Another chapter from when it rains it pours

I am looking forward to my move in a couple of weeks. I have not progressed very far in packing, but I have gotten rid of many items.  I love this purging.  It's so freeing. 

In the meantime, I saw a new physician for my pain.  I had seen Dr. Bradley Vilims in July, and he spent my entire office visit propaganizing me about how all physicians should stop taking Medicare.  I was not only offended, but he never even examined me, and based on my old records, decided he would do the same procedure I had before.  I don't disagree with that, but upon reflection, I decided I just couldn't trust him.  I came to him as a patient, not a colleague at an insurance forum.  In my book, he's just another greedy physician looking to make big bucks. 

I have subsequently decided I won't go to any physician who doesn't take Medicare.  After all, shouldn't doctors attend to all sick patients, not just the ones who keep them affluent?

So a patient of mine said she really liked Dr. Dan Sipple.   I was able to get an appointment within 2 days.  (Keep in mind that in the time between Dr. Vilims and Dr. Sipple I was having migraines 4 days a week and daily severe pain.)  I immediately liked Dr. Sipple.  He looked me in the eye, he understood my pain, he examined me, he had a solution.  I was able to schedule my radiofrequency ablation within 2 weeks. Here is a link to Dr. Sipple http://www.advancedortho.org/physicians_sipple.html

I had my procedure this Wednesday and it went very smoothly and within 48 hours I was feeling much better.  I anticipated 3 days off work to recover. 

THEN, the day after my procedure, my dad seemed to be having trouble with his speech.  We went to the ER and discovered he had a very small thalamic stroke.  He saw the neurologist, cardiologist, physiatrist.   He saw speech, occupational and physical therapy.  In the end it was decided his best chance of recovery would be to spend a week in rehab.  So during my planned recovery period, my mom and I spent 10 hour days with him in the hospital.  He's actually doing very well.  His speech is mostly fluent, but every now and then he jumbles up his words and comes out with something very funny and unintelligible. 

I am immensely grateful that God blessed both dad and I with healing.  But really, couldn't God have scheduled these two events a week or so apart?  Would that have been so hard?  Of course, the benefits of combining these events are that I was already off of work and didn't have to cancel 2 days worth of appointments.  But I was still on call and the more narcissictic patients are often not very forgiving about my being unvailable for a short time, which often adds to my frustration.  Oh and did I mention yesterday was my mother's 80th birthday.  The party plans will be delayed about a week.  She's flexible, but still, the big 80; she deserves a fun day.

I grew up with a charmed life.  Really, nothing ever went wrong.  Then I married Tom, and everything became a little more difficult.  He was so unorganized, unfocused and free-wheeling that everything simple things took on a more chaotic aura.  Then after the boys were born I developed fibromyalgia and everything became difficult.  The migraines started a few years later.  And so on .... Chris' diabetes, Tom's death etc. 

So I was kind of hoping that my move into my very own house would be a return to my charmed life.  Maybe it will, maybe it won't, but I know through all of the ups and downs that God loves and comforts me immensely.  And that no matter what happens I will have the strength and courage to handle things.

I desire a simpler life, and in fact am working towards an uncluttered and eased lifestyle.  Perhaps the greater Simplicity of life will follow.  I do know that all the hardships have made me a better person.  Maybe I am just not finished growing yet.  We'll see.

Have a wonderful labor day weekend.