Some observations on a very medical week

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If you’ve followed me, you know I had a boatload of doc appointments this week all smashed together. It’s over now (for the time being) but there were some takeaways.

Docs are regular people. They are not gods and do not know stuff for sure. Health protocols change and so do their instructions. After 20 years of dutifully taking 1200 mg of calcium daily, my doc advised me to downsize to 600 mg daily. She said too much isn’t good. What? That’s crazy! However, I will save money with that one just like I did when they stopped recommending the daily baby aspirin.

There are always more tests. I was recently diagnosed with a mild autoimmune disease. It’s not terminal, just annoying. It will not change my lifestyle but will make me crankier. However, they want me to have more blood tests to see if there are any “markers” for a more serious disorder. Remembering I have no symptoms except for dry eye/mouth, it all seems like overkill, but I had the tests.

Some things get better, and some don’t. I use an independent lab for my blood work. I’ve never been impressed with the ones associated with our big hospital campus. The wait is somewhere between “way too long” and “forever.” No ability to make appointments and you must wait for results from your doc. The independent lab does all of that – appointments, immediate access to results for the patient and they have friendly Dracula-type folks to draw the blood. At the doc’s urging, this last batch was taken at the hospital lab because it was “in the building.” Nope, had to wait and Dracula was grumpy (although very competent). The only good thing was that I couldn’t figure out how to check in, so I met two very nice women, and we chatted the time away.

Overall, nothing shocking or worrisome happened this week in my health status (unless the new blood work says something different). It all just sucked up a bunch of time. I’m retired and old. I don’t have extra time to lose. I have cats to annoy and naps to take!

To all my Florida blogging friends (Nancy, Marty, Dor and anyone else I may have forgotten — Pix under the Palms is the one I forgot), I’m thinking of you during Ian and hope he doesn’t visit you. Hugs

39 thoughts on “Some observations on a very medical week”

  2. I like this line “I have cats to annoy and naps to take!” Time speeds by too fast when you don’t want it to and too slow when you’re waiting on other people. I really intended to go for a physical in 2020 and then Covid changed my plans. Every year since then I say I’ll go, but have put it off. Maybe next year. My allergist’s NP says my blood pressure is too high which, years ago when I gave blood it was too low). I think it is a combination of work and the noise level which I endure all day long – one dog on the corner barking incessantly and one dog next door howling INSIDE the house incessantly under the window in the kitchen where I sit. I can’t do anything about the latter, but I did contact the Animal Control several times and then had the good fortune to run into the Animal Control Officer one day on the way to the Park. I’ve been driving to the Park to use my car as the colder weather and less driving is not good for it, but had taken my car in for service on that particular day as it was leaking oil. I had left a voicemail for the Animal Control Officer at 9:30 the night before and was pretty upset and I said it had been barking since I began work ten hours before. He said if it was barking he’d give him a warning. He must have done so as the dog is now kept in the garage and I can barely hear it – it had been out 24/7/365 (a Doberman that sounds like a seal). I also deal with a dozen or so calls on my landline which I need for work – the noise drove me crazy, so I shut off the ringer – inconvenient but less noise. Thank goodness the dog on the corner’s noise has stopped for the most part. I thought I’d lose my mind.

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      • It is a problem and thank goodness it’s cold out and next door has shut her window. It starts a few minutes after she leaves. The one on the corner was barking tonight – first time in three weeks. Owner is an idiot. Yes, I do need to get that done. I think the pandemic is not going away, so I will have to break down and just go.

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  3. I am trying my very best to be grateful for insurance and the fact that I have good medical care and perhaps complain a bit less about what it takes to keep up with appointments. That being said, it really does feel like there are more and more diagnostics at our fingertips and I have a real love-hate relationship with that! I am very glad you take such good care of yourself. It’s not easy getting older. I say that at least once a week to someone! LOL!

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  4. Thanks for the good wishes vis a vis IAN. Hope by the time he knocked on your door, most of the wind was out of his sails!

    Power came on yesterday at 4 pm. YAY! We are putting things back in order ~ laundry, dishes, internet inquiries, etc.. Only had to toss a few things like mayo and frozen peppers.

    We really dodged the barrage of wind, water, and waves. Very thankful.

    Call us the Artful Dodgers!

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  5. I completely agree, re: hospital-associated lab facilities. Even though our insurance provides for no co-pay at the private lab facility (Quest), my wife’s doctor always insists that she go to the one at the hospital, which like yours doesn’t allow for appointments. The wait time at that place is forever. I smell a monetary conspiracy here. I’m glad you’re finished with the appointments for now. – Marty

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  8. Glad you didn’t come away from those medical appointments with any bad news. I swear, as I age I feel like I spend so much more time thinking about medical appointments, results, my body falling apart, aches and pains – I suppose that’s “normal” but it feels “abnormal” ! Sigh. However, things could be a lot worse and I have danced around THAT too so now I’m just grateful to be here period. Sending you extra hugs………

    Love, Pam

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    • There were 5 vials of blood taken so I’m assuming 5 tests. The first one came back normal. Yay. Four more to go. Yes, I agree with you. I long for the days I had one doc apt a year and that was my routine gyn. Back then you didn’t do annual checkups to search for something. I’d much rather spend my money on pretty things or cats!

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  12. I usually only see my doctors once a year. This year I went twice to my doctor because she wanted to discuss the blood work. Was a silly visit. She could have told me what she wanted me to know with a phone call. I will see my dentist twice because I have a cavity that was found when I went to have my teeth cleaned. For an old broad, I am quite healthy.😸

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  14. I got tired of doctors trying to give me meds for things that cause worse side effects than the actual health issue. I’m now seeing some practitioners who do alternative healing. The jury is still out. Not seeing results yet (they say it takes a while). But I’ve been driving all over suburbia getting to these people. I understand the frustration of these types of appointments. Hopefully, all turns out well from the bloodwork and you don’t have to be on life-altering side-effect drugs. 🤪

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  17. That’s interesting news about the calcium. I was told to take 1200 units too…wonder if that will be different at my next appt in November. Way too many doctor’s appts as we get older. Luckily my doctor’s office schedules blood draws and I’m never there for more than 10 minutes. I have the world’s easiest vein to tap. The last time they took blood they told me I could bring that vein back anytime.

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    • I used to be a “hard stick” but they have been using a butterfly for the past 10 years and it’s easy peasy. My husband is like you. It’s like a faucet! The doc was my endocrinologist for my osteoporosis (a specialist for everything). I’m curious what my gyn will say when I see her next year.

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  18. It seems that the older we get, the less patience we have. I guess I’m pretty lucky that the place I can go to for lab tests is really good about scheduling and since mine are always fasting, I always pick a day I can get in right after they open, which is 7 AM. I had x-rays just today to learn that my jaw is fractured in two places from a fall I took three weeks ago. Now I wait until my doctor gets that report and tells me what’s next. Most of the places around here make those reports available to the patients online. Anyhow, glad you got through it all and hopefully you won’t learn anything devastating from whatever else you’re waiting to hear about. I also hope you’re going outside and enjoying your deck while the weather is cooperating.

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    • A fractured jaw? Yikes! That sounds painful. The lab I use is easier for apts and quicker with the info. I expect eventually I’ll see the results in the patient portal. Weather is cool but I’m not complaining.

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