Blog changes

Thanks to everyone who followed Training Because I Can! over the last nine years. This blog started with Addison's Disease, hypothyroidism and a crazy idea of doing an Ironman distance triathlon. My life has changed and so has this blog. I am using this blog strictly for Addison's Support topics from here on out. I hope to continue providing people with hints for living life well with adrenal insufficiency.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Rights to medical records in the US

This post might seem a little different than most of the latest. If you know me personally, you know that if something bothers me I'm going to 1) fix the problem using accurately researched information 2) tell everyone else about the problem and the solution.

Have you ever had difficulty obtaining medical records? In the United States, you should not have this problem. If you do, you can make a complaint. The vast majority of the time, a doctor should not withhold your records! You should always get copies of all of your medical records. You pay a lot of money to get them done and you are entitled to them.

From HIPAA's website. HIPPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”)).

Your Health Information Privacy Rights this is the summary, the easy to read version. An excerpt:
"Providers and health insurers who are required to follow this law must comply
with your right to…Ask to see and get a copy of your health records
You can
ask to see and get a copy of your medical record and other health information.
You may not be able to get all of your information in a few special cases. For
example, if your doctor decides something in your file might endanger you or
someone else, the doctor may not have to give this information to you. In most
cases, your copies must be given to you within 30 days, but this can be extended
for another 30 days if you are given a reason. You may have to pay for the cost
of copying and mailing if you request copies and mailing. Have corrections
added to your health information. You can ask to change any wrong
information in your file or add information to your file if it is incomplete.
For example, if you and your hospital agree that your file has the wrong result
for a test, the hospital must change it. Even if the hospital believes the test
result is correct, you still have the right to have your disagreement noted in
your file. In most cases the file should be changed within 60 days, but the
hospital can take an extra 30 days if you are given a reason."

Here's the SUMMARY
OF THE HIPAA PRIVACY RULE
put out by the United States Department of Health
and Human Services. The relevant information for obtaining medical records
is on pages 4 & 5 under "PERMITTED USES and DISCLOSURES"

Last but not least, if you have a doctor that refuses to disclose your medical information to you, you have the right to complain to the Office of Civil Rights. Here is a link to the fact sheet.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Busy July. Only 45 snow free days left.

Damn, once the weather warms up here there is so much to do and so many places to go. It's nearly impossible to keep up!

Instead of typing things, here are some pictures and brief captions.


Logging operations at the top of Lightening Ridge. Paul and I went out and ran part of the Grand Teton Races course on Sunday. It was Paul's longest run, 18.5 miles. He did great.



Me pretending to touch the electric fence on Mill Creek. This is a spoof on M's faux pas during the ultrarunning camp. Silly M, you don't touch an electric fence!



Coming up the Targhee road with the Tetons in the background.



Yep, we're rebels, we went right through this fence!




Me sweaty and resting after Sunday's run. It's the 7th time in 7 months that I have run from Targhee to Teton Canyon and back. Through the winter I was on the road. Luckily in the summer, I can hit the trails. I hate being on the road.



This is why I live here. Beautiful!



This is not why I live here. 7:30 in the morning in midJuly. 37 degrees is ridiculous! It got down to 31 degrees and ruined my string bean plants!!!!!!!!!!




Lisa Smith-Batchen (red shirt, black skirt) and her crew are amazing. Lisa ran from Las Vegas, Nevada, rested for 24 hours, ran the Badwater ultramarathon and then is summiting Mount Whitney. All in 5 days!!! She's amazing and has raised $300,000 for AIDS orphans in Africa. Does she look like she just ran 302 miles?!?!?! Lisa lives in Driggs.



The wild flowers are perfect right now. Indian paintbrush above.



I had to run/walk up this to get to the good stuff on Wednesday. Pole Canyon's power line road.



Me being a dork and trying to get a picture of myself jumping. It didn't work.



Only in Idaho would someone put the irrigation line over a dirt pile!



Allison has returned to town (thank goodness!) and we hiked up Table Mountain yesterday. Gorgeous girl with a gorgeous background.



Me and Allison acting goofy on the top of Table Mountain. The Grand Teton is to our left and the South is to our right.



Later yesterday evening, we went to my friend's house. Her dad's tractor is equipped to safely carry a baby (see the car seat?)! Good thing, he loves Pa and the tractor!!