Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Good News…and a Big Duh!

Zephyrhills, Florida  (high 83, low 60)

We have our trip to the Keys planned for the 21st of this month, but I was beginning to think we would not be able to go.  We’ve been trying to get Mom healthier all winter, and she seemed to just be getting worse.

Mom has been having more of her “spells”, and we just couldn’t seem to get any answers from any of  the doctors.   This is the same complaint she has had for nearly two years and none of the many doctors could ever find a cause.  They see an 82 year old woman who is constantly ill, and they think she’s just getting older and likes to complain….(which is partially true).  However, she is having some major issues.  In the process of trying to diagnose her “spells”,  she ended up being diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, and a blocked artery in her heart.  None of the treatment helped her “spells” though.   She complained of pressure and a funny feeling in the chest area, extreme fatigue, weakness and her blood pressure would be all over the place.  The cardiologist swears it is not her heart.

Finally, I got to thinking that she should get her thyroid checked again.  She’s on thyroid meds and the dosage was changed a few months ago, but the thyroid levels were not tested again after the adjustment.

She found out yesterday that her thyroid level was “extremely low.”  Well DUH…..Why could none of the doctors diagnose this after seeing her so many times!!  Very frustrating,  however, we left the doctors office feeling great that she had an extremely low thyroid level!  A reason for her problem and now at least there is something that can fix it!   (knock on wood)

I know it will take a few weeks for the levels to come up, but we’re hoping it won’t take too long until she’ll start feeling a little better. 

 

In my morning blog reading, I read Paul and Marti's  blog about their trouble with their Verizon MiFi.   Paul said that he felt his account was hacked and they ended up with a lot of overages and extra charges. 

He did some research and learned that these Mifi mobile hotspots are extremely easy to hack.

When you first get the Mifi, you have to set it up and the instructions tell you to use the password that is on the bottom of your Mifi unit.  It’s a long number and I felt it was probably plenty secure unless someone could get a hold of the unit.  I never saw anything on changing the password, so we just left it alone, thinking we were secure.

IWe have gone over our monthly limits a few times and were very surprised since we don’t use it to watch tv, download movies or music, or play online games. 

This morning, the first thing I did  was change the password on our Mifi.  Unfortunately, Verizon doesn’t make it easy.  I could find nothing on their website on how to change the password.

I found a few sites online on how to change, it but the first couple made no sense , or didn’t work, for me.

This is the site here that  I found that helped me to change password.

Of course, when I changed it, I had to update the laptop and Xoom, but hopefully we will be more secure.

Thanks Paul, for your good information!

 

Tomorrow is the day for the new flooring.  I’m so anxious to get rid of this carpet.  Of course the bedroom will wait until we get back from the Keys.  Eight more days until we’re Florida Keys bound!

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12 comments:

  1. Some how I read their post but missed that part or maybe I read the wrong post ~ so thanks for the info... I'll be sure to check on our password. I love the Keys too but my husband not so much!!! So we rarely go ~ maybe I can stow away on your rig!!! LOL LOL Hope your mom is doing better soon!!!
    Have fun & travel safe
    Donna

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  2. Hope your mom gets to feeling better soon so you can make the trip.

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  3. We also have a Veizon MIFI and think we got "hijacked" last month! I saw Marti and Paul's blog last night...yours this morning and will definitely be changing our MIFI name/password. Thanks for the link!

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  4. I just don't get some doctors. The poor lady has suffered all this time. I pray that getting her thyroid under control will make her feel much much better!
    Don't forget to take a before and after picture of the carpet. I am really anxious to see how it goes. Good luck! ~wheresweaver

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  5. Wow, I'm surprised that they didn't want to check her thyroid level after they changed her meds. Not good huh? Take her to a vet! I swear!! Even they check the levels after meds! But at least it finally got figured out, so I hope she levels out soon.
    Eeeks, on the MiFi stuff! Glad I don't have it.
    Great on the carpet - it always feels refreshing to change things.

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  6. Karen we did the same thing after reading Paul's blog and David found in the manual how to change the MIFI network name, its password,and the administrative password. We too noticed some strange things since David got this (note that I don't like it for lots of other reasons)at the Tampa RV show.

    Keys in your future makes me SO ENVIOUS!!!

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  7. Forgot to say how happy I am to hear about your mom and how totally NOT surprised that you were more able than the doctors to figure out what the problem probably was. It's amazing how they just write off the elderly. My father has had fatigue and dizziness for a long time and it really has decreased his quality of life. He's been to numerous doctors none of whom have a clue. My guess is that's because he is 91. But his health otherwise - heart and everything are fabulous. Such a shame for him. Wish I were as good as you are at figuring out how to help him.

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  8. Hope she feels better. I'm sure it must be hard to not be able to be right there, but you have to live your life too. Do you have any other family in her area?

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  9. Glad to be of help. I am really getting to dislike hackers! (I'm already pi$$ed at Verizon)

    Have fun in the Keys, wish we were going there with you!

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  10. sadly her thyroid should have been checked within 2 weeks of the medicine change..:( I hate when they look at older folks as 'just getting old' have a blast in the Keys and I hope your mom feels better real soon...

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  11. I am so glad to hear you and your mother self diagnosed her problems again. Hope she feels so much better soon. Be sure and upload pictures of the new floor. Enjoy the keys . We need to get together when you get back.

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  12. It's such a shame that we all have to follow-up on our doctor's. We (or our insurance) pay a lot for good healthcare and we don't seem to always get our money's worth.

    So glad your mom may now be starting to feel better. I know you are anxious to get to the Keys. Hope this wonderful weather holds on. See ya soon.

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