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Ed Caffrey's Workshop Talk to Ed Caffrey ... The Montana Bladesmith! Tips, tricks and more from an ABS Mastersmith.

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  #76  
Old 10-11-2012, 09:32 AM
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How things turn! Yesterday I got a surprise call from the Base referral office....last I knew we were talking about Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA. Well, that has now changed. They are now trying to send me to the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake. I'm suppose to call the medical center today and try to set up an appt. Then hopefully the Base can get a referral completed for the visit so our insurance will cover it. Seems a bit backwards to me, but if that's how it's gotta be....... Guess we'll see where this one goes.


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  #77  
Old 10-11-2012, 09:47 AM
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Promising news Ed, very promising, any forward movement is better then none.

btw- really miss the Wed. night chats.


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  #78  
Old 10-11-2012, 03:53 PM
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Maybe something is starting to go your way Ed. Sure hope so.


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  #79  
Old 10-12-2012, 07:09 AM
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Ed, the University of Utah Medical center is first rate. I know from experience.

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  #80  
Old 10-12-2012, 10:55 AM
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Ed hang in there. I can relate on the same basic premises with my wife. She got sick and we screwed with the local doctors and no one had any answers and we were getting nothing that made any sense.

Then one of the local doctors finally suggested that we go to UAB at Birmingham, Al. I was a little reluctant at first as so was the wife. The doctor explained these doctors at the university see off the wall cases all the time. Where him as a local doctor may or may not see one is his lifetime.

To make a long story short we went to UAB. The records and results of all tests had been sent to a Neurologist prior to arrival. Our first visit lasted almost an hour. The doctor came in and talked to my wife and myself and reviewed the information we had sent him as well as anything that we had to add upon our arrival.

In turned out while doing what I thought was a routine examination he was conducting a test for a little known disease called Transverse Myelitis. Transverse Myelitis is a disease that does damage to the spinal cord caused by the Shingles virus going to the spinal cord after an outbreak. I had never heard of it till my wife's case. However there is a test that they use to diagnose it and you must meet all criteria of the test for it too definitely show that you are having Transverse Myelitis.

The disease TM for short, does damage to the spine similar to a car wreck or spinal injury. It can and does cause constant pain and or paralyzes, depending on the level of the spine the damage occurs. He even went so far as too show us on an MRI image where the infection and damage occurred. That was the final indicator of the diagnose of TM once the test was backed up by the MRI showing the infection that caused the damage to the spinal cord.

This MRI was done six months before that date and no one in the local community had caught that. Had they caught that at the time. My wife could have been put on massive does of IV steroids and the damage to spine may never have occurred or at least it could have been minimized! Until there are some break through s on spinal rehabilitation treatment the damage to my wife's spine is now permanent!

The local doctor (neurologist) had been trying to treat her for migraines as the initial site of the shingles outbreak had been on the nerve at the base of her skull. Once damaged by an outbreak of the shingles a nerve may never recover or it may be a long time in healing. Thus the pain in her neck and headaches not a migraine. He never saw fit to even address the other pain she was having in her back and legs. He hinted to it being psychosomatic. When returned from UAB with a diagnosis he even went so far as to dismiss the UAB doctors diagnose out right without consideration.

Needless to say he is no longer my wife's doctor. I don't think I have ever had greater pleasure in telling a doctor off than I did him! My wife's new Neurologist was selected by interviewing his nurse. My first question was had he ever treated anyone with TM, and we went on from there.

Ed I apologize for this being lengthy but, I felt I needed to give you some background to wife's case. I hope it makes you feel more ease about going to a University! Had this been our first choice my wife's spine may not be permanently damaged or at least the damage lessened. Those doctor's truly do see cases that other doctors may not see frequently or maybe never see.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. That is the key to strength. I have always heard the good Lord will not give you more than you can bear. Sometimes it helps to talk to him and let him know you are getting to that point! What we once thought was rock bottom with my wife's case has opened a different world for her and myself. Some things will probably never change for my wife but, we are dealing with and now she is in treatment the pain is more manageable. and we now take our lives in a different direction but it does have direction to it!


Ed to me sometimes not knowing is worse than knowing. At least once you know you can begin a plan of treatment and you have direction.


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  #81  
Old 10-12-2012, 06:34 PM
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hi, everyone. Newbie to forum newbie to knives. I was reading through this site following some info from Ed about grinders. I came across this thread and was deeply saddened. I have been through hell and back. Don't plan to take you there with me. But short story broke my back turning around to go inside. Small fracture, the Chiropractor turned it into a burst fracture. ER called a fracture w/ 45-90 degree bend a back ache and sent me home w/ back exercises. My PCP at some point patted my leg and said she really felt for me. It took 6 mo. to have surgery that was so bad I will never be the same. I still have so many fractures they can't count them. No one knows why but then I have no doctor. I e-mailed ED and talked about colon cleanse but I really really think u guys are dead on about wheat. It goes on so long then one day your body is overwhelmed and the pain is what he describes. Just try the wheat free diet it can't hurt. I think it is called celiac or close to that spelling. Christmas will be 2 yrs for me and May will be 2 yrs for surgery. I see a spinal specialist Oct 19th yea!! and have referral for Mayo in AZ. Someone has to figure out why I keep breaking bones and what to do with them. My PCP won't do anything because she says it is from osteoporosis. I had a bone density scan I have NO osteoporosis. If I bring this up my doc cuts back my pain pills. I too am tri-care prime hubby is retired Army. Ed after awhile they can kick u out of tri-care and into medicare and back and forth, Hubby has been through this. He is now border diabetic so back to medicare again. VA is hard to use but he has been that direction as well. Question to fellow Christians. Anyone interested in putting a name list together of people on here in need of prayer. Then someone set a time we gather on here and have a member say start and we all pray at the same time privately for people on the list. or would this be against the forum rules? Nice forum I like how people care for each other and the rules for keeping it clean. I have only signed onto a handful of forums and one treated women so vulgar that I never let them no I was a girl.
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  #82  
Old 10-13-2012, 12:30 PM
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Hey Ed,

I've been away for a few years. I had a bugger of a time trying to find where I put my password so I could log in. I had also changed internet companies and my email addy had changed, so I couldn't even reset it.

I am so sorry you are having health problems. I am having a few as well. Ol' back/neck needs cutting on cause it is flattening my spinal cord. Other than that, I'm doing ok. I sure hope you get better soon. I will keep you in my Prayers, my friend.
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  #83  
Old 10-17-2012, 11:00 AM
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The wheels are turning on the trip to the University of Utah Med Center. I'm scheduled for tests/visits on Nov 13-14. Hopefully they can provide the answers that none of the local Docs could.

I'm actually feeling a bit better the last couple of days....the pain is still there, but at least I can function a little bit.


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  #84  
Old 10-17-2012, 12:53 PM
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Sounds real good Ed. That's right around the corner. Should be a quick and easy flight from your area.

Following along, Craig
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  #85  
Old 10-17-2012, 02:33 PM
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Sounds good Ed. Bigger facilities usually have capabilities that the smaller ones do not. Best of luck to you.


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  #86  
Old 10-17-2012, 02:39 PM
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Glad to hear Ed, still keeping you and yours in my prayers.

J


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  #87  
Old 10-17-2012, 08:29 PM
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Hang in there Ed! Good things will happen.
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  #88  
Old 10-18-2012, 09:18 AM
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That's great, Ed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Caffrey View Post
The wheels are turning on the trip to the University of Utah Med Center. I'm scheduled for tests/visits on Nov 13-14. Hopefully they can provide the answers that none of the local Docs could.

I'm actually feeling a bit better the last couple of days....the pain is still there, but at least I can function a little bit.
Nov 13 sounds WAY better than having to wait until mid January. It's also great that you are feeling somewhat better. We will continue our prayers for your visit.

Dana
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  #89  
Old 10-18-2012, 03:07 PM
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Working on travel and lodging today. The hardest part is the military "red tape" on my end. Because of the tests they are going to preform, Cindy will be going with me. I've spoken to the folks at the University of Utah Med Center a few times now via phone, and have been impressed with their level of caring and helpfulness. I'm actually looking forward to the trip, simply because I feel like we might finally get some answers. I don't mean to bad mouth our local Doctors, but during this situation, it's become painfully obvious to me that in a town as small as ours, it's a "Good Ol' Boys" medical network, with each Doctor knowing the other, with none of them willing to step on their buddies toes....even for the sake of a patient.

As it is right now, we will be flying out of Great Falls on 12 Nov, and returning home on the 15th. I've been really concerned about the "bill" all this would cost, but today, after visiting the referral office at the Air Base, I found that our insurance will cover all the actual costs of the visit, including travel, lodging and meals......man I'm glad I stuck it out and retired from the Air Force......I don't think there is any other medical insurance that would do that!


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  #90  
Old 10-18-2012, 04:12 PM
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I have a young divorced woman living across the street from me that has an ex husband in the Army and her kids are on the Tri Care insurance. She has a hard time finding civilian doctors who will take that insurance locally.
I was in the Air Force and worked in the medical field while in there and also worked a second full time job in a civilian hospital so I know how that can be in a small town.
The Air Force facility that I consider to be one of the best is in San Antonio, Tx. Wilford Hall Hospital used to be a great facility back then.


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