Medical
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Doctor accountability
I never thought I would write this post about this doctor. And I’m not going to name names, but I am going to say what I am feeling, and I am going to share this link with her. Because what I feel is complicated, but the overriding emotion is betrayal. The story will take some… Continue reading
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Criteria for a visit to the doctor
Today I went to a new doctor for an exam/procedure I’m not going to discuss here “out loud,” but it made me think about what is needed by people in my situation (weighed down by both fibrotic fat and lymphatic fluid), and I’m hoping that it also made the people with whom I met today… Continue reading
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An Indictment of Rite-Aid
I take the drug Eliquis, a blood thinner, to prevent formation of blood clots. I have previously developed at least two blood clots, and since I have two conditions (lipedema and lymphedema) that make me prone to them, my doctor tells me I will be on a permanent dose. I have my prescription registered at… Continue reading
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Only in America
Have you ever seen that meme that says something like “what country has ever been able to make universal healthcare work?” and then it lists every single democratic country except ours? (plus a few others—see below) Well, this post is to say, I’m wishing about now that I lived in any one of them, while… Continue reading
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Taking a step back
Those initial test results from the CVT came back. The good news is, there are no obstructions in my abdomen or pelvis. The less good news is that I have a partial renal artery stenosis to one kidney, which means I may eventually need a permanent stent to open that up for more blood flow.… Continue reading
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Cautious optimism
I may have found a doctor who actually gets it and knows what to do about it. Not celebrating yet, but… I went back to the vascular specialist yesterday, only to discover that the lab hadn’t forwarded the results of my CT scan yet (despite having a week to do so). Both I and the… Continue reading
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ACCESS granted…
I finally received my ACCESS identity card that will enable me to schedule rides in easily accessible vehicles to get to my doctor’s appointments, art seminars, or whatever. As the office had indicated, it took until late February to arrive, but now that I have it in hand, I can start thinking about leaving the… Continue reading
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Feeling useless…and fragile
I had kind of a meltdown yesterday and, in the wake of that, today has been a total waste in terms of any kind of accomplishment. So I’m not in the best place in this moment. There are also circumstances that are making it worse: I haven’t had a functioning furnace for several years now,… Continue reading
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Good news
Today was my appointment with the cardiologist at Northridge Hospital to receive my electrical cardiogram treatment to shock my heart from AFib back into a normal rhythm. Kirsten and I both got up, as she says, “at the crack,” and she picked me up at 7:20 for an 8:30 check-in time. We arrived with plenty… Continue reading
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Idiocy
So…as I mentioned, last Thursday I got the stent removed from my bladder. The doctor handed me a pill to take, after, and said it was an antibiotic super pill to make sure I didn’t get an infection from the procedure. I ran out of heart medication this week (had enough in my pill caddy… Continue reading
About Me
I started this blog to talk about a genetic, fibrotic fat-storing (some say autoimmune) condition called Lipoedema, which is something I began to experience in my 60s, although some see early onset at puberty, or post-pregnancy, or at menopause. The other “L” condition from which I suffer is Lymphedema, as a common secondary effect of the fibrosis that blocks lymphatic drainage. Despite the fact that one in 11 women suffer from lipoedema, most doctors have never heard of it, so on top of the pain and embarrassment of this extremely obvious malady, millions of us are out there being fat-shamed for a condition that isn’t contingent on diet or exercise for its growth. This blog was intended to share my reactions.
I have, however, reserved the right to discuss “other stuff” here and, increasingly, since January 20th, 2025, that is politics, because what else, after all, are we legitimately obsessed with in this age of fascism in these United States of America? So while the “theme” of this blog may be confusing, it is my blog, where I can talk about whatever I wish. You are not constrained to read the parts you don’t like. But I feel compelled to write about them.
MEdoubleLL 