scared to death...what to do
Posted By: LavenderMT on 2006-06-24
In Reply to:
Okay, now that I have job offers, I have to figure out what to do. 
Right now: I am employed on site as an admin asst with great insurance, good pay, people I like, and job security. The downside is missing my family--I only see them about four hours in the evenings and most of that is bathtime, cooking supper, you get the picture. I also have quite a drive to work and parking is HORRIBLE. I feel I work LONG weeks and then have little to show in the way of my emotional outlook and cash left over after buying gas, etc.
What could be: I have job offers to come back home and type full time. I would be here to see my children and be close to their schools if something happened. Also, my husband has built me a gorgeous office by closing in a porch, so there's a big three-paned picture window that overlooks my garden. I can envision myself at home, but there's a tremendous amount of fear that's holding me back. I am AFRAID because I remember how long it took to get lines in every day. I worry about the security of benefits, PTO, and just the job itself. I don't want to be sitting in this office 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. I hope I'm more capable than that, but sometimes it's not the MT, it's the conditions, and if I give up my other job...
I guess I am just venting and worrying and wondering. After a two-year break, can I come back home and be productive and accountable as an MT? Can I count on the industry?  I really wanted to come home, but now I'm afraid.
TIA for any and all suggestions!
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I'm scared to death for my 29 yo beloved neice!
Her insurance will not pay for a first, baseline mammogram even though strongly ordered (and fought I might add) by her ob/gyn because of some cystic type lumps in her breast, so we (uncles, aunts and her dad) are paying for it and she goes tomorrow.
Now, her insurance co, BS, has all the info and would rather "deal with it" if she has an issue later on? We did a family tree of sorts when she went to this new ob/gyn and it looks more like a family time bomb!
Paternal side: 1 cousin and 2 second cousins diagnosed with breast CA in their early 30's, grandmother had it, great aunt died from it, great grandmother died from breast and cervical CA, great great aunt died from breast CA and uterine CA. I am her only paternal relative not diagnosed and the rest were before the age of 50 & I have mine yearly (also having mine with her tomorrow) just because of my side of the family but hers gets multiplied!
Maternal side: Her mother was diagnosed at 39, fought for 5 years and died 3 years ago from breast CA. One cousin (26) with fibercystic disease is closely watched, and went into POF, premature ovarian failure at 24 causing infertility. Aunt won her battle with breast CA only to lose it to ovarian CA at 42. Two other aunts went into premature menopause in their 30's (which the doc said is a red flag to watch) Then her grandmother died from it, great aunt died from breast and brain CA, great great grandmother died from breast CA.
After the mammogram, her ob/gyn wants to seriously talk about elective mastectomy's with reconstructive surgery to just not even give this God awful disease a chance to hit her because of having 13 relatives total diagnosed. After watching the devastation in her mom and aunts, she has no problem with surgery but the uphill battle will be the insurance company.
She's still my baby and it just scares me to no end the inheritance she's been cursed with!
Health question-liver enlargement? Scared to death
GYN ordered MRI of abdomen and pelvis without contrast due to pelvic pain and previous uterine resuspension suspecting I might have cyst, etc. I am 44 and have been healthy all my life (never smoked or drank or used drugs, exercise, not overweight and eat very healthy) just perimenopausal and using bioidentical progesterone last 1-1/2 years and last 6 months started on thyroid supplementation (low dose T3/T4) for hypothyroidism. Since starting these 2 things, I have been feeling great compared to previous lack of energy, etc. Got results of the MRI today but haven't seen doctor yet. Everything looked fine on abdominal scan (gallbladder, pancreas, adrenals, bone marrow, etc) except report said liver was ''upper limits of normal (borderline)'' and spleen was ''relatively small'' bordering on hyposplenism. Okay, now I am totally freaking out. On routine screening, my LFTs have always been within normal (latest 10/2005). I did use oral contraceptives up until about 6 years ago and used them from ages 18 to 25 and then 28 to 38. I haven't been able to transcribe at all today, just sitting here in tears. Keep thinking of all the reports I have typed which seem to indicate liver enlargement indicative of very serious matters. MRI doesn't mention anything about lesions, nodules, etc., but it was noncontrast so I am wondering whether it would pick this up or not. I am obsessing and wondered if anyone could give me some insight. I have been ''Googling'' all afternoon and everything I read sounds awful. Is it possible to just have a slightly larger liver than what the normal range is? Can the reading of an MRI be influenced by the skill of the radiologist or affected by artifacts (it did begin report saying motion artifact noted but I think this is common on all MRIs from what I have read)? I did do the ''breath-holding technique'' when doing the scan. I am wondering if my years of contraceptives could have predisposed me to this and possibly the absolute worst, liver cancer? I really don't have digestive problems except sometimes it seems like my food sits heavy on my stomach and takes a few more hours than usual before I am hungry again; this is usually around ovulation or right before menses. Sorry this is so long. Just need some insight before I lose my mind here.
Which one scared you the most? Night of the Living Dead - still scared
 nm
Really scared now.
I have accepted a position with the initials PS. I have just left another national with which I was not happy, and lied to make it a smooth transition. I will keep looking until I find the right fit.
Now I am scared
I just applied to make the same switch - thinking now maybe I should not. Hope it gets better for you.
Scared off
Scared off? More likely disgusted with the narrow minded, hate filled posts on this subject.
Just Scared
I have about 2 years' experience in MT but I do not have much experience in ESL dictators. I am just scared that I won't be able to hack it if/when I finally do find an MT job. Plus, I cannot get DSL or high speed internet and am stuck with dial-up and that hurts me a lot too. Right now I have a DA-126 (C-phone compatible) but no one seems to use them anymore! 
RE: Just Scared
On the job seeker's board on this site, this job is available - Transcend Services - Acute Care Using Lanier For Voice - Transcend
The doc is probably scared, but...
I had a cholecystectomy done and had to sign stating that I understood the risk of liver damage, spleen damage, etc., but nothing happened, but had to sign the consent. Hope your cousin gets better.
Like you I was scared at first but then
my boss back in the 80s got really upset with me and she put me on straight operative reports. Did she ever do me a favor! I love them, my favs and the easiest really to do. Repetative type dictations. On the account I have can just breeze through most of them. I am really grateful to her.
Now I am scared......
Can we get a 'virus' by logging into the MTStar.com website? So many members with viruses running around. I really want to know! Scary!
scared of the MQ pay plan
I think its going to be a raw deal for those of us who have been here awhile. Only because it will be based on higher pay for harder work. In all honesty, I do not see them paying more than 10 cpl, and if they hand pick the worst of the worst, all day every day for those of us who can eek by and do them, we will be screwed. Honestly would rather have lower pay (no lower than 8 cpl) for easier work to keep my line count up. I've already been told many times that they give me the harder work because I can do it, but all day every day I would lose money.
They should base pay on experience, period the end! Keep the pool completely open to whatever work comes up, do not special assign harder work to those of us who can do it, because it slows us down incredibly! I agree, newbies need a chance to get their foot in the door with some easier dictation, but how are they going to learn if thats all theyre getting, and how about those of us who have been around the block, how are we going to earn a living for paying our dues in this business. Thats why i'm scared. Buh bye experienced MTs or what? What do you guys think?
I'd rather be scared & safe than sorry!
I have surge protectors & an APC battery back-up system; however, I have those so I will have an alarm & time to close my applications safely without loosing info during a storm (Hopefully). That being said -"I will not work during a thunderstorm/bad lightening." When my APC beeps - I backup & close what I've been working on, close all applications, log off & unplug everything!
NO - it's not safe to work during a thunderstorm/bad lightning!! Your time and/or comittment at work will have to play seconds to saving your life - & I'm not kidding that this is a possibility. Anything plugged into an electrical socket, including a phone, has the potential of being hit with lightning. I just won't risk playing with Mother Nature !! I've read of too many who have and have lost !!
I kept waiting to be scared on that one
but it never happened. The ending was SO incredibly stupid that I can't believe I wasted $2.99 renting it.
Supposed to be scared?
I went to a dermatologist's office about a week ago. The PA saw me, guess physician on vacation. Lesion on face, was told possibly to have morphens and PA wanted to do biopsy. Have been MT for over 30 years but had never heard this diagnosis. When asked what it was, was told "possible connective tissue disorder," could be one of several things and not to look it up "because it would scare me." Then is when I was really scared, thinking malignancy, worst thing that came to mind. I went back this week for results of biopsy (not diagnostic of morphens) and told PA I did not look up as she did scare me. She then said that was what she and the physician "were supposed to do, scare the patients." I shook my head no, saying she was the first person in the medical field to have ever scared me. I had lots of lab work done to make sure this is not the diagnosis and go back next week for those but was given a hand out - if I had read this from the start would have thought did not fit most of the criteria listed and would have slept a lot better for the week. By the way, hope they don't give this to lay persons. Asked my husband to read a paragraph to see if he could comprehend it and he said absolutely not. Apparently morphens of the face supposedly sometimes related to scleroderma (which I did know) but mild form and this is the one I really love, when people die, usually die from something other than that. Know would not do any good to say something to physician about the "scare part" - would never be believed, my word against hers but after the lab work think that will be the last visit there.
Who is scared? Who has bitterness on their
sleeve? Not me, thank you! I am trying to point out, as were other posters, the legalities of your profession. You are an IC - obviously you do not know what that means, or you would not be asking about working hours - YOU make your hours. You also are obviously sorely lacking in knowledge on legalities of medical records in your home. Do you think I am referring to your cats reading them? Not at all - but there are laws to follow regarding how long you are to keep the records YOU transcribed - your copies - how and where you have to format them, etc. Nothing to do with your cats - I am not scared of my job - just because you don't get the answers you want or are expecting doesn't mean we are afraid. I am not worried about my job or any of my professional peers - but do think there will be some regulations for others who are IC down the road as long as there are those who do not know what they are doing when they think they are an "IC"... And by your original question of wondering if you have to work, you are not savvy on your own company. If I had to sum up my feelings with an adjective as you have chosen to do first, I would say disgusted sums it up - at first, amused, but at this point, disgusted.
Scared about future
Hi all, I've been wondering this for some time and especially these past couple of weeks when work has been low, I'm 33 years old, do you all think MT is a profession I could retire from? Or do you think that MT'ing is going to be phased out before my retirement age? I'm just worried about in the near future when I'm in my late 40s, early 50s, I will no longer have a job and then what will I do, it will be too late to start over. Does anybody else think about these things or am I just being crazy?
I have too been scared to turn them in....sm
Some reports just have to have some blanks if you aren't clear what they are saying. But it still makes you feel like you are like you are just not adequate and you hate to send it in. You know, also they may want to see if you are gonna guess to try to figure it out and guessing is worse than the blank. When you aren't familiar with a doctor to begin with and he is slurring and unclear they can't expect you to just know what he is saying.
Gastro MT or any others that would know . . . I'm scared . . .
My mom had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy a couple of weeks ago and she read me the results over the phone and is very upset. It showed "Atypical lymphoid infiltrate with features highly suggestive of MALT lymphoma of distal esophagus. Also present prominent band-like infiltrate lymphocytes subjacent to the squamous epithelial." She's very scared and I haven't had time to look everything up yet, but is this serious? Does she have cancer? I/she are really scared. She's only 61.
Her doctor says she has to pump up on antibiotics and they are going to do a repeat gastroscopy in December.
Help me out here . . . .
Thanks!
You can *what if* yourself to death--sm
it sounds to me like your decision is already made.. gor for it! Giving up *free time* is never easy, but we need to earn a living too. Good luck to you!
EMR is NOT the death of MT
Even if the entire world went to EMR (which I doubt we'll ever see in our lifetime) it doesn't mean the death of the MT nor does it mean we will all have to go to VR. I transcribe for an office in NY that uses EMR, and once our reports are sent in, they go into a holding bin for the doctors to review and sign of on.Then the reports go directly into the patient's EMR. The only difference is no paper. We still get the same amount of work for the same amount of pay. There is absolutely no change to my routine. On the other hand I have an account out of AR that will probably never ever ever go to EMR unless the doctors are faced with losing their licenses or they retire (a good 20 years or more)
Oh yeah, I am soooo scared!
What are you gonna do, ride your horse over here and get me???????
Candyman and the Exorcist scared the cr@@ out of me. nm
x
The last man on Earth scared the dickens out of me when I was a kid.
i
scared into trying harder or leaving?
 Why do some QA folks think they can really make you feel this way? It will eventually lead to leaving, I think. I have never QAed or feel qualified, but geez, leave the poor transcriber a little positive feedback to go on. Anyone else share this thought?
scared into trying harder or leaving
Well, it is simple things really, more style than anything. I am not a newbie, I have 5 years under my belt. Gosh, what co. do you work for?
scared into trying harder or leaving
I forgot to add: it is the way the make the feedback, like are you attempting to look anything up... or I can't believe you didn't hear what I heard....ugh!
Thank goodness... I was scared there for a minute (sm)
I WISH I was fast enough that I could estimate with the "add a zero" thing. 300 lines in 30 minutes... WOW! I have also been doing MT about 1-1/2 years, and I find that 60 minutes of dictation = 3 hours. I am in a neurosurgery clinic, though, so it's pretty tough stuff. I have all American docs, though, so that helps a bit.
As a note: I do want to point out that -- according to my QA reports -- I have not fallen below a 99% accuracy rate since my 60-day probationary right-out-of-school period and I usually maintain a 100% accuracy rate. I have VERY rare blanks (1-2 a month). I take the time to research anything that is not totally familiar to me. In other words... I may not be fast, but I'm definitely GOOD. (When I go on vacation, my doctors tell my MTSO to hold their work until I get back, because they don't want anyone else doing it for them.) 
If I could be this good AND super-fast, I'd be in heaven!
Congrats from here, also! 2 years -- I have 14 and have been too scared!
You must be awesome!
Hi, I used to be so scared of Ops, grew to LOVE THEM.....SM
Have you gone to the MTDaily website? On the homepage, they have a link to loads and loads of samples of all kinds of operations and procedures, or you could go to MTDesk, samples there also that you can print out. I also think there may be samples at MTBot.com, but sure, though, many links there...hopes this helps, good luck, you'll learn fast!
Oh, please, most children have to be scared into submission. sm
I've never used a shock collar, but there are settings. It may just depend on the breed of the dog. Akitas are so head strong that an invisible fence won't even hold one. A little negative reinforcement has saved the lives of many dogs.
Ever get scared to turn in a job test?
I want and need the job I am applying for so badly, but I am scared to turn the test in because I don't want to fail it. I just keep checking and checking the test over but not sending it in. Three were easy, and one was hard because of a slurring doctor, so I had had to leave a lot of blanks and am scared that I might not get it because of that.
I was scared that was going to happen when the first Gulf War
unless the Stock Market allowed buying stocks on credit, like they did back then, it probably won't come to that. I do think things will continue to get gradually worse, though, until (a) the US can kick the foreign oil habit, and (b) the words "Made in The USA" mean something once again.
put scared penis...should have been scarred.
Can you get the picture in your head?
That just irks me to death.
I worked for a national that had two QA people on my account. The one QA person did it one way, and the other one did it another way. One pushed for combining forms, the other one said NO. I never knew who was working from one day to the next. I finally sent an email to both QA people, the account manager and the owner of the company with quotes from each of their corrections contradicting each other. I asked which way I should do it because I couldn't do it both ways. It took forever to sort out.
Income Tax after Death
I have a friend whose mother passed away in March of this year. She was an IC and thus earned income right up until the time of her death. Is her daughter now responsible for filing an income tax return and/or paying taxes on this income? I know an accountant for her would be handy in this situation, but I thought I might get some opinions here as well. Thanks!!
RE: Taxes after death
My mom died last year and the accountant did work up her taxes and they were paid by me. The money, of course, came from her account.
death toll
That is 53 confirmed deaths so far....Lord knows what the count will be when the water subsides, so it may be close to comparison with the Tsunami, I pray not.
Yes and lover her to death!
$50 a week. We have about 2500 sq ft and she cleans the whole house. I can't believe it took me as long as it did to hire someone.
I'm tested to death, too
If you create a folder on your desktop called "Sound Files" - then when you are downloading an mp3 file or whatever - right click and do "save to target" - then browse your desktop until you see sound files folder and make sure that is in the box. Then, the files will download to that folder. Then, when you double click on Express Scribe, up on the top you will see "Load" - click on this and then browse for your sound files folder. Highlight those you want to download into express scribe and then down at the bottom, hit ok or load (can't remember which it is). They will then be loaded into express scribe, ready to go.
Death summary on someone who...
had died for the same disease as my dad, lymphoma. The summary went through the last month of her life and the hospital stay. At that time, my dad was not in the hospital, but was showing these same signs. So, I knew what was forthcoming for him. And, needless to say, it happened the same way with very few changes. Talk about a tear jerker and a tough one to type.
Death in family
As the "executrix" in my family it was my duty to be sure everyone was treated fairly. Some things were taken by family members without waiting and rather than get upset about it, I let it go. I just made sure the written wishes in the "will" were carried out. Some did take things that should have been given to others, but I knew better than to bring it up,since it would only make for family problems ad infinatum. You don't know if there was something about the jacket that made this person feel her father's presence, not thinking of where it really "belongs." I agree that it should go back to you but in my experience, they might say, "it was a gift" and never be on good terms with you again. Let it go, believe me, this is what this wonderful man would have wanted you to do. It's hard, it's difficult, but "letting go" will give you more freedom. Perhaps at a later point you could mention how much the jacket meant to your son and how you are glad it was not given to a stranger. Perhaps she'll come to her senses. She's in too much pain right now to think straight. Wait a week or two and don't cause a permanent rift. You'll be proud of yourself later. It's material. Bad feelings go on forever. Somehow "grace" is always the best under pressure. Sorry for your loss.
Death in family
Quickly - ask for it. Otherwise, it might be sold in a yard sale. I know that when my father-in-law died, my mother-in-law's mother and sister came in and cleaned out the house - within 3 weeks you would have never known that he had lived there. They took and sold everything that they wanted, left my mother-in-law with a few pictures and her own memories. Thankfully, her mother died this year - she and the sister were real vultures. Hope this helps, but whatever you do, fight or no fight - get it back - you will be glad that you did and so will your son.
BORED TO DEATH
Does anyone else get sick and tired of doing the same work, same doctors, same everything day in and day out? I am bored to death with this job! I like the job just not the same stuff. I think I need a change!!!!
Death summary
Dr. dictates:
Reason for Death: Incompatibility with life.
The VR is what bored me to death..sm
I would actually get to the point where I could feel my head nodding...80% of what I got was VR....I was beginning to feel retarded. The only straight transcription that was sent to me were the worst dictators, cause the company knew I would do it, take my time, research, relisten, etc. I've always felt more alive transcribing than editing.  Cat
Sick to death of this!
Now, I'm sure that this has been covered again and again, but I am so upset that I just have to say something! I am so SICK and TIRED of every single job listing saying, "New graduates need not apply," etc. It's like a slap in the face...you're not good enough, we just know it, don't even THINK about submitting you resume to us you subhuman. I have worked at previous jobs in which I was as good after two months of experience as some who had been working there 3 or more years. (I'm sure everyone has had this feeling. I'm not trying to insinuate that I'm a genius or anything.) Why can't anyone just give me a chance? How do they know that I'm not good enough?!?!? Meanwhile, I've invested a moderate amount of money and a huge amount of time into this for what??? Anyway, that's my rant. Thanks for listening and sorry for the negativity.
death summaries
I've typed several that have left me sobbing, spilling tears on my keyboard quite literally, over the line: The patient passed away peacefully with his entire family at the bedside. After I would dry my tears and wipe off my keyboard, I would wonder why that statement was deemed medically pertinent?
Neither one scared me because they're both fiction!! (Sigh)
I know what ya'll will probably say. I am scared right now. For the past 2 weeks or so sm
I've been having chest pain off and on or waxing and waning as they say?
Anyhow, it is just a tad bit to the right of my actual heart which is why I am thinking possibly GI. My right arm hurts a bit too, almost a numb feeling, but I am attributing that to typing all morning. Mild case of carpal tunnel.
2 years ago was told for 1st time I have a weird kind of heart murmur. When I went walking up a long hill to get exercise a year ago I became dizzy, almost fell down, sweating profusely, sat down, rested, and it went away.
What do you think these signs are showing? Oh! My history. I am a 31-year-old female, mother of 3 young children, height 5'2, 155 pounds, not under too much stress (or should I say I deal with it well). Right now, it's hurting pretty bad. DH is out of town and I don't want to call an ambulance! I have 2 of my kids home right now. What would you do?
PS:This is not a joke. I don't want to make a big deal out of all of this, but I am so scared that I might be sorry for not taking action. Heart disease, heart attacks VERY prevalent in family history, but in older relatives! Thanks guys~!
Not scared - I've already been doing acute care
for 7 years and would like to go to clinic. Personal preference.
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