***
1. Find (and talk to) a lawyer:
First, I spent over an hour on the phone talking to the Bar Association trying to find a lawyer who might have some insight into my situation. While the POTS doctor feels I've missed the boat on filing a claim against the makers of the vaccine that she believes caused my POTS, I want an opinion from a legal professional. Without it, I would always wonder "what if".So, I called our local Bar Association lawyer referral service. They are supposed to listen to your situation and be able to refer you to a lawyer who takes cases based on your need. They told me that mine would be considered "product liability" and gave me the name of a lawyer; who I promptly called after disconnecting with the Bar.
When I talked to him, he told me that he's never even heard of POTS (no shock there), and he's never heard of the vaccine that I had either. Now, that irritated me. It's a popular vaccine that's being recommended for everyone to have...how can he not have ever heard of it?? He apologized and said that he couldn't help me as he had no idea about either of those things.
I wasn't willing to give up that easily, so I called the Bar Association back. I got the number of another lawyer; and I called his office. His secretary damn near ripped my head off demanding to know what I wanted. She then told me that he was in court today and put me through to his voicemail so I could leave him a message myself; which I did. Who knows if he'll ever get back to me. Hopefully he'll be able to help.
***
2. Find a new Cardiologist...
The next thing I did was to call the office of a new cardiologist that I hope will take me on. He was actually recommended to me by one of my mom's coworkers (through my mom).
I looked him up through my insurance company to make sure he would take my insurance (he does) and to make sure that he was accepting new patients. (According to my insurance company, he was.)
So, I gave them a call. The receptionist told me that he wasn't accepting new patients. (ugh, seriously?) The only way he'll accept new patients is if they're referred by a doctor (I was seeking him on my own) and if there was a medical reason. She asked if I had a cardiac condition (yep I do!) and said "great!" (I laughed at that...but I knew what she meant lol) and said that if I had my records sent there, she would put them in front of him, have him look at them, and call me back to let me know if he would take me on as a patient or not. I figured that was no big deal, as I'd had my records from the jerk cardiologist sent to my GP last week. I could call the GP and have them sent as soon as I got off the phone with the new cardiologist's office.
I called my GP's office to make sure that the records from the jerk cardiologist had transferred...and guess what! They never sent them. Why I was even surprised is beyond me.
So, I called the jerk's office and talked to the office manager, who was actually out with a family emergency so I couldn't be too upset. She said the records would be there by Weds come Hell or high water. (They damn well better be, or I will raise holy Hell. Be warned.) I asked what the doctor had to say about my purple hand scenario, and she said he didn't even look at it. (Of course he didn't. God I'm starting to reallllly hate him.) She would have an answer to that tomorrow. (She damn well better.)
The records will be at my GP's by Wednesday, and then I will send them to the new cardiologist. Hopefully, he will take me on. I'm not too worried about the meds side of things because the POTS lady can take care of that. I *am* worried about why my circulation is uneven. The POTS lady told me that she has no idea and that's strictly something I would need a cardiologist for; otherwise I wouldn't bother seeking another one out.
At least the wheels are set in motion for that. There isn't anything else I can do before Weds, although I *will* cause problems tomorrow if that lady doesn't call me back.
I looked him up through my insurance company to make sure he would take my insurance (he does) and to make sure that he was accepting new patients. (According to my insurance company, he was.)
So, I gave them a call. The receptionist told me that he wasn't accepting new patients. (ugh, seriously?) The only way he'll accept new patients is if they're referred by a doctor (I was seeking him on my own) and if there was a medical reason. She asked if I had a cardiac condition (yep I do!) and said "great!" (I laughed at that...but I knew what she meant lol) and said that if I had my records sent there, she would put them in front of him, have him look at them, and call me back to let me know if he would take me on as a patient or not. I figured that was no big deal, as I'd had my records from the jerk cardiologist sent to my GP last week. I could call the GP and have them sent as soon as I got off the phone with the new cardiologist's office.
I called my GP's office to make sure that the records from the jerk cardiologist had transferred...and guess what! They never sent them. Why I was even surprised is beyond me.
So, I called the jerk's office and talked to the office manager, who was actually out with a family emergency so I couldn't be too upset. She said the records would be there by Weds come Hell or high water. (They damn well better be, or I will raise holy Hell. Be warned.) I asked what the doctor had to say about my purple hand scenario, and she said he didn't even look at it. (Of course he didn't. God I'm starting to reallllly hate him.) She would have an answer to that tomorrow. (She damn well better.)
The records will be at my GP's by Wednesday, and then I will send them to the new cardiologist. Hopefully, he will take me on. I'm not too worried about the meds side of things because the POTS lady can take care of that. I *am* worried about why my circulation is uneven. The POTS lady told me that she has no idea and that's strictly something I would need a cardiologist for; otherwise I wouldn't bother seeking another one out.
At least the wheels are set in motion for that. There isn't anything else I can do before Weds, although I *will* cause problems tomorrow if that lady doesn't call me back.
***
3. Figure out what the hell is wrong with my garden.
3. Figure out what the hell is wrong with my garden.
Okay, this one's not all that important, or related to POTS...but it's been eating at me and, seeing as I struck out at everything else, I figured I would get this checked off lickety-split...all I had to do was get our soil tested to find out what keeps killing off our plants. (Three rounds and counting...)
I called our local nursery, and apparently no one tests soil anymore but I can get a kit to test it myself for $20. Well, that just torqued me off...both because it's inconvenient (even if I test it, I won't know what the hell to do about it!) and because I don't have $20 to spend on a kit. My dreams of a charming little garden are given up for this year. ~sigh~
I called our local nursery, and apparently no one tests soil anymore but I can get a kit to test it myself for $20. Well, that just torqued me off...both because it's inconvenient (even if I test it, I won't know what the hell to do about it!) and because I don't have $20 to spend on a kit. My dreams of a charming little garden are given up for this year. ~sigh~
***
4. Take back our defective brand-new grill
We bought a nice brand-new grill a couple of weeks ago and when we went to use it last week, it burst into flames, inside and out. The entire thing turned into a giant fireball that almost burned down the deck that my dad and I built together by hand. (I would NOT have been a happy camper then.)
We called the company that sold it to us, and they apologized profusely and told us that they would replace it if we brought it in. Nice and simple: bring it in, get new grill. By far the easiest thing to get done right?
Yeah.Right. I should have taken the cue from the rest of my day and not bothered.
Boyfriend came over to help me return the grill (too heavy for little me) and wouldn't you know it: it doesn't fit in the car. (It got here in a different car than mine)It didn't fit in his car either, so even that didn't get accomplished today. Although, thankfully, we had a nice (but too brief) dinner together. That, and that I got a surprise in the mail (yay!) are the only things that made this day the tiniest bit a success.
Oh, I also watered the gardens twice and worked on a project.
It's just frustrating to have done so much, and yet have accomplished absolutely nothing.
But, I tried... and that counts for something right?
4. Take back our defective brand-new grill
We bought a nice brand-new grill a couple of weeks ago and when we went to use it last week, it burst into flames, inside and out. The entire thing turned into a giant fireball that almost burned down the deck that my dad and I built together by hand. (I would NOT have been a happy camper then.)
We called the company that sold it to us, and they apologized profusely and told us that they would replace it if we brought it in. Nice and simple: bring it in, get new grill. By far the easiest thing to get done right?
Yeah.Right. I should have taken the cue from the rest of my day and not bothered.
Boyfriend came over to help me return the grill (too heavy for little me) and wouldn't you know it: it doesn't fit in the car. (It got here in a different car than mine)It didn't fit in his car either, so even that didn't get accomplished today. Although, thankfully, we had a nice (but too brief) dinner together. That, and that I got a surprise in the mail (yay!) are the only things that made this day the tiniest bit a success.
*****
Now, I'm exhausted. Last night, I got a grand total of two hours of fractured sleep, and (believe it or not) that was a lot of things to do in one day.Oh, I also watered the gardens twice and worked on a project.
It's just frustrating to have done so much, and yet have accomplished absolutely nothing.
But, I tried... and that counts for something right?
totally counts, hon! and for what it's worth, I was getting tired just reading all you did....so it sounded like a lot to me!! :)
ReplyDeletehaha I knew you'd appreciate it :)
ReplyDelete