I could rant...

 I could rant about health insurance not recognizing my primary care doctor, and listing someone that I've never seen nor heard of. I could rant about insurance telling me to contact the doctor's office to tell them to get the Dr. to send in certification to the insurance company.

I could rant but I won't. 

Well maybe a little rant. I am really tired of this situation. I have an appointment for a yearly exam which was made 6 months ago when I first saw this new primary care doctor. Today the parent company through another department called to say she wasn't listed as my PCP (primary care provider.) So I called both insurance and various people at the PCP office.

I thought, as I was on hold at one or another call, that I could just die of a heart attack and none of these clowns would know or care!

I still am waiting for the credentials to be sent to the insurance, and then the doctor's office will call ME to call the insurance again to make sure they recognize her as my PCP so I can see her.

I can't stress enough to the people (clowns?) at Advent Health, that these are their job tasks, not mine.

What happened to customer's being right? Why are so many of these folks in the midst of "that's not my department?"

It reminds me of checking out at the laundry re-filling-station...where you can buy non-scented washing sheets. I put the box of sheets in front of me on a tiny little counter, and the woman standing there continued talking with another young woman who works there (also behind the counter to define her roll.) Second woman left and the first asked for me to pay $38. I asked her why it was so much, and she explained the total was for an item sitting on the counter plus my box of sheets...and I said, I didn't want the first thing, it had been sitting there before I arrived. I didn't say when she ignored me and continued talking with the other employee. As a customer, I was not only ignored, then someone else's purchase was being added to mine. She finally took off the extra item and I paid my $24 plus tax.

It seems to be a day when I have invisibility. 

I'm even wearing red.

I'm waiting for important calls to set up more lung tests, and then probably more antibiotics. I may or may not decide to have that treatment. After looking it up on line, yes, the Mayo Clinic and other medical sites, I don't see that all the bother will actually be worth it. But I'll perhaps need to address this fungus. We shall see.

What do you think those squares in the foreground are?

I was looking out a second story window, and they are roofing tiles. Kind of neat optical illusion, eh?

Please forgive my rant. 

Nobody has called back that said they would today. Maybe tomorrow. 

I'm glad that I went to the post office, got my detergent, and had coffee with a friend at the second place we tried because suddenly the first one closes on Tuesdays. Well, suddenly to us, anyway.

May all who are over 60 stand up and wave that we're not invisible! We demand to be noticed! And don't close when we want to enjoy chatting over a cuppa! And please please please, get those other people to call back when they say they will.

OK, some of these things we have no control over. 

Spur of the moment

 What fun, its a Tuesday with differences.

First it rained, and is due to all morning! Even a smattering of lightning!

Second, I don't have a blog ready to go in the middle of the night, so I woke up, fixed breakfast, and sat down at the computer to write y'all. Immediacy. Take a bite, slurp a sip of coffee. Mmm. Write a sentence while chewing/swallowing.

OK, that's pretty dull.

Look out the window at wet wet wet happy leaves, branches, grasses, walks. Oops, best change to shoes that are more waterproof when I go out. Yes, I can't stay inside and dry. Have an appointment in a couple of hours in Asheville. A big doctor. Literally. I will meet one of his associates today, not the big doc. I met him while hospitalized 3 weeks ago. But I have faith (isn't that a strange word for medical care) that he knows (or she today) what infectious diseases do to one.

So I'll carefully drive my toadstool self (having grown mold in my lungs yet again) down the interstate to his office, which is behind the building. I had an address and went looking for it the other day, because I had an extra 15 minutes before an appointment. Located behind a strip mall of shops. Interesting pseudo tudor architecture. I can't help but wonder... What does this say about a medical practice?

At pulmonologist's check out I made my next appointment, and found it decorated for some island fun.

I did request someone to put on the faux grass skirt and do a Hulu. No takers. I left humming Don Ho.

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Yesterday I spent the whole afternoon readying an updated application for an apartment near my son in Colorado. Copying the documents, then scanning the pages after they were filled out...and following the commands for each document to be saved for who knows what. Just so I have a copy. I felt cross-eyed and confused by the time I was finished.

Then I searched for a pulmonologist near where I'm hoping to move. There are a few within one office, and one other affiliated with a different practice. But they listed 25, and had to go 200 miles to fill in that many pulmonologists. No thanks! I'm happy to see the specialists who are taking new patients. I'll call to see how long a wait it is to get in for a first visit.

Then I had a good visit with my son and daughter-in-law via facetime on the phone. I caught them up with the pulmonologist visit that had started my day yesterday. She had not only answered all my questions post-hospitalization for pneumonia, she gave me a few new things that will be helpful. 

She's the one that started me searching for my Colorado specialists. And she told me my oxygen that I currently have can travel with me because the home health agency is nation-wide. That's in case I need it. Moving to a higher altitude may pose a greater need for oxygen, at least until I adjust to thinner air. I'm simply happy the air won't be humid every night...since dry air provides most comfort for my breathing with bronchiectasis. I will always cough to clear mucus from my lungs, but I do hope to get rid of the mold I'm currently infected with (unless the antibiotic finally killed it!)

Pam (pulmonologist) also suggested that I try doing some of the rehab exercises at home which I formerly did at the gym. Of course I have a video or two, and smiled, yes, I can do that! But will I?

Environmental change is my middle name. I have lived in this apartment 10 years, and am not too happy with the dampness when it rains or each night living in mountains.  Oh and it's going to get down to freezing again this weekend! Whew, they always have said last frost here is Mother's Day. My plants are all outside on balcony or front porch, so I'll either cover them or leave things to chance. I don't plan to move them to CO anyway. 

Last evening I was able to still see the ridge across the valley. It has disappeared completely today, and with the lovely maple leaves, will not come back into view until October probably.

Hope your Tuesday is simply wonderful, whether wet or dry weather, and with maybe some of your intentions met for you!

Rhododendrons at the pulmonologist's office.

The toes knows

 

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home...

Every time I see my naked toes, I start saying that nursery rhyme. I went to the podiatrist's to check on the health of my toes. I'd never even had a pedicure. It wasn't quite the same, as no soaking nor massage was included. I had to massage my own feet...when I got home. But my nails are happily trimmed, not the photo above which is the "before" shot. I'm waiting to find out the results of test on the left foot's big toe which may have a fungus among us.

And in the waiting room was an Easter Tree. It was already 2 weeks past Easter, so I'm wondering what the next decorations might be. Memorial Day? Nah. May Day isn't likely either, living in this Bible Belt town, even though some friends will dance a May Pole in a nearby park in a few weeks. Sorry I don't have a return appointment to find out what they do with the tree the rest of the year!

Outside the medical building were the faces of these lovely little pansies.

The building at the top of my hill has some nice iris blooming.

Today I'm going to check with the pulmonologist's team as to next treatments after being home from hospital for 2-1/2 weeks. Tomorrow I see the Infectious Disease team. There was a late test result which may still need treatment. I'll hope (fingers and toes crossed) I don't need more antibiotics.

When we feel safe, our creativity unfolds like a beautiful flower.

Beauty and food

 

After seeing yesterday's goslings at Lake Tomahawk, I was given a cheerful greeting by these bits of sunshine. 

The last azalea I've seen this week.

It took several days before I finally got these cooked. Threw a mustard/mayo and panko sauce with garlic powder on the salmon...steamed the asparagus, and plopped dollops of sour cream on the un-mashed potatoes. The potatoes were sort of smashed together but not totally mashed. Pretty tasty anyway. I found waiting till dinner-time meant I had really low energy, so Saturday I actually cooked for lunch.

It actually rained! Saturday was a stay indoors kind of day. Then the universal remote for the TV broke. Mmm, good thing I had an audio book to listen to while cleaning up the kitchen.

Earlier in the week I picked up some baby-back ribs at Oakie Doakies. This was to celebrate some good test results from waiting 6 months wondering about another possible medical condition.

I've got more doctor's appointments coming up this week. Fingers and toes crossed that I'm going to be getting better and not need more drugs. 

I liked this statement especially with the beginning of "Stardate"...which I first heard on Star Trek. I loved Science Fiction, but realized that I no longer keep up with it...while not knowing any of the answers in that category on Jeopardy.

Unknown author. I wonder what ,,,, means.

Saturday so...

 

Hummingbird at Cardinal Flower, photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service via CC PDM 1.0.

Monarch Butterfly on Swamp Milkweed, photo via Canva

from the internet

Allen's Hummingbird

Quick shots out the window of pileated woodpecker. His huge blaze caught my eye but then he kept hiding from me.

From the internet

Breakfasting squirrel keeping warm while it was 44 degrees last Mon. morning (and due to be colder Tues). we had frost warnings again. But yesterday (Fri.) it got to 80 F.

Sharing with Saturday's Critters

And for Skywatch Friday...let's look a bit closer at Lake Tomahawk.

I spy a family of Canada Geese! Fortunately they were swimming in my direction.

Somebody was honking up a storm. These were tiny little goslings to have been way out in the lake. 

It may have been this lone goose, or maybe the family's protective ones. I imagined that the lone goose might have been their son or daughter from last year, and wanting their parent's attention. Or something else only geese know about...

Friday Florals

 A mix of early spring flowers to share today...(though this is now getting close to late spring)

Ornamental Cherry

Trout lily

Red trillium

And I enjoyed waiting for someone to work on a new key for my car by taking photos of some of the plants for sale at the hardware store the other day.

I think the guy told me this was a fire spike, but would love someone to give me a correct name.

Sharing with Floral Friday Fotos

Going outside my own life

 

On the other side of the ridge, near Old Fort, April 6. Dry conditions with winds have given North Carolina burn bans for most of April.

A dashboard bobble head collection. (No, I don't intend to do a series of dashboard photos in cars!!)

A  friend's first great grandchild. My first great grandbaby will be born in October!

This is the next book I will purchase. I read Maria Popova's "Marginalian" newsletter twice a week. She's brilliant.

Next to read: a friend loaned me her copy of "The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year."

 I'll start that as soon as I  finish "Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World."

These three are paper and print books. I can't recommend Sand Talk enough, though it is best read slowly, in my opinion. I love learning the symbols from the Indigenous People of Austrailia.

And I admit to listening to some lighter novels in the meantime, as I lie in bed waiting for sleep and playing solitaire. I have 6 more books on hold on the library system's Libby.

What are you reading?

Rear Windows part 2

 To finish my posts about a silly collection of windows of cars and trucks in front of me in traffic over several weeks in Tampa FL before I retired.

Rear Windows:

Adding to my Sepia Saturday challenge, as well as Tom's Signs2

Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the local football team

Ah ha, I could read this expiration date, 03-08. Thus this was taken between March 07, and August 2007 when I moved to North Carolina.

wish I had that bumper sticker!

That is all, folks.