Mayo Machine: Hurry Hurry, Now Wait
This is likely going to be a multi part article as I (1) get the energy to write it, (2) feel well enough to process my present emotions into words, and (3) have enough time between my various appointments to type.
That first paragraph took a total of 2.5hrs to write. I literally have been up and down throughout today (09/27/13). I have a variety of feelings, besides the sensations, emotions, and feelings that are exacerbated or unchanged from the procecedures I have been through.
When I learned I was to be referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, I was nervous and excited. I was hopeful for remedies and a change in my existing daily life. I have been living with severe pain in my lower back, hip and right leg since last October, with very few breaks in the pain.
Additionally, I have recently been experiencing an awful series of symptoms that interrupt my short term memory, cause debilitating dizziness and nausea. These spells as I have been calling them have lasted over the last four to five weeks with a short three to four day break.
The break was last week through Saturday. After we drove through Kansas City, I became very dizzy and Rachel had to drive the remaining six plus hours.
Since I have been at Mayo I have become accustomed to this process that was supposed to run smoothly and efficiently. In reality, on the grand scale I am sure it does. There are probably tens of thousands of people on this campus every day. But, the precision and accuracy is more than lacking.
Tests are ordered without any explanation as to why. For instance, they may order tests that have a purpose, but fail to notify you as to what they hope to find or eliminate.
The end goal has not been made clear to me. I have yet to see a neurologist which is to remedy my largest concerns: my dizzy spells.
Currently, that appointment is not during the week of October 1, but the following week on Tuesday, October 8. At that point I will have been here for more than two weeks and been off work for a total of four weeks.
So, in the meantime we rush around each day putting in 8-12 hours of work and are left each day without any answers. I have yet to be diagnosed with anything. I have yet to be notified of anything and I am more than disappointed with the experience.
My wife and two couples we have met are making it easier. One couple, from Illinois and one from Nebraska are both in similar situations. Things are not right and they do not understand why. They have been through numerous physicians, specialists and healthcare facilities with little outcome. I can relate. It is this bonding that evolves from experiences such as these that make it easier.
Those families left today and so things may slow down. It is unfortunate that one family ended up with little to no answers and the current conditions are to be ignore and just a present fact of life. However, we believe their presence made our week brighter and hope ours did too.
It is now 4:16PM and I have finished today's visits. My earlier feelings have changed throughout the day, but I want to share the initial.
I feel let down, ignored and ultimately betrayed by most of the doctors I have interacted with at the Mayo. They see my weight and consider it to be the cause of all my issues.
Now that it's out there, I know I'm over weight Jack! It doesn't take 3 tests 9 scales and four people to study me independently to know that. However, there is obviously an issue if EVERY DOCTOR I have seen in the last three years shows my height as 6' 2" - 6.3" and you measure me at 5' 11".
Perhaps the conversion chart between metric units to standard units of measure has a rounding error. But, I know my eating habits have only improved over the last three years. My weight is up 37% from 3 years ago and 45% over 5-7.
So, this game is getting old. Lets put the presumptions aside and diagnose me through diagnostics and clinical evaluation. My wife has a stronger knowledge of health and mine specifically than any one here at Mayo.
This consistent issue of sitting and waiting all day for twelve plus hours is making me worse. I feel worse now than ever before. I have yet to be seen for my primary reason to visit.
Some good things happened today and I will share them next.
