Tyler TX Directory

Vein Center in Tyler Texas

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:54:49 +0000

I recently had two procedures done on my leg to remove varicose veins. The first procedure was the Endovenous Laser Ablation which heated the inside of the vein causing it to close. The second procedure was the Ambulatory Microphlebectomy which some veins were removed through small incisions.

The Vascular Specialists of East Texas is located on Idel Street near Trinity Mother Francis Hospital. When I had my first visit, I was a little nervous. I watched some you tube videos of these procedures and it made me a little scared. Dr. Robbins made me feel a little more comfortable about the procedures and let me know that I would be walking around right after the procedures. An ultrasound was performed on my leg and a few weeks later I came back for the procedures. I am a nursing mother and felt unsure about taking some medications. The Dr and staff were considerate and allowed me to not take a pill that I was uncomfortable taking.

During the procedures a few things went wrong. The facility did not have non latex gloves and I am allergic to latex. I told them before they started that I’m allergic to latex but Dr Robbins and his staff used the latex gloves anyway. He did ask me what kind of reaction I have and I said usually a rash and very itchy. Another thing that went wrong was during the Microphlebectomy a small vein was either left partly out of the incision or it somehow came out. I didn’t know this until I removed the bandage a few days later and that vein was stuck on the bandage.

The Dr must also work at the hospital and was relaying info to someone who was on the phone with the ER during my procedures. But while he was talking he didn’t take his eyes off what he was doing during my procedure and he was very focused. I watched during a part of the Endovenous Laser Ablation and then decided to look at the ceiling. Yes, I was awake during both procedures. I would rather be awake so I liked that part. Dr Robbins numbed parts of my leg around the veins. It didn’t hurt. I only felt a tugging sensation during the Microphlebectomy. The laser procedure went great and I am happy with the result from it.

The recovery was harder than I thought it’d be, mostly because it was so itchy the next day. I took some Benadryl and that helped. I probably should have brought my own gloves or refused to let them use latex gloves. Taking off the bandage was painful because a small vein was attached to it and I had to pull it off. The vein mostly went back in the incision and just left a tiny pink bubble which turned to a scab. There was a sore tight cramp in my thigh which was expected but it wasn’t too bad and eventually faded away.

When I had my first follow up visit, they said I didn’t have to pay for that visit. It went well and the blood flow in my leg looked great. I had one more follow up visit and the ultrasound showed that the blood flow is good. It was a success.

The procedures are pretty pricey and I received a few bills in the mail even though I paid in full at the check out desk. My husband was upset because it seemed like they were charging us way more than they told me in person. Apparently the bills were accidentally sent to us and we don’t owe any more. Phew! They did try to charge me for the visit that they told me was free and I told Mary at the checkout desk that I thought the Dr wasn’t going to charge me because of the vein that was left hanging out. She put a note on my papers and I received a call later and was told that the Dr didn’t mess up on my leg and he was just being nice and not charging for that visit. I’m thinking Ok, whatever, as long as I’m not charged anymore.

I left them a box of non latex gloves in case someone else is allergic to latex. I really am shocked that they didn’t have any.

I think over all the Vascular Specialists of East Texas in Tyler were good and I’d go back there again if I needed too.

Heating Repairs in the Baby’s Room and a Frantic Mother

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:33:58 +0000

When working in the HVAC industry and in most construction related industries the company must work with customer schedules. This scheduling problem is typical and comes with the territory but sometimes the scheduling dilemma is a little more complicated than being there when the customer comes home from work.

There was a situation I recall having been told me by a previous heating repair technician at my old job where a baby was involved. The mother had worked out for the heating repair guys to come over and agree to work in between the baby’s naps. There was a problem in the baby’s room where not enough hot air was coming in to his room as was coming in in the rest of the rooms of the house. There were other issues with the system as well but this was the main issue at hand.

The technicians came over and began work on the heating system but just as they seemed to have gotten started working the baby was down for a nap. The techs had to pick up their tools and move into a different part of the house to work on something else until the baby was awake again.

You can probably see how this moving back and forth in between a newborn baby’s frequent naps could start to get old. The heating guys had to carry and lug tools around and in the process lose track of where certain items were at and what needed to be done next. The whole stop and start process created inefficiencies in the job and a lot of frustration with the HVAC company techs.

On a different day the techs came back to complete the job and they were hoping for a quicker more efficient time at the house in order to knock out the job once and for all. The initial problem of scheduling the job in this way in the first place is solely the responsibility of the HVAC company so they really have nothing to complain about as they had agreed to this setup.

What do you think they did to speed things up this time? Well, they needed to finish things up in the baby’s room by cutting a hole in the ceiling. They soon discovered while in the room that the baby wast fast asleep in the crib right next to them.

With not a lot of thought the heating repair tech’s decided to place a drop cloth on top of the crib while they cut away at the ceiling. They thought that this would be sufficient to catch any falling debris from landing on the baby while they finished up the job.

The mother ended up walking in on the job as a piece of sheet rock fell onto the drop cloth and on its way down into the baby crib. The baby was fine but the mother was more than just frantic as she got down right violent and through the two heating repair company guys out of her house.

The guys didn’t fight back and left peacefully but there is a lesson here for customers hiring any kind of construction company. Many construction companies will have their quirks and unprofessional behaviors and it is almost unavoidable to see something you don’t like during a job.

When choosing a heating repair company in Tyler TX consider hiring a company that has a professional code of conduct as a part of their business process. Take reasonable steps to schedule them to come to your house when there are no baby’s sleeping around the job site And finally choose a company that you believe will adhere to the scheduling arrangements you require without getting the feeling they are over-promising on how they will work while at your house.

No company is perfect but reasonable effort should be made to accommodate your specific situation. Accommodating customers is normal in the HVAC service industry so don’t be afraid to tell the company to park on the street while not blocking the mailbox, wear footsies in the house, and even to stay away from the sleeping baby (although consider moving the baby to another bedroom just to be safe.)

How My Gym Workout Went in 2011

admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:36:23 +0000

Wow! I can actually go into a new year without wondering if I should make a new years resolution to workout again. I have been working out over at Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports the last few months and I have seen some dramatic results.

For instance, when I started working out there I weighed 195 pounds but as of today I weigh 172 pounds all from doing the kick boxing group exercise class they have there. I learned a few fundamental basic fighting skills through repetitive action on the kicking bag. I have increased my cardiovascular system through running the undulated indoor track during the 45 minute kick boxing class. I have also managed to tone up quite a bit and put on some muscle pounds.

I am a male and so I managed to lose a lot of weight because most of it was a lot of pure extra body fat on top of muscle. For women you will not always see a quick reduction in weight in the beginning as you are building a lot of muscle while at the same time shedding pounds. This class is just as much for women as it is for men and often times there are more women in my class than men.

What is so cool about XTC is that you get to see a full spectrum of fitness levels working out with you. Everyone pitches in to encourage and lift up those around them. You only workout as much as your body can handle but over time you will find that you are able to push a bit more each time and will eventually be able to accomplish everything the instructor asks the group to do.

I personally must still cheat on some exercises as I really push myself about as far as I can on each exercise and so many times I have to simply quit before the instructor tells us to stop.

If you are like many of us who will be making a new years resolution regarding fitness and weight loss in Tyler Texas I highly recommend trying out Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports. They have over 80 group exercise classes a week which are sure to keep you on track with your goals. The best thing about these classes is that they are free with your gym membership.

What time does Carmike 14 Theatre Tyler TX Open on December 25th Christmas Day?

admin — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 17:07:29 +0000

Fancy you should ask that…it will be opening a little later than usual on Christmas Day at 11:30 a.m.

American Plumbing Company Satisfaction Guaranteed

admin — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:05:48 +0000

About three months ago my brother stopped by my house to borrow a book. Fortunately I was not at home because he and his wife were able to smell gas before even entering the house. Lacking an acute sense of smell I brought a couple friends who immediately validated what my brother had told me. I called the gas company but the gentleman who responded was unable to pinpoint the source of the leak. After about a thirty minute examination of the house he decided the only course of action available was to disconnect the gas. I would need to get a plumber to test the pipes and locate and fix the leaks before the gas could be reconnected.

Obviously some time was required to save up the necessary funds. So following several months of cool mornings and cold showers I finally managed to scrape together enough money to have someone come look at the problem. Now before disclosing the resolution of my tale, I should offer a bit of criticism of our dear inspector here in Tyler, who recently mandated that all gas plumbing be tested at a pressure of ten pounds per square inch, (p.s.i.), a very high bar considering the gas companies only provide their product at four p.s.i. The increased pressure actually creates a real problem for owners of older homes like mine. The higher pressure can actually create more leaks than would otherwise exist. Of course it could mean more work for area plumbers and local inspectors, but I’m fairly sure the high standards are merely a means of increasing safety, and not a city make-work program… right?

All this being said; after briefly speaking with a number of area plumbers, I settled on a good company. The guys at American Plumbing Company did a great job for me. They climbed under my house, diagnosed the problems, removed some unnecessary plumbing under the house, and fixed some leaks that were very difficult to reach. They did all this while I was on a tight budget, helping me keep track of the money I spent on labor and materials. Most importantly, they were honest, keeping me informed of everything they had done, and advising me on what they needed to do. At the end of a long day the pipes were fixed and I enjoyed the first hot shower I’d had at home in weeks.

For more information on American Plumbing Co. call their office at (903)592-5508. Customer satisfaction is guaranteed.

Related websites related to gas leak repair: Heating Repair in Tyler TX

Collin Street Bakery Lindale Now Open

admin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:01:12 +0000

Collin Street Bakery Lindale TX has a good variety of old fashioned homemade cookies to choose from.

Kids get a free cookie of their choice which makes it a nice stop.

This bakery is famous for their fruit cakes. A little fruit cake will cost you around $20 but they are good.

Most fruit cakes I have had are disgusting but Collin Street Bakery gets it right on theirs.

Some of their cookies are great while others taste like they were made using shortening. In case you don’t know, cookies made with shortening are disgusting.

I recommend buying a variety of cookies there and you will discover the tasty ones from the not so tasty.

Let’s Cook was a Really Fun Date Night

admin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:51:57 +0000

I decided to schedule a date night for my wife and I at a new business in town called, “Let’s Cook”.

We had no idea what to expect but ended up having a really fun time. What I liked most about it was the ability to meet new people combined with getting to relate to my wife while cooking food together.

Everyone I know including myself likes going to the movies but you don’t get to communicate with your wife this way. Let’s Cook gives you many chances to laugh and experience many new things together with the one you love.

Unfortunately for many of us guys a romantic gesture that will please the wife doesn’t always come easy. I am one of these guys but I do get it right sometimes. Don’t fall for those diamond ring radio commercials for your last minute Christmas gift idea but go by Let’s Cook and schedule a date with your wife for their next date night class.

You will learn to cook some delicious recipes and will be surprised how easy it is. They will have some prepared food before the lesson you can eat but don’t eat too much as you will make plenty of food together to fill you up for the night. On our night we made several courses including dessert.

In summary, I was most surprised by the passion and charm added by the Italian chef for that night. His name is Al Ippolito and he is a chef, college professor, business owner, and has an extensive career resume. If you have Al as your chef you will not just learn how to cook but will get a great education on Italian culture and life coming from the son of two Italian immigrants from New York City.

Check out their date night page with photos and reviews

Beamz Play the Light As Seen on TV Gimmick

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:07:16 +0000

I saw this new As Seen on TV product called Beams. They have a little slogan that says, “Play the Light”.

This is a product you play by swiping your hand between two devices and when it senses the motion it plays recorded music.

Since your simply getting recorded music composed by someone else to play by karate chopping the air it seems simply stupid.

I would buy it as a Christmas elephant gift but it is way above the $10 gift limit for that. This total gimick of a music instrument will cost you $200.

I have a hard time believing this will be a profitable TV-Mercial product but the Fushigi Ball and I-Renew bracelet both totally proved me wrong.

Would you like a little free local business promotion?

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:26:16 +0000

We are always interested in real stories from local Tyler TX people about their favorite businesses in this town. Sometimes you may have a not so favorite business and we are just as interested in those reviews as well.

If you would like to promote a business we want to hear about it. Write up your best review in 4 to 5 paragraphs of the local Tyler Texas business you want to have featured on this blog and we will post it.

If we notice there needs to be grammatical and spelling changes we reserve the right to modify the article however we see fit to keep the quality of the website up to par.

Again please watch the presentation below and send us your review article of a business in Tyler Texas you would like to get the word out about.

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Farms in Tyler

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:38:16 +0000

“You go cut your Christmas tree!” “No you go cut it!” “No You!” “No You!” …”you!”…”you!”

This is not the conversation you will have at Plantation Pines Christmas Tree Farm but if you really want to cut down your own tree they have many standing available for you to do so.

I think cutting down your own tree is a great family tradition and if you don’t have severe allergies to Christmas trees like I do you should give it a try.

Many of us for different reasons prefer to not cut down our own tree but still like the idea of coming out to a neat family farm that grows Christmas trees and stretching our legs.

The Wiggins family owns this farm and are a nice family that really brings a good old family Christmas spirit to their farm whether it be by their friendly smiles and conversations, the dog that lays out on the porch, the rustic little cabin that has complimentary hot apple cider and cocoa available, the nifty Christmas nick knacks in the the cabin for sale, or the lines of Christmas trees throughout the farm to walk through.

There is a little playground area for kids, a hay ride, and different machines to pack away your Christmas tree in your car without making a big mess of needles everywhere.

You can also buy a stand for your live Christmas tree at an affordable price as they have everything you need. Unfortunately when we go I will have to go with one of their select few imported Douglas fur Christmas trees because I am allergic to the native Christmas trees available to be cut down by you or them.

If you haven’t tried the fun of a Christmas tree farm you really should give it a try. We have included a map to the Wiggins farm known as Plantation Pines below.