Bad, bad Monday

I had my follow-up with my urologist, Dr. M, yesterday. While waiting for him, I started breathing like I did when I wound up in the hospital the last time. My CO2 according to yesterday morning's labs was 18, which is the lowest limit of normal but down from the 21 it was last Thursday. Thinking I might have gotten dehydrated at the RenFaire on Sunday even though I drank almost two bottles of water there and a full 32 ounces within an hour of getting home, I decided to try to get my fluids up. I had some water there at the doc's office, then I had some Gatorade after I got home. I started feeling better and my breathing went close to normal, so I think that was the problem.

As to the meeting with Dr. M -- I still have two stones, one of which is three times bigger than the other. He gave me three options: (1) do the lithotripsy again, (2) do a telescope and laser blasting through my urethra, or (3) do a telescope and laser blasting through my body wall. Option (1) seems pretty senseless. Option (2) is less invasive and has a reduced recovery time, but it is less reliable at getting the stones broken up and may be complicated by my crooked ureter (though the stint MAY help with that). Option (3) is much more reliable at getting the stone broken up but means I'd be laid up longer -- something that is not good when you have a muscle disease.

I've been pondering and thinking and considering and wondering. I don't know what to do. I want to be done with this shit, but I don't want to lose any more strength. I already feel weaker from the two hospital stays. Mom suggested that if I choose Option (3) that we make the doc order PT to come in and do strength exercises with me.

Then yesterday afternoon I called T-Mobile to find out why I can't send or receive any calls on my cell. The automated voice told me my account is suspended because I am over my spending limit of $150 a month. I owe them $163+change. Excuse me??? I spoke to a CSA who told me I'm 250 minutes over my plan minutes of 600 per month. WHAT??? I have never ever never EVER come anywhere NEAR using my 600 minutes, let alone going over by THAT much. I told the CSA that something that I can't conceive of has happened, that my phone never EVER leaves my presence because it is always attached to my wheelchair and NO ONE ELSE has access to it, that she needs to take the minutes off. She put me on hold and then came back on to say they can only give me a ONE TIME credit of 50% off the overage, which amounts to me still having to pay them $110.

I told her NO WAY am I paying for something I didn't do. She asked me to look at my statement online and tell her which calls I didn't make, but still the only thing they can do is take 50% off the overage. I told her they could and WOULD take off ALL the overage, and they could cancel my service and I would get a carrier with better customer service. I hung up while waiting for a supervisor.

I tried looking up my statement, but because my account is suspended, I can't access anything online. You know damn good and well my not-so-helpful CSA had to have known that. I called back and demanded a supervisor only to be told "they are all currently busy." My new and not-very-helpful-at-all CSA filled out a form to have a supervisor call me back within two to twenty-four hours. That was around 5:30-6:00 yesterday, and I STILL haven't gotten my callback.