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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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  #61  
Old 09-27-2012, 08:15 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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Appreciate all the offers! TriCare Prime in what we're on....and sometimes, since I live within what they consider "the local area" to a Base, everything hinges on the base. Although I've super thankful that I finished out my career, and got the medical insurance, it can sure be a pain to work with sometimes.....all the little specific Ts to cross, and Is to dot.

And as anybody knows who's spent time in the military, it's the "hurry up and wait" game. Sometimes all the red tape just drives ya nuts.

I keep telling myself that the Lord has a reason for everything that's going on, and just have to believe in that....and keep praying that it's worked out in HIS time, although I get jumpy and anxious.....which is exactly what I SHOULDN'T be doin.

We're not completely sure about it yet, as most questions asked to TriCare come back with a "muddy" response.....and with this being the first time we've every gone into a situation like this one, we're feeling our way along, as we go.


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  #62  
Old 09-27-2012, 01:06 PM
J.Babody J.Babody is offline
 
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Trolled around here for awhile and learned a lot from your threads, sorry to hear about everything and my thoughts go out to you and your family. I've had stomach problems for about 5 years (nowhere near as severe I would assume) but dealing with the medical industry is a joke. All of my diagnosis' were chocked up to acid reflux or possible inflammation issues. Never a definitive answer one way or the other and it seems like your always chasing a dragon. Hopefully you will get to see a doctor that has some sense.
All the best,
Justin
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  #63  
Old 09-27-2012, 03:41 PM
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It seems to me like that when a person needs a situation to be resolved quickly, that is the time when insurance networks and medical facilities can drag their feet the most. Hope that you can get something moving your way pretty soon. Prayers sent.


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  #64  
Old 09-28-2012, 04:40 PM
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Just got a phone call from the Referrals individual at the base, the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota has refused to see me.
Now we are waiting to hear from the Arizona Mayo Campus.....and if they also refuse me, I do not know where I will go. The referrals individual said "If Arizona says no, we will try another facility." But did not say where that might be. I hope something comes up soon, this is getting harder and harder to deal with.


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  #65  
Old 09-28-2012, 05:35 PM
Ed Fowler Ed Fowler is offline
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Stick with it Ed!!
Have you tried getting away from wheat products? That sounded like an easy experiment.


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  #66  
Old 09-29-2012, 06:54 PM
Kostoglotov Kostoglotov is offline
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Ed - My Sister In Law went just got out of Mayo and went through a similar "experience" prior to getting admitted (Was rejected the first time)

Ask your PCP what the reason Mayo gave for rejecting your case (There are a myriad of reasons they can reject) and ask him to resubmit and strengthen the case based on their rejection criteria. You may have to pester (beat senseless) the specialist and coordinate with your PCP to make sure you have the strongest case possible.



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  #67  
Old 09-30-2012, 08:34 AM
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Not sure how this is gona work, but the good news is that I got a call late yesterday evening (Friday 28 Sept) from the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. They have agreed to see me.
The bad news is that the Appointment is a LONG ways out......24 Jan 2013. As poorly as I've been feeling/doing, I'm still going to pursue what I can around here....such as looking into the VA hospital in Helena, or anything else that can get me some care sooner.

I'm also going to see if the referral folks at the base can try to get me in sooner at a location out in Seattle, WA.....the gal I spoke with from Mayo Arizona said that I could cancel the appt. at any time without penalty.

The other hurdle is that the Mayo set the appointment directly with me, which means that I don't have a Tricare authorization ye (thats backwards of how things usually work with Tricare).....so whenever the Mayo packet gets to me, I've got to get it to the folks at the base so they can Authorize it....no way we can afford to shell the whole thing "outta pocket". Hopefully the Lord will provide another option sooner, that will heal me up.... and I can cancel the Mayo appt.
Please keep the prayers coming......I just wanna be me again, and be the Husband and Dad that I should be....rather than eating pain pills all the time and laying on the couch.

As a few folks have said to me, it's difficult to see "God's Plan" when you're in the middle of the storm, but I know it's there.....I just have to keep watching/looking for it. This event has given me the encouragement to even push harder on the local level, to try to get some answers sooner.


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  #68  
Old 09-30-2012, 11:14 AM
cdent cdent is offline
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Morning Ed,

I think that is great news. Little slivers of options might be opening up to get a fresh set of eyes looking at the problem. Even if you cancel with Mayo Az, it'll be because something else came up. Maybe once you're authorized and in their system, you can let them know you'd consider bumping up the visit if a cancellation opens up. It could be possible that once someone figures out what's going on that it might be treated in Great Falls.

Craig
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  #69  
Old 10-01-2012, 06:32 PM
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B.Finnigan B.Finnigan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Fowler View Post
Stick with it Ed!!
Have you tried getting away from wheat products? That sounded like an easy experiment.
My wife had similar symptoms and finally went to a naturepath doc. He immediately ordered a gluten intolerance/Celiac blood test. It came back positive. Four previous MD's never considered that. She had almost a year of abdominal pain. After stopping wheat within 48 hrs it was almost gone. A few other good results happened also.

It's worth reading about at least, these days it doesn't hurt to be part of your own medical team. Hospitals and doctors kill on average 196,000 people a year.

When it comes to docs, trust but verify.
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  #70  
Old 10-01-2012, 10:28 PM
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Hey Ed,

I hadn't seen this thread until tonight, but just wanted to let you know I'm saying a prayer for you and your family. Hang in there!

And if you're in the mood for an attempt at a little humor--What do you can a guy that graduates at the bottom of his class in med school? You call him doctor!

Hopefully you'll get to see some more knowledgeable, humble ones soon.

Take care,

Nathan
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  #71  
Old 10-02-2012, 10:41 PM
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Woodchuck Forge Woodchuck Forge is offline
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Ed, Great to hear the Mayo in Az will see you. Helena sounds like a good idea also. I have mentioned the VA has treated me well. I am also on Tricare Prime and have only established a primary care Doc for emergencies. Not sure what your rating is but with my 50% it is all provided free of charge and I have a slightly higher priority. Though going to the VA is seen by some as the storage center for disabled vets esp during the Viet Nam era. It has changed dramatically. I can get in within a week to see my Doc here. They do whatever they can to diagnose the problem, and schedule procedures during the same visit to reduce travel. Don't know what Helena will be like but they have made vast improvements. Hope things look up and you get some answers soon.

Prayers being sent and God Bless

Chuck

PS Always here if you need to talk sometime.


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  #72  
Old 10-03-2012, 09:51 PM
mgysgthath mgysgthath is offline
 
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Hey Ed, I registered (or rather remembered my credentials) just to give my best wishes etc. I've read through the thread and apologize for not having kept up with it in the first place (wasn't doing any knife related stuff for a while).

It's really unfortunate the predicament you're in, but I sincerely hope you can get it sorted out soon!

ChadN
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  #73  
Old 10-04-2012, 12:00 AM
hadley perdue hadley perdue is offline
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Finding a doc

Ed, I just read your whole story on this thread, and I am so regretful for your painful journey. I am in the midst of a months-long chemo fight of my precious wife who has, or had, leukemia. I say had because legions of prayer warriors' petitions on her behalf resulted in remission midway through the program...but we have months of "to-make-sure" poison yet to go. I identified with your frustration with local, apparently unhelpful, medical people. To be fair, the locals saved her life from pneumonia and diagnosed her AML, but they stumbled everywhere else. Your impulse to get to specialists is vital to your survival and restoration. After her first test, my wife looked over at me and said, "please get me to Emory University hospital in Atlanta!" I did, and these people are absolutely sterling...right down to the ladies who pick up the soiled linens!! I will surely add your needs to our prayers, and I have an encouraging compilation to send to you that has saved my life and sanity in these dark days. The "whys" are baffling to me, but I have been holding onto, and have been held up by this sage observation..."God is sovereign, and God is good!!" I wish you the best, friend. In His Holy Name. Hadley Perdue
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  #74  
Old 10-08-2012, 02:51 PM
Lane Ritter Lane Ritter is offline
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I have VA benefits and tricare, when something major is possibly wrong with me I go to the VA hospital instead of using local tricare or in network tricare. I need a test I just go to a different floor that day usually. Some tests have to be scheduled unless they deem it an emergency.

I go in and do a blood test, an hour later I see my doctor and she already has the results, same with an xray or MRI. There is no wait for someone to gather the results, mail them to someone to read the results, then mail them to or call your doctor.

If I have something minor wrong I see the local tricare doctor.

Lane
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  #75  
Old 10-09-2012, 07:45 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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I think I'm finally learning that Lane. I've dealt mainly with the Doctors at Malmstrom AFB, but they have basically done nothing but jerk me around, along with the "referred" downtown Docs. I had never been to the VA Clinic, and sorta stumbled on it...so far in just a couple of visits, they've been more helpful than 6 months of the others. I've got two more VA appointments this week.....which should be some very important ones for me. We'll see how it goes.


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