How Many Pumps of Hand Sanitizer Does it Take? ~ 11/12/20

… for Jilly to quit MSU. And for those who are not familiar with the acronym, MSU = Making Stuff Up.

I went for my dexa bone scan on Monday. I was apprehensive because I had an idea what the outcome might be but also because of … ya know … COVID. I also did not want to pay for parking but that caused no anxiety. Just a pet peeve.

I arrived 30 minutes early and sat in my parked car until 15 minutes ’til. That’s huge for me because my usual MO is 15 minutes early is 15 minutes late. I am wiggy about timeliness. I was all masked up with my own personal hand sanitizer which I used after opening the door despite having my paper towel which promptly gets tossed after a single use. I run around with a roll of paper towels and other assorted safety measures in my bag.

I walked down the hall to the imaging suite which I have been to many times before. There are circles six feet apart designating where to stand but since I was alone in the hallway, I went right on up. But the big double door entrance was closed with tape – BIG yellow X. To the right side of those doors, there is a single employee behind a card table with a make shift file folder set up. Appointments only he says. I confirm I am their 8:00 appointment. He asks some questions about where I have been and if I have any symptoms. He took my temperature and then told me to go in. Inside the place is barren. No end tables or magazines anymore. About eight chairs all spread more than six feet apart.

There used to be three people doing intake but the middle desk is closed too, just like the big double doors. Each open desk has plexiglass shields and only the small opening to slide your cards in and out. The holders for the pens had labels, sanitized or used. Same strategically placed circles on the floor to stand in while you wait for intake to be available. Since I was first, I went right up. Two more came in after me. Still felt safe. No one hacking up a lung. Even better.

The two who checked in after me, went in before me. Then a guy came in wearing his mask over his mouth only. Sacribleu! Pull your mask up man! I screamed in my head. I almost left because after him, even more people came in. Despite being apart, I want no part of people these days.

But before I could skeedaddle, they called my name. In the back, it was the same as before. The rooms are large and spread apart. My test was one of the easy ones. Yet dangerous as hell all the same/ Ask me how I know? Well FB of course. After my scan, the ads came rolling in for Algae Cal … some holistic non prescription bone density increaser. In the comments of that ad, someone wrote about lethal doses of radiation which is why they only scan one hip, not both. I remembered that from 2018 then promptly forgot. During the test, when I asked her why just the left hip? The tech responded doctors say they can get same outcome with one so they limit the patient’s exposure. Nice! I thought. But not anymore. After seeing that comment, I am never getting a dexa again.

Fortunately I was in and out as they say. When I left, I was directed to a single exit. Fire hazard much? Yep only one way in and one way out. All those extra steps yet I was on the road and back home before my 9:30 meeting. Bizarre. COVID may have made people more efficient.

Walking down the hallway to exit was surreal. The hall had started to fill up with masked up people as more places opened for business. All doing something similar in screening then limiting how many people could be in the waiting room at the same time. Fewer creature comforts. Like chairs.

I got my results the same day by logging into my health portal. ABNORMAL. Well duh. What else did I expect? There has been interval bone loss on the newest bone mineral density scan. I recommend continuing vitamin D supplements, we will need to repeat the bone mineral density scan in 12-24 months. We can discuss further at next visit on 16th or please call if there are questions or concerns.

And I promptly cancelled my appointment on 11/16/20. Yeah buddy. I am officially a mess. I will keep taking my vitamin D and go back in February for my regular six month check up. Regard repeat scans in 12-24 months. Uh no. See above. #neveragain!!!!

BTW the doctor misspelled mineral and density. I had autocorrect do its’ thang after my copy paste. Except on thing. I left thing as thang. Should I be concerned about her misspellings? Phrased another way, does correct spelling in medical records make one a good doctor? Why surely!! LOL. Now that’s enough. Silly Jilly.

As always, more to come.