A Rant On My Rheumy’s Nurse

Okay, so… I don’t CALL the doctor’s office very often. I usually just suck it up. I figure I have RA, I may as well accept the fact that I have RA and live with it. Usually, it works out pretty well for me.

I was told at my last infusion that, if I don’t see significant improvement over the following couple weeks, call them. I was told that, if I see anything weirdly different, call them.

So… I noticed stuff and I called them.
MY BAD…

I called and let them know that my feet and hands are still kind of floofy even 2 plus weeks after infusion. I called and let them know that my hands tingle and feel like they are falling asleep. I looked it up on line and was told that I should let them know stuff like that. So I did.

Advice?

Wear carpal tunnel braces on both hands all the time. If it doesn’t help, call them back.

Really?

Okay…
Because I call so often when something is wrong. The last time was two years ago when I got bursitis in my shoulder. I know they get calls all the time because people want to be fixed their way right away. I don’t call. Ever. Unless there is something that seriously needs to be discussed. Labs… tests… something… and then it is almost always returning the call.
I called because I was told to keep her apprised.

And because my hands have felt tingly for three days and I’m having some interesting weirdness.
I guess I will go strap on the two 2X4s and try to drive for a while and see if that takes care of the weirdness. Or maybe not. Since I know it isn’t carpal tunnel (THAT is only a few fingers, not all of both hands) and since Crystal isn’t ABOUT to ask questions or talk to me about anything, I guess I will wait until my next infusion appointment and talk it over with the doctor. That way I don’t actually have to play nice with the nurse and I can talk through what is going on, not leave a voice mail and allow a ditz to interpret.

People didn’t like my Rheumy’s old nurse. He had a very interesting sense of humor (one that irritated a lot of people based on things I read on line), but I was from the part of the country where he was from, too, so I got the humor most of the time. He would have called me back before he helped the Dr make a decision and talked to me about what was going on. He would have asked relevant questions and not made assumptions. I miss him.

Crystal is pleasant enough. Her sense of humor won’t piss anyone off. She has none. At all. All business all the time. It’s her style, and I guess it works for her. I would rather have a little more personable, but that’s just me. I understand that she is the gate keeper and she does a very good job at gate keeping. If you can sit through the 10 minute message before the beep (if this is for refills do this, if it is for records do this… or maybe that, if it is an emergency call 911… this recording will be listened to ever 2 hours and I will get back to you when I can… beep) you can leave some kind of message and hope you make it before you get cut off. I guess whatever you can manage to cram into the gap is sufficient to make it through the gate. Or not. I know know.

So I sit back and wait. I don’t guess too much horrible can happen in 10 days. Obviously not anything worth noting, anyway.

Tomorrow morning… 3 mile run then off to the state fair.