80-90% of the time when I solely transcribed ER reports in the past and a doctor dictates “patient with right lower quadrant abdominal pain”, etc., I pretty much knew (in my mind) that the patient had an appendicitis.  Sure enough, when the doctor came to the end of the report and with a description of the diagnosis, he (or she) would dictate:  “DIAGNOSIS:  Appendicitis.”  This is the joy I still get from transcribing all types of reports now – putting my medical terminology knowledge, A&P knowledge together and figuring out what a particular patient may have before the doctor gives a final diagnoses.

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix.  The appendix is a small pouch attached to the cecum, the beginning of the large intestine.  It is commonly found in children and young adults, but obviously is not discriminatory to anyone of any age, gender, race, culture, etc.

The pain is predominantly on the right lower part of the abdomen, but some may suffer pain in different areas:  some on the left side, some on or underneath the belly button, but normally there are other symptoms that may occur.  Fever, chills, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation and/or diarrhea, pain when coughing or sneezing and pain in the abdomen while riding over bumps are many other symptoms that can occur with appendicitis.

The cause of appendicitis is not fully understood and could be from various reasons such as the appendix may become blocked by stool or foreign body, or obstruction causing bacteria to invade the appendix, causing it to fill with pus and swell.  Bacteria invading your body is NOT cool and can cause a whole host of other problems.

Appendicitis is not to be taken likely as it can rupture and can cause potential life-threatening infections if not treated.  Never let that type of pain go on for days!  Medical professionals suggest that if you’re having especially severe abdominal pain and/or fever, nausea, vomiting and the symptoms continue to occur and/or worsen, please seek medical attention immediately.

I know……I’ve been ‘MIA’ for quite a while.  Busy trying to figure out where I ‘fit’ in life right now.  There’s been a love/hate relationship going on with the life of being a medical transcriptionist – and is affecting a LOT of us across the board…..including myself.  I have two remote transcription jobs – have had these two for over 2 years; one as an independent contractor status and one as an employee status and barely can pay the bills.  Oh, did I mention that one of the 2 jobs I have has gone to EMR/point and click – whatever new technological term you wanna call it?  Yep, that means working as an independent contractor medical transcriptionist and the above scenario happens, there is no more work to be transcribed for that company.  BAM!  It’s gone with no warning.  Over the past 7-8 years, this is the third time I’ve been transcribing for a company where they have lost an account for one reason or another.  We may be left with the option to transcribe clinic notes – which, on a good day you may make minimum wage or up.  WOW!!  What a difference over the last approximately 10 years or so from making $25/hour downwards to making a bit over minimum wage!!

Don’t get me wrong.  The overall United States patient medical record policy/standards do need an overhaul and I do feel we need to get away from the antiquated paper charting of patients medical records.  The US population is ever increasing, so privacy policies and technological advances do need to be put in place, but in my opinion, it’s costing more money by having software that now technicians are finding out are not compatible or do not work in these facilities, than keeping transcriptionists who get the job done the first time around!

Many  people say to me (as well as to other remote transcriptionists) “oh, it must be nice being able to work from home.  I envy you.”  But yet earlier this week, I went on a job interview to work outside of the home and while interviewing with the 3-panel interviewers, they stated that they are “concerned because I’ve been working at home so long – will I be able to handle working in-house”?   REALLY? This same question was asked to another fellow transcriptionist in an interview at a totally different facility.  Folks – we are not people who’ve been incarcerated!  We’re not in a bubble!  We do not live in primitive times just because we work at home!  If anything, we should be considered very, VERY reliable candidates to be working for your company because we ARE at home producing quality patient medical record reports with very little supervision, but we DO have supervision. We DO have someone we have to answer to.  Some of us DO clock in and out like a standard 8-5 job as an employee status.  We DO communicate with the outside world!

Another trend I’m seeing, in particular with IC medical transcriptionists is that a lot of these companies are requiring you to have a business license.  Yep, I said it – a business license (which is not cheap) to work  in your own little space in your own home, but yet they will offer slave pay – and act as though you’re getting a great deal!

I LOVE what I do.  To me, it’s a never-ending learning arena – with new diseases, new drugs, deciphering the medical terms, etc, but I HATE what it has become.  Both IC and employee status transcription companies try and lure you in, but once you’ve started working with them, either there’s suddenly ‘no more work’ or the work load is low (that was just a ploy to get you in and clean up their backlog!)  Other companies saturate you with work but want to pay you slave labor pay or have so many unnecessary rules for account specifics that it ultimately reduces your productivity to where it’s nearly impossible to make a decent living by being paid on production.

At 55 years of age, I find it very insulting, very degrading and downright mean that myself and ALL my fellow transcriptionists who’ve worked so hard over the many years, learned a valuable skill that not any Joe blow can walk off the street and go in and accomplish,  can offer quality patient care when it comes to the patient’s medical record and for us to be tossed out like dirty trash is unacceptable.   Every time I have a doctors visit somewhere and they ask what I do, even THEY say themselves, “I commend you for what you do in your job because I couldn’t do it.”  Now THAT right there really is saying something!

I’ve never been a quitter and am not about to give up now.  There are some out here that are trying to fight this battle to help regain the respect we deserve and set some type of standards for our quiet, unspoken-word ‘world’ of medical transcription, so I say thank you to those trailblazing for the many transcriptionists still out there!  Though I may have some things going on personally in trying to figure out what’s next in my life at this point, I will continue to work and I will continue blogging – not as often as I would like – but I will continue to share with you words and other things I’ve shared here to help someone empower their health because you guys are what keep me going!

Here’s another topic that, for years I’ve always questioned as it relates to health.  Again, over the number of years of transcribing medically,  this has always baffled me.

You state you’re a Jehovah’s Witness but yet you refuse blood transfusions.  You profess you’re a Jehovah’s Witness, but you have a history of alcoholism?  So, the refusal of blood in your system is more harmful than the constant intake of alcohol??  Sounds to me to be quite hypocritical and you’re playing Russian roulette with your life!  Here again (in MY opinion) is where we go wrong and remain in denial with our health.    This also applies to emergency situations too – how is it when blood is all you need to survive and you refuse it?  How is it that you’re really not a ‘practicing’ or devout Jehovah’s Witness but you participate in all sorts of other things in your life, but adamantly refuse blood?

Once again, we’re putting the professional medical staff  in a real predicament and are giving them permission to make decisions on your behalf to somehow maintain some type of quality of life for you.

Heavy, long-term use of alcohol can really damage your body in many ways.  it causes liver problems, pancreatic problems, cirrhosis, esophageal cancer and other cancers and a host of other diseases which, if these problems are left untreated over time, it can cause anemia (marked deficiency in red blood cells and hemoglobin).

Don’t know the statistics of people bringing about an early demise for themselves on this particular religious belief as it relates to health, but I’m sure it’s  enormous.

Obviously I have more questions than answers on this one – but I do invite a constructive, intelligent conversation on this subject!

Mental illness…….I never thought I’d touch on this subject but it seems as though I can’t escape it.

There’s an increasing amount of people suffering from mental illness – whether it’s bipolar, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress or some other type of mental illness that people are suffering from.  Health-wise, it is very apparent that the mental health department is very broken in this country…..federal, state and local mental health departments are under-funded, under-staffed and just do not have the resources to try and help those suffering.  Everyone keeps ‘passing the buck’ and continues to sit with the elephant in the room in not talking about it, not trying to find a solution – so when that happens, many suffering from mental illness are either unnecessarily incarcerated, alone or homeless.

I know of a few parents who are trying to deal with this problem on their own and it is NOT working.  These parents are slowly creating a quick and early demise for themselves as they have nowhere to turn and are adding undo stress into their lives.  Yet, these parents are torn because that IS their loved one, and they think they can help.

I definitely have no easy answers, especially since I’m not a medical professional.  All I know is that some of these many federal, state and local agencies – especially in the African American community – need to join forces with the mental health system and help!  Stop having so many high-dollar fundraising ‘dinners’ and unnecessary meetings and wasting tax-payer dollars and put those dollars into the mental health department where there are more available group homes or some where for these individuals to go to.  Building more prisons is not a solution, it’s creating more of a problem.  Again, those dollars meant to build prisons should be at least considered to go towards helping and creating solutions for our broken mental health system.  Those suffering shouldn’t have to feel alone.  They do not need to continue to be a danger to themselves as well as others.  They too deserve the help they so desperately need even, if it means having 24/7 medical staff (when needed) where they can eventually learn to lead a better, more normal life!

With all of the harsh winter weather we’ve had throughout the entire U.S. so far in 2014,  I wanted to add a few tips that have all to do with your health by keeping well, safe and warm – especially throughout areas that are not quite so accustomed to brutal cold, ice and snow.

• Be  prepared:  According to my local power company, their suggestions of some of the items you should have at home are flashlights,  heating fuel and for sure medications and/or medical kit.  With your local weather advisory prepping you for an upcoming storm, there should be a plan in place if at all possible to be sure that you have enough refills of your medications, pick them up and have with you in case of a power outage, being stranded, etc.  Also if at all possible, have  a flashlight, and a battery-powered radio with fresh batteries present.  They also suggest that you have a stock of nonperishable foods.  MY suggestions on that would be to be as healthy as you can in that manner.  If you have no allergens, then tuna, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, milk to your liking and plenty of soup (there’s plenty of soups out there now with 25% less sodium in them) would be a great start, along with your other nonperishables.  The power company also suggest that in case of a power outage, you should disconnect all appliances you were using when the power went off. Do leave one light (switch) on to tell whether your power has been restored.  Never plug a generator directly into your home’s electrical wiring.  Lastly but just as important would be to check on your neighbors, family, friends who particularly live alone (as well as pets).  Be SURE to help them in some way to find the appropriate help they need BEFORE a storm hits.
• Stranded in a storm:   After our “Atlanta Snowmageddon” we had a couple of weeks ago – over 2 inches of snow…… well let’s just say that we ALL should take responsibility and learn to be as prepared as possible in case one is stranded!  First off, listen, learn, observe and most importantly, take HEED to your local weather when they tell you that it IS a storm watch and/or warning coming in your area – that way, you will NOT be caught off guard.  It’s better to be overly cautious, than under-prepared!
• Learn to stay home!  If you’re not in a setting such as a nurse, doctor, healthcare provider or other emergency situations, then there is no need for you to be out .   If you are in a stranded situation, be prepared to have a blanket or two in the backseat of your car (preferably than the trunk as ice could form and you’d be unable to open the trunk), along with winter shoes/boots, pillows, warm clothing to include gloves, a pair of socks/feet warmers, a fully charged phone, full tank of gas, prescription medications/medicine kit, non-perishable foods,  energy bars, bottled water.  Have emergency numbers in your cell phone such as Red Cross, your department of transportation emergency number, shelters and yes hotels.  Again, it’s better to be prepared than not.  One last tip I forgot to mention which is very important – be sure to utilize an ATM machine prior to an ice storm.  Once there’s a power outage, you will not be able to use an ATM machine, credit card machines, etc., so be prepared to have cash on hand before the storm.

Empower YOUR health and stay prepared ahead  of the storm!

How many of us get so busy with our families, our children, our jobs?  Times are so different now,  we can’t even keep up with what day of the week it is!  We should begin to keep up with things like our medications, the types of medications, even your family members’ medications.  This can be vital when it comes to you and your family’s health.

On a daily basis, I transcribe multiple patient reports and a lot of these patients do not have a clue as to what he or she is taking or why.   A study published in 2010 (study actually taken in 2007-2008) showed children 12 and under took 2 or more prescription medications whereas older adults (60 and over) are taking 4 or more prescription medications – an increase of 76%!   I do understand that it can get very overwhelming – having multiple medical problems and having to take a number of medications for those health problems, but we have to start somewhere in getting a handle on this.

Though I myself take medications for my health issues, I’m not here to advocate taking medications nor advocating for an individual to not taking medications.  I do feel though that taking 20+ medications is a bit much!  Even many doctors have indicated in their dictation that that is way too many medications to be taking.  This is where you come in to empower YOUR health!  For those taking multiple medications, there’s nothing wrong with getting with your doctors and saying hey, can there be some adjustments made to my meds?  Do I really need this or that?  Can taking a particular vitamin or even eating certain types of food suffice rather than taking this medication and risking side effects?

We have so much at our exposure these days – the internet, different devices, different apps where we can read, learn, etc. yet we know so little about our own health, our medications, our own family medical history.  Hospitals and clinics are now finally getting acclimated to the technology that is available to them as well as to you, the patient, by providing applications to download your health information to include your history, your labs, your medications, etc., most at no cost to you!.

Here at youempoweryourhealth.com, I’m hopeful that this will be a place where you can get just a slice of the pie and begin your journey to the wealth of information that is available to you by educating you on different medication names and its usage  with my weekly “say what/defining words” section (and other blogs and medical terms) and getting YOU to understanding your health, your body, your meds and begin to take action for a healthier you!