Good Morning?

Well it is around 3 AM, and I can't sleep....

I woke up around 2:30 with another headache, and took Excedrin Migraine this time... even though I was told not to, because the addiction to the caffeine was not a good thing, and now the Aspirin that is in it is not a good thing as well, but the headache was not a good thing either... So you have to weigh out the pros and cons... and since non or the medical experts have decided to help me... or let's say their staffs, well you are kind of left on your own...

But I am hoping that will all change...

Speaking of medical doctors.... let me mention one that I would like to add my opinion of to the Internet...in case anybody out there happens to want to do a search on him....

His name is Dawkins, and he is from Benson, North Carolina... and if anyone is considering going to him, hope that you aren't a senior citizen, or you don't have more than the run of the mill flu or cold... My Mother and Father went to him... thankfully he is now going to a practice that has it's "limit" of Senior Citizens or Medicare patients, so lucky for the ones that haven't gotten in yet are going to see Dr. Dawkins...

The guy will not diagnose anyone with something, unless he can have a hard cold diagnostic test to back him up... and if he doesn't, well the ailment of complaint goes unaddressed..... That isn't to say that he doesn't attempt it... oh yes he does, but if he doesn't get "that" positive diagnostic test, and the patient doesn't want to look further...well, all the better for him... Let's just drop it... Now, I can say, albeit weakly, in his defense... he is in a rural, very conservative area of North Carolina... you know one of those areas that are left ignored by modern medicine, yet sings the praises of having an institution like DUKE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL at their disposal... but fails to realize that a lot of the residents don't have the means or financial fortitude to get to that hallowed institution, a mere 60 miles away, for treatment... especially if they are elderly, except for the grand old people that have the big Chevy's and some left over riches from the glory days of tobacco.... But I digress, but rest assured, I will get back to that...

Let me give you an example of maybe two or three of his habits.... My Mother was having headaches and pains in her eyes... Now my Mother suffered from migraine headaches a good portion of her life, so she could tell one headache from another....they weren't migraines.... and her eyes definitely were a part of the problem....his suggestion.... he wanted to have her get a biopsy of a blood vessel in her temple... My mother called me rather concerned about this, asked me to call him, and get more details of this procedure... so I did, got the name of it...and looked it up to do more research for her....I believe it was GCA that he was looking to diagnose this time.... I spoke to her, spoke to him, did some research, and well told her not to jump to any conclusions... I did then refer her to an opthamologist who diagnosed, shingles in her eye. Of course first he had to scare her with GCA, and I have to tell you, I spoke to the man, and he wanted her to have this biopsy done... he did not say to, that he wanted to rule out other things first... Well thankfully, because we said no way to the biopsy right now... he had no other choice... The next was when she was diagnosed with an over active thyroid... Did the very thorough and efficient Dr. Robert Dawkins find this condition with a simple blood test... no of course not, it was picked up by an oncologist, who did the prelim nary blood work because of weight loss, (mind you, my Mom was never on Chemotherapy, and her treatment from the Oncologist was not really needed, but he did take on her case, out of Duke University Hospital... Amazingly, he finished his time with Duke and went home....unfortunately rural Eastern North Carolina, in need of good doctors lost another one....But they still have Dr. Dawkins... get my drift...) Again I digress... anyway, the preliminary blood work was sent to Dr. Dawkins who didn't get it... (imagine that!) and he by way his trusty assistant Nina, proceeded to tell my Mom that she was losing weight due to stress in having to deal with my bed ridden Dad, who was suffering from dementia and loss of his left side from stroke. I might also add that Dr. Dawkins was ready at any moment to put my Dad in a nursing home, so that he wasn't such a strain on the family... but I think I went through that back at the beginning of my Blog... In fact, even after they received the lab report stating that Mom did in fact have an over active thyroid... they wanted to do their own blood work first, and made he make an appointment to come in for the blood work...!!! No mind you, my Mom had Rheumatic fever as a child, which can leave that person with a weakened heart, as can an over active thyroid... but, never fear, Nina and Dr. Dawkins are here.... Lest I remind you...there were blood tests done to confirm that she had an over active Thyroid...not to mention the 40 pound weight loss of an elderly woman in her late 70's...the next step was to refer her to an Endocrinologist, which of course she had to travel over 40 miles to go to... because in this great country of ours... people who live in rural areas such as Johnston County North Carolina, do not have access to specialists... the elderly who do not drive, have to travel a minimum of 30-40 miles to see specialists... but after all they have one of the greatest teaching, medical institutions in the world at their disposal. And not to carry on this entry too long... most recently... my sister and I have both noticed that my Mom has aged, physically very fast over the last couple of years... We look at pictures that were taken less than 3 years ago, and she is a completely different person.... She has become rigid, frail, she can't seem to make herself move, she is weak, shuffles, when she does get going, she can't always get herself to stop, and most recently I have noticed tremors... Mind you this is what I have picked up when I get to see her, since she live over 500 miles away. What does the oh so astute Dr. Dawkins tell her... that she needs to do more walking, that if she doesn't use it, she will lose it... (what a diagnosis, sounds like a sneaker or athletic drink commercial... I bet they got that from Robert Dawkins in Benson, North Carolina!!!! What a guy!!!!!) I think she has Parkinson's... now mind you, my Mom is going on 84 years old... So you say, well, she is old, come on...what can they do for her... the treatment is with medicine.... and side effects stink.. yea you are right, and surprisingly Dr. Dawkins didn't jump on this one... see then he could be pushing for admitting her to a nursing home...which I swear he must have a financial interest in...but that is another story, for another day... Remind me to tell you about Britthaven in Smithfield NC. One word... or is it two....HELL HOLE.... Ok, back to Mom... so she gets herself (with our coxing.....) a launch chair..., which she could have insurance reimburse her a substantial amount, maybe not substantial for the likes of Robert Dawkins... after all I am sure he is in a tax bracket my mother couldn't think of...and he probably doesn't have a lien against his house because of his spouse being in the HELL HOLE, I referred to earlier, but a lot of money for my Mom.... So, we ask him for an Rx for the chair, in an attempt to get some reimbursement... what does he give her an Rx for... "fatigue and weakness". This is a doctor, or so that piece of paper on his wall says he is...

So there you have it, and hopefully, if anyone does a search for Robert Dawkins, MD, they will find this.... I can only hope, because, this is the only way I have of letting others know, not to make the same mistake my family did.....