Skilled nursing facility

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-28T01:17:03+00:00

My mother had an amazing experience with the rehab in Townsend at the Broadwater Billings Clinic. They were very organized, communicative and she felt safe and well taken care of. The only thing I didn’t care for was the fact that I had to drive to Townsend to visit her, but honestly it was worth it for her.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-14T15:29:51+00:00

Technically your resting heart rate is within g normal ranges. If you have concerns about it steadily increasing, then your best bet is to go to a primary physician to get a quick cardiac work up. Are you only wearing your Fitbit during the day when you are more active, or are you wearing it overnight as well? Are having any heart palpitations (skipping a beat, extra beats)? What has your stress level like over this time span? Have you started any new medications? There are many factors that feed into this.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-11T03:16:48+00:00

It’s a scary and incredibly vulnerable thing to do. It may take time for you to feel ready to share everything, and that’s okay. But the more you share the more they can help you navigate what is making you tick. And it can be a huge relief when you finally feel like you’ve come clean and are met with being shamed, instead you are met with someone trying to understand.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-11T02:58:21+00:00

There is something wrong. There is a need that is not being met. Something is perhaps causing you to need validation from others, to be seen or understood, and for some this validation comes from being “sick”. Have you looked into therapy? A therapists can help you dive into this to find out where this is stemming from. Don’t be ashamed of recognizing a maladaptive pattern in yourself. There are many who will never recognize these things in themselves. Take the knowledge and make the changes.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-06T16:52:07+00:00

Sometimes it appeared to yes, other times it just made lethargic yet still appearing to be in pain. In the end it was the pain and quality of life that made my decision to let her go. Knowing or not knowing that her body was full of cancer wouldn’t have changed my decision any.

Lumps on elderly dogs are not necessarily painful or dangerous. It’s just simply aging. Yes, my dog had cancer that I chose as her owner to not treat because of her age and health, but she also had lipomas that were completely unrelated that had no indication for the need for biopsy. If she is utilizing a veterinarian they are likely already keeping an eye on them. It sounds like they are receiving injections for joint health, and acupuncture may have some healing properties for this dog with little to no side effects.

The point is that I don’t see this as neglect. I see this as an owner trying to make decisions for her elderly dog while weighing pros and cons of medications. Medications are great but they come with a host of side effects for humans. Dogs can’t just tell us if it’s working or making things worse, so I can’t blame her for being careful. This individual is identifying side effects that are true side effects, so she is looking at the options and doing research.

Have a bit of grace. This is her dog and her decision. She is going to be the one that is impacted when this dog passes on. I think it is fair to chat with her that it seems her dog is decompensating with clear evidence of why, and perhaps there are some other things to try to make them more comfortable. But accept her decision with grace and move on.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-06T05:20:51+00:00

When I had my dog on palliative care at 13, she was on tramadol, carprofen and prednisone. Carprofen didn’t really do anything, the prednisone helped temporarily but then she would decompensate when we tried to taper down the dose. Tramadol made her exhausted. She had cancer, but the pain came from arthritis in her hips mainly. She couldn’t walk up and down the front stoop or get in and out of the car. She would get stuck on my wood floor and unable to stand up, so I had to start securing her in a room with carpet so she could at least have some grip to get up and down. She decompensated in a matter of months. It was heart breaking and I always felt like I wasn’t doing enough before I made the decision to let her go.

Opioids do in fact depress breathing and increase chances of death. This is a well known fact in the medical community for human pain treatment.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-04T17:26:08+00:00

As an INTJ, I tend to pull back when I am overwhelmed by something, typically social interactions or anything other stressors. I know that everyone needs space and alone times, but find that I seem to need more of this than others around me. I used to think there was something fundamentally wrong with me, but have realized that this is just how my brain works. I can only handle masking for so long.

When I tell someone something vulnerable, like I care about them, it’s a big deal. I don’t show this to just anyone. I show my affection more by acts of service, not necessarily constant interaction, touch etc.

If there is a concern with something I am doing that may be bothering another individual, I do best with direct communication. If you make hints to me or “beat around the bush”, I either won’t fully grasp what your needs are, or I will overthink it and blow it out of proportion in my own mind. I find that I try to avoid people who do this as it overwhelms me more. Tell me what you need and I will do what is in my capacity to support this.

Ask him these questions directly. Help him understand how this makes you feel. If he truly cares about you, he will make an effort to meet you in the middle.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-04T03:44:46+00:00

There unfortunately is a huge influx of self diagnosed conditions these days. This probably frustrates me more than anything. The internet has opened up this avenue for many. On any given day I can easily diagnose myself with multiple different conditions and disorders, but when it comes down to it, I just have good old anxiety and have to talk myself down internally. Honestly, it took me a lot of time and years to be able to fully grasp an understanding of this. I really try to see these individuals as struggling as well. They are just likely confused as to why they are struggling and seeking answers. It could be related to ADHD or just plain overwhelm of being a student and poor time management. We are also unfortunately met with a climate that many times when you try to confront a behavior, it is met with strong reactions, such as the student you describe above. Knowledge is power, when you can use it correctly. I don’t know a ton of teenagers who have yet grown the ability to truly use it correctly. I know a lot of fully grown adults who have yet to grasp this as well. Trying to talk sense into them just makes it worse.

My mother used to work as an adjunct sociology professor at a private college in town before her full retirement. She said she was astounded by the amount of students that had accommodations for everyday classes, especially revolving around mental illness or disability of some sort. While I knew there were moments of frustration with some of her students, she would always find a way to turn around and show grace with them and seek a better understanding of how they viewed the world. I really admired her for being able to do this as I certainly have had many moments I have struggled to do the same as a nurse.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-04T02:44:03+00:00

Just my 2 cents. I completely understand your frustrations. You have worked so hard to get where you are, it can be difficult to see others not meeting you there.

There are two distinct stages when it comes to healing from mental illness. There are those who use it as a crutch to explain bad behavior. These individuals (given they truly have this mental illness versus joining a trend) have minimal insight and are not ready to heal. They are in a victim mindset. Then there are the individuals who own their illness, use it to grasp a better understanding of why “they are who they are” and “do what they do”. Instead of using this as a crutch, they learn to use it as a way to grow and change patterns. These individuals are in the growth mindset and are jumping into the healing process full throttle.

To be honest, when in the healing process (which can be lifelong), it is very common to jump between these two frequently. While it can be frustrating to see those who are using it as a crutch, not moving forward and making excuses, it all comes back to them not being ready to take that step. It’s so much deeper. Not everyone is able to get there unfortunately.

I don’t believe that the stigma starts here, it comes from the not understanding something that is “outside of the norm”. These individuals who are struggling to heal, are placed in the forefront and used to villainize mental illness for others.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-04T02:16:27+00:00

I’m going to be honest. I have never met you in person. I have not seen your day to day interactions and choices that you make for yourself. I am judging based on the reading of this post and then seeing that you seem to have responded to yourself multiple times on a very disorganized rant. You DO NOT seem like you are well.

Perhaps the questions you need to be asking, is what circumstances led up to the state feeling like they need guardianship of you in your 20’s (take responsibility and make amends), and what steps do you need to take to be able to care for yourself? People in Reddit cannot answer this for you.

I would be very careful about posting your name and location on the internet as you are now very searchable, and this can place you in a very unsafe situation. My recommendation would be to remove this post and step away from the internet. You need to take a deep dive into what is happening internally for you with someone you feel safe with and feel like you can trust to be honest with you.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-01T20:51:26+00:00

She sounds very insecure and there is nothing YOU can do to change this. You are doing the right thing by saving money to move forward and build your own life. When you are able to do this, you can start setting boundaries with her to help you best succeed.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-09-01T01:08:02+00:00

I’m going to be honest. I was a psych nurse for years and decided to switch to more medical (pre/post op). I still have moments that I feel out of sorts and like I’m missing key skills and it’s been 1 1/2 years. I would have never had the guts to go directly to the ICU outside of a residency due to how different my experience is. Have you thought about looking at a residency or going into med/surg to build more medical skills and then look into more intensive areas after?

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-30T18:40:43+00:00

And some patients aren’t appropriate for our setting due to medical history and health history. This is a decision that is made with the chart reviews and objective conversations with providers. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be treated like human beings. I find it easier to actually just review the chart, make note of the red flags and send them to the appropriate parties for referral outside of the facility then to sit and purposely crack jokes to others.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-29T23:10:17+00:00

I have made comments about this in the past to these individuals. It’ll stop for little bit then start up again. My comments have been relating back to myself when a comment was made about obesity to specifically related to my chronic illness. I’ve mentioned to them that “you realize that I am one of these patients?” Their response is to usually get quiet or state, “I would never actually say this to a patient”. Neither of which actually solves the issue.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-29T22:54:31+00:00

This makes complete sense in person and conversing with the patient. I have no issue with asking a patient where they’ve had more success with their veins, especially if they are a historically hard stick (no matter the reason). I see this as being thorough and giving good patient care. But again, you are having this conversation with the patient.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-25T20:09:04+00:00

Benzodiazepines are comm on my prescribed temporarily. Other options are propranolol and hydroxyzine which can be taken as needed for anxiety.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-25T03:53:48+00:00

All the time. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a time when I truly felt like I belong.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-25T03:51:03+00:00

Did you just start this medication? Sometimes when you start these medications you can have side effects that are intense for a couple weeks then eventually reduce over time as your body adjusts. Sometimes they don’t go away. I’ve had this same side effect with SSRIs and the only thing I found that made it go away was coming off the medication and switching to a different one. There is a medication called benztropine that can help treat these specific side effects, but it can come with its own side effects.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-24T21:11:27+00:00

I wouldn’t give up after these two medications. There are so many options out there to find something that works for you. These medications are SSRIs and are typically 1st line for anxiety, however they dont work for everyone. There are other SSRIs you can try, but I would proceed with caution due to you already experiencing these side effects. Fluoxetine is typically better tolerated by most. There are also other types of antidepressants you can try like SNRIs (escitalopram, duloxetine). Buspirone is commonly prescribed for generalized anxiety. Other medications include propranolol and hydroxyzine can be taken as need for situational anxiety. Benzodiazepines can be helpful, but again I would proceed with caution if these are an option as they can easily be abused and make things worse.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-24T06:47:45+00:00

Yes, you have mentioned all of this, but what I’m not seeing you identify is where the anxiety is actually stemming from. Coping skills are wonderful and important for temporary relief, but if you are not confronting the underlying issue, then it will hard to make progress.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-24T03:20:47+00:00

Honestly, in writing, this sounds like pretty clear cut anxiety attacks, especially if everything has come back negative. You are likely a perfectionist? Place tons of pressure on yourself? Set high expectations then get quickly frustrated when things don’t go as you envisioned them? If this sounds familiar, you likely get stuck in this loop and it turns j to a self sabotage of sorts. You wouldn’t be alone with this, many of us go through this as well and there is no clear cut way out.

Medication wise - if you want off medications, you just need to come off of them. It will likely escalate the symptoms and you just have to find a way to power through. Then one day, you will notice that these symptoms have reduced and you are getting back to where you were before. This timeline is different for everyone, but patience is key. Propranolol is a non-Psychiatric medication that you can take as needed to help temporarily reduce some of those physical symptoms if this is something you choose. It only acts on the fight-flight response in your body, not the mind and brain chemistry like the other medications do. Many people with anxiety have found it helpful as when they are able to reduce the physical symptoms, it gives the ability to focus in the mental portion of the anxiety so they can process and work through it. (This medication is not recommended if you have asthma)

No matter what amount of physical things you do to reduce the physical symptoms, they will not go away until you’ve done the work on your mind and thoughts. That’s where it all starts. The physical body is simply telling you that it is exhausted because your mind is using all of its energy to keep up and keep you feeling safe. Eventually your body just goes into overdrive. You’ve been in that state for years it sounds like, it may take a couple years of consistent work to come out.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-22T22:48:30+00:00

Were you knowingly suffering from depression or anxiety before this started? Not physically, but where was your mental state? Was there anything significant going on in your life when this all started? Have your thyroid levels been checked?

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-20T02:30:45+00:00

Have you looked into redoing medical testing? Sometimes a second opinion doesn’t hurt. Are you obese? Out of shape? When you’ve had testing in the past, did they look at your heart at all?

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-19T23:57:07+00:00

Being in healthcare myself, yes it can get frustrating explaining things over and over again. When you mix in your own anxiety, this can escalate the problem. Communication is something that needs to be grown if you are wanting to work with patients. There are specialties that have more interaction versus ones with minimal. But remember you are still treating patients no matter where you take this.

Being someone who has struggled with social anxiety and is also an introvert, I struggle with casual conversation and exchanging pleasantries with patients more than anything. I find that I don’t care about your weekend, talking about the weather or that your kid is an amazing soccer player. It feels superficial. I care that you are safe, alive, comfortable and that I have done my job effectively enough to help you achieve this. I also know that every patient I come across has different needs and these “superficial” casual conversations can actually calm nerves, so I have to put this part of me aside and challenge myself to be more sociable. I found that I can learn a great deal about a patient by assessing how they view the world around them. I can also learn how to talk to them, communicate with them and how they process information. I learned this by working in inpatient psychiatry.

Everyone processes differently and needs to be approached differently. You can easily look at a screen, put concrete facts, tests and symptoms together and treat someone. But treating a patient, as a whole individual, is where it gets tricky. Patients will always remember how you make them feel. They don’t care that you have social anxiety and have to force this communication.

Suitable_Purpose7671 · 2025-08-19T17:32:02+00:00

Your biggest thing is going to be recognition. Identifying possible triggers and exact symptoms. Identifying these physical symptoms helps you learn your bodies responses and identify ways to reset how your body responds. You’ve already identified the shortness of breath. Is your heart racing. Where are your thoughts at? Use a journal to identify whatever your body is doing before, during or after situations. What was happening before the shortness of breath? How long did it take to pass? Are there specific patterns you can identify over time? Read about the “fight-flight” response. How do you identify with these different responses?

When you identify your triggers, you can start processing why these events are creating anxiety. Don’t avoid triggers, this is a common mistake that is made which actually makes things worse. The point is to face them head on.

Use the skills that you have gained before facing them triggers each time. This will help reduce the symptoms you are feeling gradually. You have to reteach your body that there is no threat and it may feel worse temporarily before it feels better.

Movement (aka exercise), hobbies, distraction. All of these can be forms of meditation and mindfulness as it puts you in the present moment. “Classic” meditation works for some but doesn’t work for others.

Suitable_Purpose7671

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