February Missions............

February is the month when I get all my medical stuff taken care of.

I am still harboring the cold and luckily, today was my doctor's appointment for what is now called, "The Medicare Well Check."  Two pages of stupid questions to answer, one of which was; "Do you suffer from any sexual dysfunctions?"  With choices of :Often", "Sometimes", I decided to be a smart a** and in large letters wrote, "NA".  HAH!  Got my weight, blood pressure checked, and all meds renewed and then the doc came in all aglow about my blood work.

I decided to throw him a curve, because I love to do that.

"These blood tests don't really show you much, do they?

"Well......."

"I mean, they wouldn't show if I had a cancer cell growing somewhere.  They wouldn't show if I had congestive heart failure.  Not just these normal CBC tests.  You would run a more specific blood test then.  Right?"

"True, but we have found a certain significance if someone were starting to have a kidney failure, on the kidney function blood work."

"SO--do I have to go through this torture twice a year?"

"Okay--in your case, these blood tests show nothing--that's true, and you probably only need them once a year--unless you start feeling unwell...something like that."

"I have a couple of questions I need to ask, so you gotta give me more than five minutes."

"I always give you half an hour, Judy....although most of the time we don't need that long."  He smiled.

"Okay--I still have this cold,  Can you check my throat?  It's still sore."  So he did and it was red and inflamed.

"I can give you something to help that, if you will take it."

"Okay.  Now--in August your office girls said I was too old to get the preventative low-dose CT scan of my lungs.  I called Medicare and they told me, "once a year, between the ages of 55-77, for ex smokers, or current smokers, who have smoked at least a pack a day for 30 years."

"How old are you?"

"Seventy-seven."

"I thought the cut off was seventy-five."

"I know you did...that's why I called Medicare."

"Okay, when will you be seventy-eight?"

"In June, so I'd like the referral paper work so I can get it done now."

"Okay.  Anything else?"

"Yes, I also need a referral paper so I can start physical therapy on my neck and shoulder.  I have put it off way too long."

"Okay.  Got it.  Anything else?"

"Yes.  Do you use those new Colo-Guard hemaoccult testers?"

"How long has it been since you've had a colonoscopy?"

"Never and I'm not going to start now.  Those testers come in the mail and you mail the sample back to the lab.  They test the DNA for cancer cells.  I'm all into DNA testing."

"Okay.  I'll fill out the form and you'll get it in the mail.

"Anything else?"

"Yes--do I need a mammogram every year.  Last year they told me I am at very low risk assessment."

"You don't need to get one ever again--unless you want too.  You don't need PAP tests anymore either."

"Good because I haven't had one of those since I turned seventy."

"You're doing great!  Anything else?"  

"Yes--can I still come in every six months instead of the four month check-in you like for your......what do you call us?  Oh yes......seasoned citizens?"

He laughed.  "Yes.  Six months for you, but you have to promise...if you have a problem...get in here."

"Okay.  I promise."

"Yeah, I bet.  You'd wait three months to see if it went away and then you'd come crawling in here and expect me to cure you.  By the way, I noticed your tremors seem to be worse.  In both hands now?"

"Yes."

" Do they interfere with your normal daily functions?"

"Yes.  I have a hard time brushing my teeth.  I have a hard time moving the computer mouse and getting the cursor in the right spot.  I have a hard time eating with a spoon, a hard time doing my crochet or cross stitch, and a hard time writing anything."

"I can give you something to help that.  Inderal."

"Okay, let me think about it.  That's also used for high blood pressure, isn't it?  A beta blocker?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm on a beta blocker now and sometimes my blood pressure gets too low as it is and I have dizzy spells, so.............I think I'll wait on that."

"Okay.  I'll get a script for your throat.  Prednisone.  That will get you well quickly."

"Wait...wait...that's a steroid and I don't like them---they aren't good for my heart."

"You are only going to take it for five days.  That inflammation isn't good for your throat either!"

"Okay."
=========================
So I stopped and got my Prednisone--ARGGH--he said to spread the three pills out over the day, taken after a meal and not to take it too late or it would hinder my sleep and "Be sure you take all fifteen pills, even if you start to feel better."

Other then the CT scan, the colon cancer stool sample and starting PT, my February medical needs are taken care off.  

So--I am healthy as a horse ( my father's ancestors are credited for my good genes) healthy as a horse, but still when I talk--I still sound like a horse--a hoarse horse.  

I'll see how good these dang steroids work!!!