Doh!
For decades, Billy Bob refused to get check-ups. Said he was healthy but then 2013 rolled around with back injuries and 2014 was the year of the fall. During the aftermath of the fall, doctors found something slightly amiss which would not have otherwise been known. Since then, he goes every year. Like clockwork. He never makes an appointment either. His doctor takes walk-ins. They open 9 to noon on Saturdays. He gets there at 8:45 and waits. Mr. Lucky is usually the 1st or 2nd person to be seen. That was his morning today.
Me? I have a medical team. PCP, Gyno group – doctor and 2 Nurse Practitioners, Dermatologist and Therapist. I schedule appointments a year in advance. I was seeing my PCP every 6 months for blood work due to some medicine I take but in 2016 she said I could go to annual since the tests have shown stability since 2006. I am sure we could have cut back to annual visits 5 years ago but I am a pseudo-hypochondriac. I am sure there are medical terms I should be using but stability will have to do. Even though my tests results are stable, I (my friends) am not :).
I’d go back to 6 month check-ups in a heartbeat to help with my anxiety but thank goodness I have monthly therapy. I no longer need the Gyno team. My PCP could handle all my needs but last year I had a scare and my PCP referred me anyway. I stay just in case. That way as an established patient I get right in. I do not want to go through what we did trying to find Lulu a doctor when she had her cyst last May. Established is the way to go.
On tap for me today – 3D Mammogram … yes I pay the extra $75! And a Dexa bone density. I had my last Dexa 2 years ago but since I broke my arm, they want another one to see if anything changed. I am not sure exactly why my left hip scan compared to an x-ray of my body will tell them anything about my left arm but apparently the comparing of scans tells them about bone health in general.
Me: why just scan my left hip?
Conrad: We used to do both but protocols changed when they realized same info from one hip.
The more you know.
I know they would not have let me leave if anything was bad. But, waiting is pure torture. If the phone rings Monday from STRIC I might come unglued. Ugh!
Feature photo is me in my paper shorts. Uh ya, I kept ’em. They were just going to throw them away anyways. No one else can wear these shorts after me. And, they are surprisingly comfy.
I asked Billy Bob to take my picture … ya know since taking too many selfies means you’re a narcissist! He just looked at me and laughed.
B: Did I ever tell you what I love best about you? You make me laugh.
Me: You better go back outside, you’re just encouraging me.
As always more to come.
J-Dub's Grin and Bear It 