Every Caregivers Is Sick But ME!

When the 9 1/2 hours was over and I was driving home from mom's last night, I called brother to give him an update with our mom. "Bro Jack, this is Bro Jeff, how are you?" "Fine, just got in from a golf tournament, been there all day and I am worn out!" "Whazup?"

I told him both Peggy and Ms Rebecca had terrible colds and Peggy was running fever and I told her to stay home away from mom. And since I was there and had taken care of breakfast, beauty shop, bank, bills, fixed her lunch, I was staying the evening. This was bound to happen sooner or later and we have to be prepared for it. Luckily, I had my Zeigler business taken care of and had my radio with me as well as my brief case and laptop and could if necessary do work from mom's house. Good show!

It was a long, really a long 9 1/2 hours as mom had only one speed and that is slow and slower. She has some Repetitive Motion Syndrome which makes it doubly hard for her to dress and get ready to go somewhere. But if you help her and uncomplicate her life and take the decision away from her, then she will move forward. Don't dare put two outfits out for her to wear and expect her to chose. She will never get dressed and you can forget about making an appointment.

But...she was sweet as ever, really an easy person to help and assist and really seems to appreciate your being there. She loves me like the little kid I was once in her eyes and maybe I still am? I read about Terri Schivo's passing and it brought the thoughts of my mom to me big time. She has some dementia that has taken away first long term memory and now short term. But she remembers the NOW. And if you are there to help her and love her, you too will share the now with her.

I don't know how many nows she has left and each day is precious to me. The family that stays away is missing out on a gem, a treasure, and it is like the story, "It is under the front step!" You cannot see it or hear it for all the complications in your life and you keep out the good and sweet things that would make your life fuller in every way. Find that special person in this world, right next to, that needs only a hand up, an encouraging word, a little support, and you, you will be the greater recipient of a great gift! Try it, you might like it!/Jeff

We LOST your MRI Film!!

I am so very upset this morning after yesterday, a trying day of trying to find an important MRI performed 7/02/02. I had to change neurologist recently as my Dr. Ford of 38 years retired back in November of 2004. He assured me all records would be secured either by the hospital that did the service or by a company called Iron Mountain that is the business of storing medical records long term.

The above is the preface to my story of my efforts to get copies of important tests to Dr. Swillie. He ask me last Thursday when I had an MRI last on my head as he did not want to repeat any tests I had performed recently. I left his office and called Healthsouth's Highlands Diagnostic Center in Birmingham about an MRI done back in 2002.

Now comes the interesting part. They switched me to records and Mary told me "Mr. Nutter, we have the doctor's written diagnosis of the last MRI but we cannot find or have lost the film?" I ask her if it could be miss-filed or did she have any answer to why it was missing. Mary said "We make copies for the doctors and our records show copies sent to Dr. Ford and Dr. Pappas and possibly Dr. Ennis." I told her I would call her back. Dr. Ford is retired, office closed so that is a dead end. I called Pappas and Ennis office and both said they had no records of the film? Dr. Ennis office said they had gotten a recent phone call (weeks, months?) inquiring about return of this film, but told them then they did not have it. Bottom line, I do not have a copy of an MRI, done with contrast, for a baseline for Dr. Swillie. What do I do?

It is the next day and I am knocking on the door of Highlands Diagnostic Center. I met two ladies at the front desk, and they have films from 1995 and the written copy I mentioned but no film. They repeated the story but this time saying doctors did not returned loaned copies as they are suppose to. I then ask that most important question, "But what about the original you keep on file for the patient?" "We may have sent this one to Dr. Ford by secure medical messenger as he was so good about returning film." The key one is MAY HAVE!

I thanked them for what they gave me, really no seeing anything additional I could do right then. I walked back to my car on their back parking lot, unlocked the doors, put the film on the seat, and sat down. Something was nagging me and I could not start the car! I called Dr. Swillie's office and they told me about Iron Mountain, the medical records depository here in Birmingham. I am not leaving, no I can't leave without pushing this issue while I am here. What is it they say about when preparation meets opportunity...I am here NOW!

I locked my car and back in the front door of HealthSouth HDC. I immediately see two women with owl eyes, not able to suppress their surprise! I would guess they have been on the phone with someone and now "he's back!" I went back up to the desk and politely ask to talk to, no see Mary, the lady I talk to in records. Mary soon arrived and we talked again about how the film may have come up missing. BUT she added that she had only been doing this for about 6 months and from the different hand writing and entries on the cover sheet to my records, this job has been passed around to several people. It appeared that over the last 2 or 3 years, several people have just filled in on this most important file keeping. She said their are procedures they go through when film is not returned in a timely manner. She admitted from our conversation that their were some ugly gaps in this job.

I was talking a little louder by now, questioning again what other steps they were going to take to 'make the problem' go away. The problem is ME! I suggested you can do one thing, and that is to do the MRI without exercising my Blue Cross card. They cannot blame the doctors when you lose the original which in my opinion should never be loaned out or leave the building for any reason. I told them there was an easy way and a hard way to take care of this problem. They can just read between the lines just as you are doing.

I called Iron Mountian Depository from HealthSouth HDC inquiring about this particular film to see if by chance Dr. Ford sent his ocpy to them when he closed his office. I will hear from them by Monday or Tuesday. When I hung up from Iron Mountain, I told all 3 women at HealthSouth, I would be back in touch if Iron Mountain does not have the film.

I walked out and would love to have been a fly on the wall before these #11's hit the sidewalk. I can hear the conversation with the legal department without even trying hard. News, of course, will be at 11:00. Jeff Nutter, Jr.

NICE! Too much LIKE me!

I open my blogspot this morning and there I am looking back at myself sitting here. Amie, you did a good, no great job of creating the "jeff" character.

This will now encourage me to do some writing when so inspired. I have been dealing with some neck pain that kinda gets your whole attention right now and makes being funny or incisive a little hard to do.

I was talking with a customer on the phone yesterday and he said I did not sound like myself? I told him I had just gotten home from the doctor and he had wrenched my neck around a little too much to my liking, but had to find what my limitations were. He went to his Rx cabinet on the way out and he gave me 6 magic pills for pain but warned me not to partake until I got home. If you will not tell anyone, I took one about 1/2 way home and was feeling pretty good when I pulled to the top of the driveway.

I apologize for rambling this am, but still not comfortable but felt an obligation to get something written this morning. Yes, Amie, I have my cup of French Roast Coffee and drinking it from a special cup. Karen and I were in Jackson, MS and had coffee at the CUPS, an expresso cafe. It too was a delicious memory! Karen was teaching a class for the bank in Jackkson, and I went over for a day and night to be with her the week she was away. That too is a nice memory!

I am sitting here this morning listening to my country music station and do enjoy it. I gave up on popular music when rap and that language invaded those stations. I too enjoy my classic music on PBS radio and jazz on UAB's station here in Birmingham. Diverse taste in music, yes!

Wish me luck today having an MRI on this neck this am at 10:45am. I am p***** off at one imaging company that did an MRI back on 7/10/2002. I called them to get the film or digital image for a baseline for Dr. Swillie and they cannot find it? Does this only happen to me. I will not go into detail of this as this will be the basis of another story, OK.

World, good morning! God loves me and let me open my eyes this morning. Thank you God and Jesus! Pain, I can take that, I can take anything. It makes me realize how alive I am! I am not getting up on my religious applebox this morning but each should thank Him in his own way of all they have, be it small or much. We are all blessed. Try counting your blessings on one side of a page and your woes on the other and you will be pleasantly surprised!

A wonderful Good Friday to ALL! Jeff "the new image" Nutter.

Michael is Mending Well!

I wrote earlier about my caregivers son getting shot twice. The woman who shot him, from all indications, was shooting to kill. You don't shoot someone twice, both times in the back and not have intenions of killing the victim.

The good news this morning is he is mending well, even went back to school a half day last Friday. Here he had been shot twice 3 weeks earlier and back in school. I told his mother yesterday that "God just did not want Michael right now. HE reached down and saved his life for a REASON!"

Peggy is really having a harder time dealing with this than her son. I know a mom gets emotional when you talk about possibly losing a son. She is back at work, and has been since Tuesday afternoon, and a welcome relief to me and Ms Rebecca who stepped to care for mom during her absence.

Peggy told me Friday afternoon, that I need to see the wounds on Michael's arm and back and chest. The first bullet hit the fleshy part of his right arm and passed through without hitting a bone or vein or artery. The second shot hit Michael right in the middle of his back and tansversed sideways coming out just in front of his left arm pit. Again, this did not hit an artery or his heart but went through his left lung and exited cleanly.

The miraculous part of this was the ambulance took him to UAB in downtown Birmingham where there is a trama unit to deal with this type of injury. The doctors were called to the ER and he was treated there, closed the wounds, Xrays, and inserted a chest tube to reinflate his left lung. This 15 year old was playing cards with his friends and family on his hospital bed two days later.

If you are ever ask about knowing about a miracle or hearing of one, you now have. I learned too, that Michael took the 38 revolver away from the woman keeping her from shooting him again. Is that not strength and courage! He is 15!

Edwina is in the county jail in Birmingham and will remain there until the grand jury meets on March 24th where she will be charged with pre-mediated murder. She had told Michael's mother the night before that she was going to find a way to hurt Michael's father who had left 2 weeks prior! Is that not premediated! Is that not planned!

Peggy has talked to the DA and the detective handling the case and she will remain in jail, and there has been a restraining order placed on her to keep her away from that family should for any reason she be granted bail. Her bail is set at $400,000 to make sure she stays in jail where she cannot hurt anyone!

Keep Michael in your prayers. He is doing well, will be able to resume normal physical activity in 3 to 4 weeks. After his last check up Tuesday, it was McDonalds, then egg rolls from his favorite Chinese Resturant then a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts and a gallon of milk from Bruno's. It looks like he will be OK!...Jeff Nutter, Jr.

Horizonal Files, My Life!!!

I cannot see the top of my desk. Bank statements, check stubs, receipts, Rx receipts, business cards, coupons, and on and on. What happen to this orderly person sitting at the computer this morning. Something has got to give here!


The keyboard to my laptop is in the middle of the mess and I cannot find a clear spot to put anything! This now has me depressed now and I have got to do something.
I will not turn on the computer this morning! I will turn on my radio and start sorting this 2 or 2 1/2 month mess. Now where is my waste basket.

Why do I save some coupon I will never use? 2 and 3 week old price list are shingled in with my paid receipts and unopened envelopes from Citibank that need shredding. Check receipts for my salary, recipts from my interest checks from the banks from the CD's I have. How did I let this get so high that pieces are about to fall in the floor? I really don't know.

My life has been in somewhat of a uproar the last 2 months and has just now begin to return to some simbilance of normalcy. I have migraines and they went crazy on me for a time that it made it hard to think. Then an old neck or whip lash injury flares up and it is in and out of the doctors office and 6 chiropractic visits that I am not sure made much difference. Then the primary caregiver for my mom, her son Michael gets shot, not once, but twice. I lose her services for 3 weeks and you can guess who fills in the blanks, oui!

I am not complaining, just trying to figure out where all my time has gone and where I spent it! Then Karen has her pinched nerve in her neck to give her trouble again, so it is taking her to and from MCE (Medical Center East) to see her orthopedic surgeon. She is better but not the best,,,at least not yet!

The phase that comes to mind right now is "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play!" That has been me the last 2 months or so. Hanging in there! Now where are my car keys? Jeff

15 Year Old, Shot Twice!

You and I read about shootings somewhere almost everyday. But rarely does it hit home with someone we know and care about. His name is Michael and he is mending but a very hurt young man.

Last Thursday I was taking care of my mom when my pm caregiver Peggy arrived. We talked awhile and I left to run some errands and home. Shortly after getting home, I get a frantic phone call from Peggy something about her son Michael getting shot. She said mom was OK for the evening and she was heading toward Birmingham with the ambulance. She said she would call me from the hospital when she knew something.

I could not believe a 15 year old, a very nice young man had been shot not once, but twice. Peggy called me later that pm almost 10:00pm and gave me some detail as she understood it.

Michael had gone to his 1/2 brothers home after school as they sometimes do. Michael's dad had married a second time and had another son, he named Michael. I sometimes have problem keeping the two straight as the older is called Mr. Michael and the younger is Sir Michael. The boys went to Sir Michaels home and his mom was drinking and talking bad about both of these boys father. It turns out that Michael Senior, the father, had left some 2 weeks ago and Sir Michael's mom was upset and mad at Michael Senior for leaving.

Now the evening before, Peggy and Sir Michael's mom were talking on the phone and she told Peggy about Michael Senior leaving and was he over there? No, Peggy told her! Now Sir Michael's mom spouted all kinds of venom about her husband and said she was going to find a way to hurt him. Peggy even said, knowing this lady, ask her if she would hurt her Mr. Michael. No, she said, I would never hurt your son!

Now the two boys are in the living room and Sir Michael's mom continues to berate Mr. Michael's dad, loudly, at both the boys. Mr. Michael ask her not to do this and really quote Peggy "Mr. Michael tossed his book bag across the living room and told Sir Michael's mom to shut up!" That was when everything went sour!

Peggy said Sir Michael's mom came out from under the sofa cushion with a pistol and pointed it at Mr. Michael. He turned to run and she shot twice, hitting him first in the arm and the second hit him in the back. Neighbors heard the gun shots and saw Mr. Michael stumble onto the porch or upper steps. They called the police and an ambulance and fortunately the EMT's realized how bad Mr. Michael was hurt.

There is a hospital in Bessemer but does not have a certified trauma unit. The EMT's stablized his wounds and took him to the trama unit at UAB in downtown Birmingham. This decision I am sure had a hand in saving his life. The chest and pulmanery specialist came to the ER and closed the wounds and did everything for him in the ER. He never went to an operating room. The ER at UAB is equipped to handle gun shot wounds and crushing injuries were time is the most important factor in stablizing these events.

Mr. Michael has now been on the surgery floor in UAB for over a week. He is so fortunate as the bullet punctured his lung and missed his heart by less than an inch. She apparantly shot to kill Mr. Michael! Peggy has been off all this time but has called me every day or so to give me an update on her son. I ask the reader to keep Mr. Michael in your prayers. He is slowly recovering from this terrible event that should never happen to a child. The woman that shot him is in custody in Birmingham. We do not know what she will be charged with at this time.

I hope I have not been too confusing in this writing as it is a little hard for me to keep the two or three Michaels straight in my mind. As time progresses, I will write additonal post as things progress. News at 11:00!