapy if needed. It's been reasonable in that sense. I've been to the doctor twice (nothing contagious) and physical therapy once in the past few weeks. It would have been awful having to wait indefinitely to go in- I was in pain and needed an injection into my shoulder, that only my orthopedic M.D. is qualified to give. What I don't like is that dental offices are closed. Those need to be opened up soon, as well. Healthy teeth are essential. Add to that the fact that no one else should be able to tell me what parts of my body are or are not essential...

 

[EveDallas]

I'm glad Texas never banned doctors' visits the way some states apparently have. I'm a Texan and we've always been able to go to the doctor and physical therapy if needed. It's been reasonable in that sense. I've been to the doctor twice (nothing contagious) and physical therapy once in the past few weeks. It would have been awful having to wait indefinitely to go in- I was in pain and needed an injection into my shoulder, that only my orthopedic M.D. is qualified to give. What I don't like is that dental offices are closed. Those need to be opened up soon, as well. Healthy teeth are essential. Add to that the fact that no one else should be able to tell me what parts of my body are or are not essential...

I don't know what part of Texas you are in but it's definitely not like that where I am. Here all non-emergency visits or procedures have been on hold for over a month. My brother hasn't been able to see his foot doctor in two months. My dentist and optometrist are both only seeing emergencies.

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

I'm glad Texas never banned doctors' visits the way some states apparently have. I'm a Texan and we've always been able to go to the doctor and physical therapy if needed. It's been reasonable in that sense. I've been to the doctor twice (nothing contagious) and physical therapy once in the past few weeks. It would have been awful having to wait indefinitely to go in- I was in pain and needed an injection into my shoulder, that only my orthopedic M.D. is qualified to give. What I don't like is that dental offices are closed. Those need to be opened up soon, as well. Healthy teeth are essential. Add to that the fact that no one else should be able to tell me what parts of my body are or are not essential...

I don't know what part of Texas you are in but it's definitely not like that where I am. Here all non-emergency visits or procedures have been on hold for over a month. My brother hasn't been able to see his foot doctor in two months. My dentist and optometrist are both only seeing emergencies.

I have to echo EveDallas, right before all of this broke loose, a family friend had brain surgery. She was to start PT and OT when they stopped elective stuff so the doctor sent her home with instructions but no recommendations for home health or follow ups. Checkup? Called and asked how she was doing, they voiced some concerns and dr said ok go get this prescription. Went to pharmacy and pharmacy said they couldn’t give that because of another prescription she has; can’t be taken together. Dr should know that. Tried calling dr again, after several days told them he wasn’t listening to him and wrote some other prescription. And now at this point, I don’t know how’d you’d even get in to see some other dr for a 2nd opinion.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Duplicate post

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I don't know what part of Texas you are in but it's definitely not like that where I am. Here all non-emergency visits or procedures have been on hold for over a month. My brother hasn't been able to see his foot doctor in two months. My dentist and optometrist are both only seeing emergencies.

I live in Austin. As I said, the dentist offices are closed. However, within the past few weeks I have gone to my optometrist, to physical therapy, to my primary care doctor (for my physical, which they said normally they would have postponed but they had me come in anyway because I needed a time-sensitive blood test as part of it), and to my orthopedic doctor. None of it has been an emergency. I also have another specialist doctor who I know is still operating his private clinic, because I had to call his office to ask about a medication refill. They said they're still open and seeing patients. I also called my son's pediatrician to talk with the nurse about something, anf they're still there. So everything medical here is not shut down, mainly dentists and elective surgeries, apparently.