Doctors, Doctors and more Doctors

Seems like the whole summer has been waiting in Doctor's waiting rooms. Of course I've yet to meet a doctor that runs on time. My last castastrophy was being bit by a Scorpion, just below my right Patella (7/2/08). I endured a whole month of a bloated right leg, antibiotics at first all IV then oral and changed each and every antibiotic each week. My leg was a big as an Elephant. They called it Celluliotis- just to put a name on it. So I had to mix all my drugs each day with Antibiotics. It took 5 almost 6 weeks until my knee could be touched w/o pain and was not hot do to the infection. Today is 42nd today since the Scorpion bit and my right knee is almost the same same as my left knee. Hence no work outs in July. I'm afraid to weigh myself because the depakote creates an awful taste in your mouth and you feed it with food. What do I weigh? God, I'm afraid to find out. Prior to Scorpion bit and changing to depakote at The Mayo Clinic -I was 177lbs. Still see my 3 or 4th post wouldn't it be nice to have one doctor incharge of my case. At least now I say "Well The Mayo Clinic said to do this..." it's working so far. But I fear I need to go back to Mayo for a follow up. Can't life be simple? I'm still sleeping too long and not ready for work. I concentrate on the wrong things and tend to focus on things that are not important. Is that a side effect? I'm ready for any advice.

Back on Land- Doing the Best I can......

Okay back from Mayo Clinic of Mood Disorder and Sleep Disorder. It would be nice to have a Medical Community like MAYO (latest survey puts John Hopkins first, Mayo 2nd and then UCLA Med Center-3rd). where every doctor is on stanbdby. Every piece of equipment is ready and available. When I need a Cat Scan or a MRI - it was okay - in twenty minutes a transport nurse will be here to get you down stairs for the Cat scan or MIR- no waiting. No tee off times for doctors, no other surgery or excuses got in your way. THE PATIENT WAS ACTUALLY #1. How refreshing. Not like telling me well we can get you a cat scan in 2 weeks ago across town etc. Their Diagnosis team was simple and complete. Why, when and who determined that. So I now comletely changed for a while. 1250mg depakote plus 50 mg at night and 750mg of depacote in the AM plus my Benicar/Lotill cocktail for Heart Pressure Medicine.....then they want me to take 25mg of Seroquel 2x per day. But I'm falling asleep already. Resisting that last 50 mg of Seraquel. Still taking Chineese Herbs for jundance. But making little headway there. Dozing off alot. Maybe soemone could give me some sound advice. I have a full body Slepp Study coming up this month-should be fun. But need to find 0ut where good men of Austin buy their clothes.

Working on new Meds- one family at a time.......

Seems I've had a ton of doctors over the last 18 months, all ready to write me an RX. Don't know if the answer lies in a "secret pill" or a "secret process" even turned to Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture. I was a skeptic at first but shortly amzed how a certain placement of needles could counter balance or re-balance the flow of one's electrolytes and energies. I doubt it no longer. But yet 95% of American medicine is based on an RX. Here at Mayo Clinic I'm learning CBT- Collaborative Behavior Therapy. A process to control your thoughts, thus controling your behaviors and reactions to others and incidents you face. Could be as simple as "deep breathing" or thinking "positive" thoughts before you react or speak. Calming of oneself. Remembering the good in the statement first and not the "what if" or "but". Mayo likes CBT, I'm learning more and more each day. Use CBT when you are anxious, or depressed. I need to use it when I'm chugging along 95 MPH doing my best manic imitation. Set a limit and control the number of things I really need to do. The others will get done in do time. It's peaceful here. There a certain Je'ne ce qua. Just seems that there may be a war in Iraq, the stock market is going to hell but Mayo is just calm and collected and fully expects to come out on the other side unscathed. Don't get me wrong Mayo is not in a time warp, today will still be the All-Star Baseball game at 7pm. John McCain and Barack Obama are feveriuosly fighting over the 10 Electoral votes for November and gas still costs the same (too much) but Rochester Minn is at peace with itself, it's direction and place and presence. Stats in yesterday's Twin Cities Tribune- show Mayo ranked 2nd in most respected Healthcare Facility in US- behind John Hopkins and ahead of UCLA/Med Center. I'm impressed.

Even Mayo Clinic Screws up......

Okay it's 4am and can't sleep. What's the deal? the Dr's orders were written wrong for the Sunday night medicines. I had a choice throw a fit and show I haven't learned anything from "anger management" lessions, page the doctor at home on Sunday night (and be rude) or try to tough it out. I chose the a last. They forgot my sleep med. I'm still taking Vicodan for my Cellulitis in my elphantitis knee and a new (did it before) mood drug. And was supposed toss in my Sleep med from my Austin Sleep Dr. - but it was eliminated from the chart. Another sleepless night. Shouldn't happen in a place with more Drs. than water but it does. Face it Life is not perfect. If you seek perfection, you needed to inhabit the planet before Christ at least. So, anyway it's time to thank all the wonderful Drs. I met at Mayo so far- Dr. Mark Frye- great guy, brilliant mind, Dr. Staab, same category -Man they both know there stuff on "mood disorders". thanks again to Dr. Nygyuen at St. Mary's for the triage on my leg, Dr. Nick Staros -the orthoped was hectic, busy but thorough, Grant Bauer is the Mood Disorder administrator - he the houdini behind the curtain with extra appointments,MRI, triage consultants, mobility rides and lots of fine details, I hope he can sleep without worrying what he might have missed. You, the faith based people hae been really nice, not overwhelming but there as a constant when I needed something like a pillar- a Communion, a short prayer a Sunday service, daingit, George Bush and others are right about Faith- it needs to be in one's life. And lastly the nursing staff have been super professional. My second stay in a clinic to improve myself and I could not have asked for a more caring bunch of individuals. All Mid-westerners with great ethics and "can-do" attitude. Mayo has been good to me. A step back, a time to reflect and revevaluate "why this drug" "why this remedy" and "why this course of action" Does it make sense? Sure I'm missing one night of sleep - but in the big scheme of things - it really doesn't matter. Oh, and almost forgot my fellow patients - Jeez nice class of people, Mayo knows who and how to select a good bunch of interacting social mis-fits that can listen and learn and have lots of remaining potential. Thanks Mayo - you'll be on contribution list.

Wow -it's been a while - but that's cuz I was Sick.

Never believe this but 3 days before I was to leave for Mayo Clinic, I was finisihing a river rock pathway on the north side of our house. The Riverrock had been delivered 3 years ago and sat there idle. Well, I figured it was high time that I finish the pathway started by the landscapers three years ago. In kneeling on the grassed over rock pile to sort out the river rocks I got bit by a scorpion on my right knee. Didn't notice much at first. I put ice on it the first night, thinking I sprained my knee, no help. The third day,just before we were to leave to go Mayo Clinic, Holli took me to the Seaton/Cedar Park new Hospital on July4th. I was the only patient. Diagnosed with Celluliotis of the knee via spider (scorpion) bite. I was given an IV drip and given Levaquin to take orally on the way to Mayo/Rochesther Clinic. Some how the pressurization of the Airplane caused the infection to accelerate. When I arrived at Mayo on Monday I had memory tests and brain challenge quizes all afternoon -then off to ER of St. Mary's at Mayo. 4:30pm- what a cattle call- seems everyone in Rochester gets sick on a Holiday weekend. At 11pm I finallly got a room in Hospital after another IV drip. I also saw an Orthopeed, if you are ever sick you want to be sick at the Mayo Clinic. Tons of specialists. I had infectious disease docs, internal med docs and ER fighting over me. Wow, this place is a Taj Mahal of medicine. Anyway after 3 days of in patient in the old Domatella wing, I was released to the Genarose Bldg. where the 3rd floor is reserved for "lock down" and the "Mood Disorder Clinic". More news later. But I'm safe and getting healthy. My elphantitis right leg is now down and all I have to show is swollen knee, a knee brace and lots of pain pills (mostly vicodan) and tons of different IV anti-biotics. Uninsom, Something with an "S", Levaqen, and more. I feel like a pin cushion, with more blood being drawn than I ever thought I had. More news later.

Off to Mayo Clinic Tomorrow - First Ever Clinic

Okay, May not be a post for awhile - or maybe one every day. I'm off to Mayo Clinic for First ever Mood Disorder (??nice word) Clinic. I need a two or third opinion. Austin's Medical community is too small -they all know each other and cover each other's tracts. Not that they are doing anything wrong. But are they always right? Is zonergram the right drug? Or does the Dr. prescribe it because some cute Drug Rep walks in the door handing out free pens and a free dinner to talk to some Research Director at **** resturant. I don't know. I don't have access to that information. All I know is I'm told I'm manic, well so is 60% of the people at Microsoft that I work with and have worked with- is that bad? They have a 94% market share on Worldwide computer operating systems. A $60B company and the richest man in the World and most the other top ten (except for the Walton clan). Can manic be that bad? Sure if it manifests in negative manic (ie Hitler or Manson). But Manic was bad for Jim Gray - Smartest man I met.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7152514 til he thought he could manage the sea at night. or Steven Fossett in his last flight.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14191383 Did he try too much?

So men see things as they are and say why, Manics see things that never were and say WHY the Hell not??? A little RFK paraphasing... So was RFK Manic? You be the judge.

Acupuncture- will it help?

Okay, I'll try just about anything. Today was the go go round with Acupuncture. Dr. Liu at Austin Oriental Medicine Clinic. First time patient -I was a leery walk in. Completed the forms ran my credit card through the machine and $85.00 later I was foot naked and belly exposed on the cushion bed with him pricking needles in me. My stomach for indigestion, my shins and ankles for circulation and my forehead -I guess for sleep. We'll see how Dr. Liu did tonight. Half way through the 90 minute treatment (sure get a lot for your $85.00) I started to cramp and had to yell for help. My leg all were numb for 10-15 minutes based on the placement of his needles, I mean, Man- I could have be a parapalegthic and not known it. Then all of a sudden whack- everything went out of sych and I started to cramp. As bad as I've ever cramped up. He removed the needles and tried to massage the kinks out to me but No Doin. I was tighter than a drum. Geez, acupuncture does work some how. It can really balance and unbalance you body flow. I was once a skeptic, now I believe. I''m going back to see what a 2nd treatment does. I bought some herbs he prescribed for sleep and digestion. We'll what they do. Go golly, miss Molly I'm tweaking my old bod in so many ways -we may have too many varibables to know what's a keeper and what's a waiste of time. At this point , I'm desperate until Mayo Clinic. Mayo Count Down 9 days. Can't wait. Please God, let me sleep, All I want to do is sleep

Rolling and rocking -keep that midnight train going

Okay- mix the meds- Mirtazapene with PerPhenazine throw in some Xanax and maybe split a Valium or so. Then I'm supposed to sleep. I know what Heath Ledger went through. It's simple- I tried to get my three doctors to arrange a conference call and talk about my case (Sleep Doctor, Family Practice Guy and Psychiatrist) real simple concept- at the end of everyone's day they just call into a bridge number and Case Number 10001 is me. Let's all talk about me and who prescribing what and when. But NO. Doctors don't do that. I couldn't tell you the thousands of Conference Calls at Microsoft I've been on over the last 10 years on silly little subjects (how to expense a business trip to certain campaign etc...). Seems every Monday I had 6 conference calls in one day. Not to talk about the number of conference call at the end of a quarter or FY. Doctors don't want to communicate with each - they hide . They avoid conflict much better than a Microsoft middle manager could ever dream avoiding conflict (that's a joke). I thought doctors were charged with oath - This is from that oath :"I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.
To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death."

All I wanted was a joint meeting of the minds- who's treating what part of my body, when and why and how. And who has first call. Is that so difficult? In medicine today sadly, it is.

Good News - I get another Evaluaton -This from MAYO

I just got good news I've been accepted into Mayo Clinic's Mood Disorder Clinic -it's all new. First of it's kind for Mayo - I go first week of July. I'm going to get a second evaluation, tests and opinion -do I really have a mood disorder? Funny word "disorder". I work fast, talk fast, think fast. Constantly I've running ahead of my team mates. I can finish people's sentences before they even get to the verb telling the tense of the action they are talking about (dangling preposition -sorry). Anyway. The new term is Pharmopsychological or a Pharma-psychiatrist.
Boy, that ought to have Tom Cruise jumping on couches....."Matt,,Matt..you don't know what you are talking about -you are so glibb" said Tom Cruise on the Today Show. The same Tom Cruise that dropped out of High School never spent a day in College....but graduated Donor Cum Loudest for L Ron Hubbard and Church of Scientology....which cured Mr. Cruise of his homosexuality...so they say.....anyway I digress enugh to be sued...right Tommie Cruise...sue me....sue the world....I'm going to Mayo to get another opinion....why can't I sleep.....I'm on my 10th different sleep med...only Seroquel would work and It was a sledge hammer...felt like Rodeo Cowboy in the morning the lasted 2 minutes on a Bull and then 6 hours in a bar...I'm going to Mayo...I can't wait....

Okay 2:21Am can't sleep - every had that feeling?

Did as much as I could today. I should be tired. But Work or the thought of work has me all riled up. Can't sleep. I have plenty of sleep meds in me. Still can't sleep. 1431 unread emails= they can wait. Don't wan't to answer them now. You send an email -you get two back. In the old days (early 2000's) you could send an email and that was that - some one would read your email and do what you wanted - now they question your asking, your authority, your timing, your motive, and anything you leave to suspect. That prompts 2-3 clean up emails - just because you sent one email to a team mate. What happened to true teamanship?- it died along with American Pie. Seems you give anyone a little bit of authority and they presume they can now question everything. We all need Donald Trump somewhere saying "You're Fired". The hammer has to come down just to make sense again of email. Too many people hide behind prepostions, nouns, adjectives and particles in emails.....emails should all be time bombed -if you do not act upon them within 24 hours they should disappear. And then only the receiver must beg the sender to send the email again with the sole promise that he/she will complete the task pronto. Deal?

Sunday- Hot Day in Texas

Hey Sleep Meds worked last night. Long hard sleep. I needed that.

Up early at 6am . Coffee and Austin Statesman. Read other papers online- LA Times and Las Vegas Journal Review (for Entertainment).

Both Multi-montors working well now. Got back from day trip to Taylor Texas. I bought 5 JFK Silver 1/2 dollars for $1.75 to 2.00 -guess they don't know price of silver is up in that little Tx town.

Looking at Emerging Market Funds today. When I look at BRIC- I seem to not focus on China and Russia part -due to Political in-stability (is that a word?). But more on BRAZIL and INDIA funds.

Mad Money talks about 8 Countries to invest in: Peru, Brazil, Turkey, Russia, China, Ubeckistan,
India and Korea. Gun shy on lots of these.
How do you play them?
Just call a Fidelity Broker and say I want 1000 Share of Ubeckistan Growth Fund?
Anyway. Being cautious. Going with Fidelity Latin American Diversified Fund and Mathews India Index (that sucks for 2008 so far). But all US companies are counting on better sales and growth outside USA than inside. Visit a car lot. Or a large Department Store- sales and traffic are way off. Even Home Depot (or as Cramer calls it Home Despot) is counting on International Sales higher than US sales.

Waiting for the Japenese to make the ALL Battery powered Auotmobile. Say goodbye to $140/barrel on oil. and Dubai Towers maybe empty at that time.

Are you Manic? Does it Bother you?

Okay. Let's talk. My buddy- says why don't don't you write a blog. Sure no one wants to admits or shout "I've been diagnosed Bipolar". Well - there are two bipolars...one is Manic. I work too much, I talk fast. I walk fast. I think fast. Is that wrong?

I work at Microsoft. I bet you (opps I bet- is that wrong?) 65% of the FTE's at MS (that's our lingo for Microsoft (we're too busy to type the full the name) are Manic. Watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsboPUjrGc

I have watched this for 10 straight years (even seen it 2-3 times per year at MGB/MGX and WWPC (WorldWide Partner Conference) and at the MS Company meeting. My main visions of
my CEO are all Manic.

Help me out here.

I stopped drinking alcohol 15 years 10 months, and 21 days ago -all on my own volition (6 bit word). No fancy intervention, no clinic, no AA, not that I'm making light of those places but I'm a strong will individual that can things on his own when he wants to at any given time. People hear this and CONGRATULATE me. But if I tell them I'm Bipolar or Manic- they run and they say "I'm sorry". Well I'm blogging. Help me out. Tell me your manic story.

I'm not alone.

VmanfromTx.