... it's what "they" say. I don't know who "they" is, but I do know I have had to learn quite a bit of new things, out of my comfort zone, in just the last handful of years. When I was doing data breaches, it was ways to learn how to use excel better, to parse out information that is clumped together, and other things, like getting proper format for SSN, or zip codes, etc. Very few formulas involved - most were just tools in the program, but I had never been taught excel, and was learning as I went. I have used the program, but most times it was only replacing information in one spot, to print out another tab for like inventory labels. I didn't have to create anything. I know RM has mentioned many, many times about her reluctance to HAVE to learn something new. I think in her case, it was dealing with how to use PowerPoint and creating slides, etc. She had never had to do it before, so why now? But, in the end, it seems we end up learning something new.
My tale gets a little boggling from there.
A couple days ago, I knew I needed to get some sort of order with the medical bills and payments. I hadn't filed taxes yet, and thought with the major costs from September through year-end, maybe it would be worth filing for the medical. So I had a pad of ledger sheets (literally, like from the '70s - it is colored from age) and I started with what paper bills/receipts I had handy. Normally throughout the year, I just pay online to my PCP, and I don't keep receipts for the prescriptions (as a rule) and then there was the slew of email receipts, balance dues, etc. I don't see a dentist regularly, and so I have no dental this last year. Wife does, but she didn't save her receipts, as we don't usually spend enough in medical to even consider using it. I guess with us getting older, we need to do better. So, I'm slogging away, mostly through emails showing payments made. Trying to guess DOS is near impossible. I have hardly gotten any EOBs to match up to any kind of DOS. My notes and columns on this ledger sheet were just all over the place. I got frustrated. What could be a better way?
Excel. This is one example of what the program was created to do, but one small problem. I don't know how to create the type of document I want, with formulas to do a running total, and a final total, headers, note areas... I know I am not going to sit through hours of searching on Google "In Excel how to ...".
A couple, maybe three, years ago I had purchased a volume on how to use Excel. It is called " Excel 2019 Bible The Comprehensive Tutorial Source" but this book was $35 of door stop. It's almost two inches thick but the content is so far over my head... This book is for the advanced, advanced user. I'm talking pivot tables, and more. It never helped me out at all. So I am leery about these 'help books'. But I found myself on Barnes&Noble.com looking at what is out there, and trying from a description of the book only, to determine if it truly is going to have what I need. That, is basically a walk-thru from newbie, then to regular user. I found something that might work for what I need. I thought, well, since I am at it, I could use the similar in Word, with all my minutes and agendas, plus policies, it could be handy to know how to do more than orient center, left, right, and underline, Italics, bold.
The books came Friday. For $38 I got two books to teach me something new. Update maybe later this week.
Wow, that was some drivel to work through, huh?!? It's Saturday night (actually early Sunday) and I am awake again. Edibles don't seem to be helping me get relaxed to sleep like before. Today I was foggy-minded again, and it just made things irritating. I had gone up to the Post tonight for a Celebration of Life. I noticed a couple times in conversation, I'd lose my thoughts. Often the one I notice is starting to do something, and forgetting what it was. Then I spend five minutes trying to recreate what I was doing for the thought to pop in my head again. Doesn't always work. The Wife makes fun of me when I am like this, when we are talking. I will pause and start searching my head for the word I wanted, and so I start saying things related towards what I am thinking, and eventually it comes to me. But she just giggles at me as I struggle to find the word. She knows if she were to jump in offering up words it would just frustrate and anger me.
So the mind fog issue is a bother right now. That was the purpose of the two new prescriptions I got last month - to kill this ammonia-creating bacteria and help clear the ammonia from my system. But, as I know I said in a previous post, it's now been two weeks without one of them (the main bacteria killer from what I understand). Last week a gal from the Liver Dr.'s office called about this prescription. She was having issues with the insurance. I think I covered this previously... either way, she calls me up on Friday late afternoon, to ask me if I ever got an answer from my insurance about the issue. I explained to her I left her a voicemail last week, and I also messaged the information to the office through the patient portal. She hadn't done anything this whole last week!! Says she is going to try some other pharmacy, but I have no clue what the heck she is doing. Ins. said submit the 'scrip to the pharmacy, they will contact insurance. Sigh. More time without medication that is supposed to be helping me get better...
Speaking of getting better ... damn it, I just lost that thought. Give me a minute. Okay, so all these paracentesis procedures I get done (once a week so far this year) I found out that my doctors orders are for therapeutic purpose (for my comfort) but if more than 5 liters are drained, I am to receive a treatment of albumin, which I have NEVER received through one of my scheduled appointments. The only time I received it, was when I would go through the ER, because they saw the doctor's orders. So, albumin:
Albumin keeps the fluid part of your blood from leaking out of your blood vessels (the tubes your blood flows through) and into other tissues. If you don't have enough albumin, fluid can leak out of your blood and build up in your lungs, abdomen (belly), or other parts of your body. Albumin also helps carry important substances throughout your body. These include hormones, vitamins, and enzymes (proteins that speed up certain chemical reactions in your body).
So last week when scheduling called (again to verify all my info - really) I asked about the albumin. She confirmed it was in the orders, so I thought fine. I asked her to make sure it is noted to have that treatment ready for me. Monday: no albumin treatment. In fact, when I asked, I was told it had a not to NOT give an albumin treatment. <facepalm>. Scheduling called yesterday (for Monday's appointment) and we did the verification of info dance, we tangoed about what is my responsibility to pay as my deductible is surely met, and by my calculation, my out of pocket is almost maxed as well. Anyways, I forgot to ask about the albumin, so will need to do it when I go in Monday morning. If I can't get it this week, and the ruckus I may need to raise about a hospital being unable to follow a doctor's orders, doesn't get them to give me one, I'm going to be angry. Hope for the best D00d....
Well, my fingers are starting to cramp up again. I am getting tired of cramps all over as well. I used to drink pickle brine, and it actually works! But the doc has me on a low (or no) sodium diet. But I still drink some every now and then.
PeacE
