Same finger/left hand - many years ago

• Has anyone had to work with a booboo finger? - dolfan
  • Same finger/left hand - many years ago - Indy-MT
    • Yes, it is amazing. - dolfan
  • I feel for you - Anita
  • You can usually purchase short-term disability from - MT
    • Thanks for the helpful info. sm - dolfan
  • I thought Transolutions was sooo fantastic, don't they have something to help you with that? - nm
    • Drop dead. - dolfan
      • You go girl! You go girl! Loved your response! - mommt
        • Yah it proves how HIGHLY intelligent she is. - and um I thought this board
          • Along with "booboo". - Go figure!
            • LOL!! Exactly..maybe i should give you a you go girl!! NOT - nm
              • How about a High Five??!! - Yeah!!
                • Okay HIGH FIVE!! ROFL - nm
      • LOL..what nothing good to say? - TOO FUNNY
  • God bless all of you. - dolfan
  • fractures, tears..yada - dt
    • Last week I've been diagnosis with Multiple sclerosis and I did sm - I can relate
      • Recent diagnosis of MS - Nanna23
      • chronic illness - GT
    • Bless you! - dolfan

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wrist.  Using a brace at night helps some.  I use the kind that has the metal strip so that you can't bend your wrist.  I found them at my drugstore.   I had surgery almost 15 years ago and did fine until this past year, and again am developing symptoms.  My symptoms developed from writing, not typing, and now I can type usually without problems, but I can only write a tiny bit, can't grip a garden tool for long or do any type of fine motor movement for long and then if I do my wrists hurt so much that typing then bothers me. 

I know there is some vitamin regimen to help, though I don't know what it is.  I was put on Naprosyn first and was allergic to it.  Orthopod suggested hot and cold soaks, 15 minutes each.  I had cortisone injections and some other type of injections, and physical therapy.   I was only out of work about 3 days, but I wasn't an MT at the time.   I do not have the strength in my hand that I used to, but other than that haven't really had any problems.  I do have trouble with pain occasionally, can't think of the word, but it feels like the scar is drawing up and I get shooting pains, but I can massage the scar and it eases.    I'm considering a job change rather than going through surgery again, not because the surgery was bad, just because not only do I have carpal tunnel, but I have swelling and tingling in my feet, butt spread, etc.  

Word of warning - make sure you have an empty bladder before the EMG study.  They have to test both sides so they have a comparison and between laying flat, still, and the electrical shocks I couldn't get off that table quick enough to go potty.

Also, if you don't already, get a keyboard tray that is adjustable.  You can find them at a woodworking store or in various catalogs.  I can position mine at various heights and various angles.  I also sometimes lower the tray and put a pillow on it and then my keyboard and it absorbs some of the pressure and using the pillow you don't have an edge from the tray or the wrist pad pressing into you.  I also found I sit back in my chair better with the pillow.  If this is not comfortable at least try a folded towel between the tray and keyboard.

I wouldn't discourage surgery, but I would try some of the things above first. 

I believe we were raised (some of us) from mothers who believed women were not *complete* unless they had a man.  Many of us boomers are so over that and feel totally complete without a full-time man in our lives.  I have plenty of friends and have men in my life, just not in my house full time.  I will never ever compromise my freedom(s) again.  Been there several times, done that several times, and am never doing it again.  If someone finds *Mr. Right* - well that's terrific and I wish them well.  It just isn't always the answer for MANY of us.

Prior to my leaving the ex, I had done a pros and cons list and the cons FAR OUTWEIGHED any reasons to stay.  So, I gave him the house and the pet and I took the child. 

I also believe 'tis far better to raise children in a happy divorced family than a miserably married family.

Best of luck to all !!

I have no problem leaving blanks.  It is not my job to suffer over poor dictation.  It is my job to transcribe what is hearable.  I will not compromise my sanity anymore over these lazy-butt doctors who think their time is so important that they rush through their dictation time.  I will do the best I can, but I will not fret over blanks, and neither should anyone else.   

What I WILL do is relisten at the end of the report.  Sometimes I pick up on their *style* and can fill in some of the blanks.  A relisten is all anyone should expect from us.  My time is important, too. 

My husband doesn't want to work.  Never has and probably never will and it took me 16 years to figure out that nothing was ever going to change.  He has been in and out of college over the years with a number of different majors and when he is on the verge of actually finishing something, he up and quits, because I believe he doesn't want to actually go out and get a job.  He loves the going to school part, the studying, etc., but the actual finishing and putting his education to work, that's too overwhelming.

For years I made excuses for him, supported him, and actually believed that as he got older he would mature and finally find his way.  He's 42 now and runs off every day with one of his unemployed friends to play frisbee golf or go hiking or water skiing or fishing while I'm sitting at home at my desk typing until my nose bleeds!

I was one of those women afraid of being by myself.  I recently had a major depressive snap where I cried nonstop for three weeks.  I found a great doctor who became a great friend and she helped me find the right medicine to get my head clear and then she helped me realize that I don't have to be afraid of anything.  I was already supporting myself and my kids without anyone elses' help.  What was so frightening about leaving my husband behind?

So quietly I made my plans to leave.  I let my husband know that I was going to move back home to the area where all my family still lives when school let out this summer.  He didn't believe me because I had said it all before.  So I just made sure he knew I was thinking about it again.  Then May came along and miracously a job opened up at the hospital in the small community I wanted to move back to.  This hospital never has openings because they virtually have no employee turnover whatsoever.  Everyone's been there at least 5 or more years.  I took it as a sign and made my move.  Within two days of submitting my resume, I had an interview set up.  Without even waiting to see if I had the job, I packed up my kids and our stuff and told my husband "I'm going.  I love you, but if you want to be with me you need to get a job and actually be my partner not one of my kids."  And I left.

I got the job, thankfully.  I've been here a month and I know without a doubt that it was the best thing I've done in a long time for me and my kids.  My teenage son had built up a lot of resentment towards his father and their was a lot of anger and tension between the two of them before we moved.  Now, my son is happier than I've seen him in years.  He's more social, made a lot of friends, and even has a girlfriend now.  My daughter misses her dad, but she has always been remarkably wise for her young age and is very open about saying how calm everything is up here.

So there's my story.  I would never encourage anyone to divorce or leave their husband, and I haven't actually taken the step to file for divorce yet myself.  But sometimes separation is liberating and therapeutic.  It has been for me.  I can't remember the last time I felt so peaceful.

had nightmares for 2 days after that.

I have had this problem for so long, been through multiple mice, now on logitech for a couple of years (better but not great).  I just live with it - been MTg for 3 decades........hands always hurt too cuz I won't have carpal tunnel surgery or any hand surgery (been there, done that, and never again).  Hope you feel better.  Advil helps but Advil is not all that good for you for any length of time....

http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/content/full/181/5/1224

Hello all:

I was wondering if maybe some of you might have some pointers for me.  I have been doing transcription for almost 3 years, and I have days where I have "fumble fingers."  This really gets on my nerves as on the days I have fumble fingers it seems it takes me forever with my documents.  I was just wondering if anyone else has days like these? Any ideas on what to do?  I can typically type 80-85 words per minute, but when I have finger fumble days, of course it makes me type slower because I am having to continually backspace!!

Thank you :)

status.

Anyone have experience with companies who hire you as an employee, certain hours but don't provide you with the equipment you need?  Worked for a company that did that but no medical spell checker on their software, some accounts they want YOU to buy a C-phone for etc. etc.  Asked them up front if account I would be working on would have medical speller, told yes.  It did not.  Also there was some kind of ShortHand program built in that they knew nothing about, we couldn't get to and conflicted with the autocorrect I used in Word.  Kept asking and it was always we will ask the hospital and then nothing.  Went out bought my own spell check and whatever I needed then three weeks into working, they dump the account.

Start over with a new account, different problems, they want me to buy even more stuff.  Said no I am outta here!

Anybody had that problem?

I start med school (been an MT for 24 years) August 2006. 

One of my classes last semester was Intro to Medical Practices.  I especially inquired about pro bono work by all the physicians and dentists who spoke to the class as guests each week.  All gave significant amounts of their practice to pro bono work.

One physician in particular impressed me.  He is a cardiovascular surgeon.  His main area of expertise is doing cardiac bypasses.  To make a long story short, because of insurance changes (MCare) over the past few years, he only makes about $650 per bypass for his own pocket and that is gross.  Of the $1850 MCare and insurance companies pay him for this procedure, it costs him $1200 in overhead for that procedure.  Until last year, he would often do the procedure for free for patients who could not afford it and had no insurance.  However, for 2 years he had to BORROW MONEY to pay his OVERHEAD because he did so much pro bono work.  He finally decided he just could not go bankrupt doing that.  So now, he STILL does HIS PART for free but the patient has to pay his overhead.  He tells them to call their family, friends, churches and if they have the $1200 for his overhead, he will donate HIS skills/time/energy for free.

The physician (maxillofacial surgeon) who directed this class said his annual pro bono work runs around $250,000 a year. 

As well, while dentists recoup 95% to 100% of the fees charged for their services (they are ALWAYS getting their money up front), physicians (with the exception of cosmetic plastic surgery) only recoup an average of 31% of their fees.  For every $1000 they spend on a patient, they will only get back approximately $310 and must write off the rest. 

Now that is INSIDE information - direct from the physicians and dentists we had in class.  I was shocked.  Not deterred, but shocked. 

Regarding that lovely cardiologist who gives so much away, take into consideration that the $650 for HIS skills/time/energy for ONE cardiac bypass -- he invests a total of 12 to 15 hours for that one procedure (that is WITHOUT complications happening) including his consult/operative time/followup visits, hospital rounds, etc.  That comes out to about $54 an hour -- and plumbers and electricians around here make more than that.  My Ford dealership in town gets $76 an hour. 

And now, since we are starting to do bypasses endovascularly through the femoral artery, he has to really put the money down for more education to train to do this or he will be out of business shortly. 

Interesting huh?!  When people make comments to me about my future as a physician as a way to "get rich", I tell them not necessarily so!!  LOL  I'm not doing it for money!  You couldn't pay me enough to go through all this at this time in my life!!  LOL  

I do get offensive when someone doesn't like my children simply because of their skin tone.  I'm not saying that the OP said anything about my children or even posted about the topic.  I was just offended that she can so casually admit to being a prejudice person.  Prejudice causes hate and violence.  I take offense to that.  I think that you should, and everyone should take offense to it so that it can be stopped.  If everyone were okay with it or  no one ever stood up about the subject, where would we be? 

Also, there is a difference between knowing someone as an individual that may be a "bad seed" and be a minority and not liking them versus not liking someone without knowing them as a person simply because they are a minority.

All I know is, when those of us who are saved make it to heaven, there will be every race there right along with us, as God has created us all in his image.

I've transcribed since 1983.  You can lessen hand stress if you observe how you hold your hands as you type.  When I was in my twenties I noticed that there was a real difference in the way I held my hands and how the older transcriptionists (they had their wrists up and hands pointing down at the keyboard).  I have always had my wrists laying on something and my fingers are going up.  I have never had one bit of carpal tunnel or pain whatsoever.

I have had a problem with swelling in my lower legs and feet and also my hands for the past few years now.  When this first started I had problems with headaches, went to the doctor and found my blood pressure was high.  So now I take HCTZ 75/50 once a day and do pretty well on it.  It is a pretty good diuretic and my B/P is very well controlled on it. 

In the mornings I have no swelling at all, but I notice though that by the end of my workday my hands and legs are really swollen.  My doctor says to just start exercising regularly and elevate my feet whenever possible.  I also try to avoid salt.  I'm a bit overweight so I'm sure that is not helping either. 

I'm just curious if any of you other MTs have this problem also and how you deal with it.