Some Clarity BUT The Ominous Head Of Sisyphus Returns

Following Wife's experiences in the hospital, I was very angry about our frustrations dealing with the medical system and was determined to figure out how to better manage the system. Because as sure as the sun rises and sets, we're going to have more of this kind of thing given our age.

Our first step was to schedule a meeting with our family doctor (Primary Care Physician or PCP in med-care lingo). We've been going to the same physician for decades. We followed her when she left a large group practice and established her own concierge practice. Over the many years when our health has been pretty good, we've questioned the value of spending as much as we do to have that access and availability. Well spoiler alert. The current situation has shown how valuable this is and is very likely to be in the future.

Let's start with the fact that we were able to schedule a consultation that lasted an hour with little waiting. Wife had been extremely upset that the vascular surgery office who did the work at the hospital refused to even let her talk to the Physicians Assistant who cared for her because 'she was not officially a patient of the office yet'. As it turned out we were able to get all our questions answered by our PCP. What a relief. Here is what we found out.

• Wife is the picture of health with the exception of her blood clots and those are being dealt with. 
• That was the reason the hospital staff was relatively sanguine while we were there. She wasn't showing any sign of deterioration. Rather all her work was positive. 
• This has been a great relief to Wife. I didn't realize how much all this has been weighing on her as she hadn't vocalized it. 
• But we know know that this is just going to take time for it to be worked through. 

Then we got into the hospital and how we might deal with it in the future.

• According to PCP, hospitals have been so understaffed that they've adopted a behavior pattern that is focused on keeping people alive. 
• That means, if you are dying when you come in, they will be all over you.
• Otherwise, they will get to you when they get to you
• So if you feel you're being ignored, that is probably a good sign!
• That, however, doesn't do a whole lot for all the pain management, comfort, day-to-day existence issues related to being a hospital patient.
• We'd figured out, the hospital staff was pretty happy to let me help Wife in all kinds of ways we thought staff should do. 
• So in the future, we should assume we are going to have to do a lot for ourselves (unplug the patient so he/she can go to the toilet, get water/drinks, move the bed, etc. (almost like being in Ghana).
• And we're going to have to be way more proactive in trying to get answers to questions. In this regard we will have to take more advantage of PCP.
• When we go to the emergency room we will pack food, drinks, warm clothes/blankets, computers, anything to maximize comfort. You know you will be there for hours.
• All this means, whoever is not getting the care should be prepared to be there and be the partner to make sure all gets done that should be done.
  

At the end, Wife asked the question we had been dreading to ask. "Can I travel?" PCP said, "Sure. Why not? Just be sure to be using your blood thinners and move around." That blew us away. 

Then came our 'Sisyphus Moment'. We were talking about her breathing issues. Wife noted her blood oxygen was higher in the doctors office than at home. PCP said it is all altitude related. Her office is about 700 feet lower than our house. And she said, "YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT MOVING TO SEA LEVEL IF THE PROBLEM CONTINUES."

AGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Not all the questions about should we stay in Albuquerque, and if not where should we go again? Not should we do the work on the house agaub? It's Groundhog Day all over.