How Many ISTS do you have? I'm up to 8!

[kellymomcars]

My journey started with my OrthopedIST that told me “sadly, your knee pain is not a torn meniscus, it’s arthritis”. After the pity party was over (and a bottle of wine was consumed) I pulled up my big girl panties and started my new collection – ISTS!

My next appointment was to my new friend, the RheumatologIST. She said, “Well, it appears you have psoriatic arthritis. Give me lots of blood every 3 months, and here are your first drugs, a Biologic and Meloxicam”.

With all the testing, my next best friend was the HematologIST. Why is your red blood cell count, hematocrits and hemoglobin high? Give me lots of blood. Result? It’s not cancer – don’t know what it is, see you in a year. Take a baby aspirin.

And back to the OrthopedIST because now my fingers go numb, and my neck is in pain. Xrays and MRIs reveal my next official victim of PsA – my neck has Cervical Radiculopathy, and my hands have Carpel Tunnel.

Also introduced to my next ISTs – the Pain SpecialIST and Physical TherapIST! Carpel Tunnel Release and C7-T1 epidural steroid injection. On to PT – FINALLY SOMETHING FIXED! No more numb fingers and neck can move again!

Soooo, now we go see the UrologIST. Because, this new constant need to drip and pee is not acceptable at all! More testing (now some of THAT stuff is extremely interesting, to say the least). Mixed Incontinence - the solution is to perform Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation – apparently my bladder is uptight (really, just my bladder?) But hold on there, my feet are tingling, so onto my next doctor before treatment…

Now, my new doctor the NeurologIST. Paresthesia and Peripheral Nerve Disease. Take Gabapentin. See you next week for more testing.

So, to all my ISTS – thank you so much for helping me to figure this out. I see y'all more than I see my kids -- you've become my second family (and, you take up more room in my phone than they do...)

I long for the days when my only ISTS were the ManicurIST, Massage TherpIST and PsychiatrIST. Maybe I need more of these and less of those – just sayin’

[Hidden]

😁 you got me thinking

Here are mine .

PhysiotherapIST

HydrotherapIST

PodiatrIST

neurologiST

HandtherapIST

RheumatologIST.

I surprised myself with 6 not quite as impressive your 8 .

Shocking really x

[kellymomcars in reply to Hidden]

Crazy, isn't it!

[Bootoo]

🤣🤣

[kellymomcars in reply to Bootoo]

Exactly🤪🤪

[Marionfromhappydays]

Thats alot of ists 😁

I *think* ive only got one at the moment but would gladly swap them for someone else

[kellymomcars in reply to Marionfromhappydays]

I dumped the first rheumatologist that wanted me to repeat an injection that caused me to be covered in hives to "see if you react the same again". Uhhh, no frigging way! So maybe my count is 9. 🧐

[Marionfromhappydays in reply to kellymomcars]

🥴

[greynot]

It's a thing isn't it.

My rheumatologIST says my RA is well under control. Phew. So the pain(s) that I have, and me with them, need to be dealt with by orthopedics, and Neurology.

OrthopedIST says he doesn't think my hip is much of problem (rheumy thinks it is) and he thinks the main issue is neurology.

Will see what the NeuroligIST says in Dec ( first appointment was rescheduled)

GP said 'the problem is, you've got too many different things going on, so it's complicated'. He's not wrong.

My PhysiotherapIST has been helpful, and I have had great informal guidance by a relative who is a PharmacIST...he helps me ask the right qus re medication

Anyway, my Bowen therapIST will help settle me down later in the week.

Round we go!!

[kellymomcars in reply to greynot]

🤣🤣🤣. You & I might be in a parallel universe 🤣🤣🤣

[greynot in reply to kellymomcars]

😂😂🙂🙃🙂🙃😂😂

[Gnarli]

Thank goodness your sense of humour is unaffected 🤪

[kellymomcars in reply to Gnarli]

Deep inside there's a whiney little girl just begging to take over. Y'all help me keep her in check!

[Gnarli in reply to kellymomcars]

🤣

[Mmrr]

Thank you for making me smile this morning 😂 I hope all these ISTS can make you feel a bit better between them.

[kellymomcars in reply to Mmrr]

One of my favorite quotes of my Dad's was "Always remember, doctors are only PRACTICING medicine"! Actually, they are doing a pretty good job