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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Perfectly Run Health Care System



I am appalled.  Mistakes happen and will always happen.  Yet our medical system's safety net for when mistakes happen is to just cancel and reschedule even when there seems to be a problem with the patient.


Case in point of patient, Jane.

Experiencing issues with kidney stones and other renal problems in the last 6 months.  Seen multiple doctors, including specialists.  Based on initial treatment, problem seemed to resolve.  Months later it resurfaces (about a 3 weeks ago.)

Jane goes to family care doctor.  Jane then referred to see kidney doctor in the next 2 days.  Jane can not get scheduled for 2.5 weeks even though the doctor wants her seen with in 2 days.  She waits it out, but pain continues and her condition worsens.  Finally she is in for testing.  They can not find the proper paper work and almost do the wrong test.

Second round of testing scheduled today.  Goes in for test, but unfortunetly they did not schedule  a blood test to confirm that her kidneys are filtering properly before they administer today's CT scan dye.  Testing is cancelled for the day.  Jane states her pain is unbearable.

They proceed to tell her to go to the emergency room. Jane is alone at her appointment.  She drives home and then calls her daughter for a ride to the ER.  She is checked in at a desk and asked questions regarding insurance cards, drivers license and symptoms.  Then she is moved to triage and asked symptom questions again. She is given very unspecific directions about walking down a hallway to an elevator and to take it up to the 2nd floor.  She walks with out any support or direction from a nurse or staff.  Randomly roaming the hall and not having any idea where she is going.  She has stated that she is in pain at a level 7 on a scale of 1-10.

Upon reaching a room, that some random staff member who heard us talking about how we had no idea where we were going, took it upon themselves to show us, a nurse comes in and asked all the same questions again...she types them in...just as the first person did.  The nurse tries to read off the medications Jane is taking but the nurse can not pronounce them and it is really  uncertain if what is being discussed is correct.

Once the nurse leaves another doctor assistant comes in and proceeds to ask the same questions that the 3 staff members before her asked.  Simple questions of when did this start, what symptoms is she having and if she hears voices, drinks or smokes. (preceded by a statement that they ask all patients the same questions...why again do all patients get screened for hearing voices?)

Yes...one more person enters the room (this is the 5th person).  Asks for a drivers license and then proceeds to ask the same questions.  Really...this has to be a joke.

No staff member has offered any diagnosis.  They proceed to give her pain meds and take her blood (the test that wasn't scheduled properly is actually getting done).  Meantime they hooked her up to an I.V..

The doctor comes in and says that every thing looks normal and they are going to manage the pain and release her tonight for her test tomorrow.

The nurse returns and injects her with another medication...different than what she was originally given. She actually refused one medication, but later was actually given it.  This medication was much stronger. She now is high and about to be released.

When the nurse returns again, she says she has a urinary tract infection and she is going to treat that with an antibiotic which wasn't done by the previous doctor.  Why did the actual doctor that just saw her come in and say that everything looked normal when the nurse just said there were some findings on the blood test?

So let's review....a test was mis-scheduled this morning.  That can happen...but why would one cancel the wrong test and send her to the ER?  Her actual doctor wasn't in that day and because they say they don't have any orders to make a change, her treatment stops and is passed off to the ER?  Wouldn't it save everyone a lot of time and money to administer a blood test at the lab in the office and write a script for pain meds until the next day for testing?  An attending couldn't do that?

The scene in the ER had a separate floor of patients with minor acute symptoms that should have been seen by their primary care doctors.  All day long I heard...you have a respiratory infection, you are constipated, you have a urinary tract infection...not to mention we heard everything that went on with the woman in the same room as well as other rooms.  (well...there was a curtain)

Where is the sanity in this?  Everyone, except the doctor, looked like they were poorly groomed, lazy and uneducated.  What kind of a system do we have again?  Mind you....this was the Cleveland Clinic.  Where did we see the world renown care?  It was rare to see a customer service minded staff member there.  They all looked like zombies.  It would be beneficial to note that their cafeteria was beautiful...yet I smelled musty smells on the patient hospital room floors upon entering and not to mention the spray of chemical that was constantly being sprayed in the halls and the rooms to disinfect. (which it really didn't look clean on this floor in the hospital).

Do you know how much money just changed hands in this scenario? We don't know yet because we haven't seen the bill.  I will tell you it cost a hell of a lot more than drawing blood in the doctors office and writing a script for a days worth of pain meds. Go figure.....S.O.S

Oh...btw....upon leaving, I asked a staff member if they had recycling on this floor (to recycle my water bottle) and they said they didn't know.  As I turned around....10 feet from the desk was a huge blue trash receptacle for what?...yes...recycling.  I pointed it out to him and he replied that he was new.  Doesn't everyone one know that the universal color for recycling is blue...especially a staff member that needs to know that red is for bio-hazard..... I am really afraid.  We better figure out how to avoid going to the hospital and prevent disease sooner rather than later. Mind=Blown.

Reform this!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Red Carpet Design at the Grammy's


Article first published as The 54th Grammy Awards Make Good Vibrations on Technorati.

Red carpet fashion is always a draw for me....it really is an art form.  Each different venue has a different feel to the designs that emerge and walk that red carpet line.   For 54 years, artists have been walking the red carpet to bring together heart, soul, music and yes, fashion.

Many of the dresses were short, sparkly and boring, but there were stand outs.

Fergie wins the walking art of the night award.  It was a red laser cut design that, yes....was transparent to black under garments, BUT it was done in such a tasteful way.

However, Gaga was not the talk of the evening.  It was Niki Minaj.  I need to go back and watch that production of what appeared to be an exorcism.  From a performance perspective....I thought it was outstanding.  It sure has drummed up a lot of chatter.  What I will say is that all people need faith to hold on to and honestly....I think it was a good thing.  You can watch it and decide on itunes.

Read more about the 2012 Grammy Awards.....Check out my other article....

Article first published as The 54th Grammy Awards Make Good Vibrations on Technorati.

Ms. Whitney Houston and Shakespeare Shared A Vision


Article first published as Houston's Longing for Shakespeare's Vision on Technorati.

"To thine ownself be true" --Shakespeare



Click the link above to find out more.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

The Flight of Women Cartwheelling Through Life


I was relieved to rationalize with a co-worker that we women, really are doing cartwheels through life.  The post college decade was so the first sequence of the cartwheel.  Hopefully, we start somewhere over the rainbow if we're lucky.   We're embarking on a prosperous future, one that brings excitement, money and what is a new found freedom.  We find a partner, buy a house, work hard, play hard.  We are all about moving ourselves forward.  It really is all about ME.

We start to build a career and climb the ladder.  We start a family.  We enter into the realm of distress...full of new love for the creation we brought into this world and love for the passion we chase after in our work.  Suddenly, we are responsible for another. Torn between 2 worlds. So...we weigh the odds of staying crazy trying to steer 2 ships at full speed, let one suffer or drop one and steer the other really well.  Many choose to drop one (and that wouldn't be the kid) and raise the other.  Little do we realize once these amazing creatures are in our hands all hell is about to break loose on the same day we find heaven.  Soon enough...we find comfort in the fact that we are putting our best foot forward in a direction that will lead, nourish and hopefully not damage our children.  This stage is really a progression into the next sequence when we really are left upside down.

Did someone say upside down...yep.  That's where I woke up a few months ago....upside down. I felt it and hated it....but the problem was I didn't realize it was all part of the new age sequence us women are going through.  My life was so amazing and in perfect alignment during the first sequence post college.  Finances, careers, houses, cars, friends, love....it was all good...well, except for the fact that I had to deal with my struggle between doing good for the world and selling plastic shoes.  When kids came along....I faced the new culture of play dates, teaching morals, organization, potty breaks, kisses and lots of learning how to be a good mom and not to forget how to be a good wife and not to mention not to forget the skills I acquired during the last sequence which could be put to good use on the PTA and not to mention managing those relationships and well, we don't want to forget cooking for nutrition and finicky eaters and learning how to deduce symptoms from illnesses so as to avoid being at the pediatrician multiple times a week and also learning to live with out all the luxuries that we so got used to during our DINK era.

Children....whoa...what world did I wake up in....did someone say alien nation?  When "they" said....children would change your life, I had no idea....with that said....I'm just glad for the good days and actually glad for the bad days.  With out the bad days....I wouldn't have went searching and yearning to do better.  The good days....well, those days were so elating...it was truly amazing.  

So back to the sequence...I was upside down...completely opposite of where I was on the ladder of success...but I loved it.  It became cozy and lovey and sometimes yucky, but mostly warm and fuzzy like a teddy bear.  Then....there was time after the kids were in school full time....time to actually become a productive member of society and for me....I wanted to change the world....but I wasn't sure exactly how to do that quite yet and so came the awfulness of being upside down....years of being away from the work world and networking and doing the things you need to do to get ahead.

But guess what?....the sequence isn't over....once you're upside down....you go into the landing.

So...let's review....life seems perfect....life changes and we adapt and change....but then we have to go back to civilian life....and we are turned upside down upon reentry.  Once we are re-acquainted with the real working world....we make the perfect landing....well....the important thing is that we make a landing.

Guess what?...the cartwheel sequence probably keeps on going, but the fact that I can resonate with a cartwheel makes me realize the roller coaster us working women are thrown into once we have kids is really an amazing feat.  As crazy as it sounds....I compare it to an inmate being dumped back into the "real" world.

With that said....I want a badge....I want recognition for doing a tour on mommy island.  It's time that everyone realize what us women (or men who choose that route) go through.  It really is a big feat.

Just so you know....I love being in my 30's and I wouldn't change a thing....I'm just glad I'm working on my landing right now.  Thank God for the sequence....I feel much better...

I did figure out something else....it's all about your attitude and not your age.  Salute!

I think we're gonna plan a roller skating party tomorrow.  I hope they have Ms. Pac-Man......  


Techno Art Brings Van Gogh Alive



Starry Night (interactive animation) from Petros Vrellis on Vimeo.

The newest element in art....techno art....interactive techno art.

Oooh....Ahhhh....just bella!

Friday, February 3, 2012

STORM FEAR
     -Robert Frost
When the wind works against us in the dark, And pelts with snow The lowest chamber window on the east, And whispers with a sort of stifled bark, The beast, 'Come out! Come out!'-- It costs no inward struggle not to go, Ah, no! I count our strength, Two and a child, Those of us not asleep subdued to mark How the cold creeps as the fire dies at length,-- How drifts are piled, Dooryard and road ungraded, Till even the comforting barn grows far away And my heart owns a doubt Whether 'tis in us to arise with day And save ourselves unaided.