stevenpiziks (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stevenpiziks) wrote2018-06-04 09:49 pm
stevenpiziks) wrote2018-06-04 09:49 pm
Entry tags:
The Last Doctor Visit
Last Friday, I finally got in to see the urologist. This was actually quite a feat.
Regular readers of this blog know about the major problems I had with kidney stones, problems that involved multiple operations with multiple urologists. For my latest procedure, I saw a new urologist who was closer to my house, but who I realized I didn't like very much. He--or his office--successfully performed a lithotripsy on me and said I should call to schedule a follow-up appointment. I never did, and they never called me, either. The breakup was mutual.
Instead, I went back to Dr. L--, who is nearly an hour away but who I like. If I'm going to deal with this shit, at least it's going to be with someone I feel comfortable with. I made an appointment so Dr. L-- could do the follow-up, but . . .
It turned out Dr. L-- had medical problems of his own and finally had to go in for major surgery. All his appointments, including mine, were rescheduled for six weeks later. Okay, I can deal. I only get little twinges of pain, and this is only a follow-up, so no biggie. When the rescheduled appointment came near, however, Dr. L--'s office called. He was still recovering, and could only see a few patients a day. So we had to push my appointment out further, to early June.
Well, that was all right. Still no major pain, and I needed to be on an annual schedule anyway. Every year, I need to be checked for stones, probably for the Rest of My Life, and its best if this happens in June. That way, if we find anything scary, I can have it taken care of over the summer, when it won't wipe out my sick days.
And so Friday arrived, with no more delayed appointments.
Here was where I discovered my blood pressure had gone down. It was 116 over 63. My heart rate was in the low fifties, as usual. Dr. L-- ordered an in-house x-ray for me, then walked carefully into the exam room to go over it with me.
While he was calling it up, I asked him about his own surgery. He seemed to appreciate being asked, and said that it had alleviated a long of long-term pain that had been getting worse and worse without him realizing how bad it was until it sent him to the hospital. Even doctors avoid going to the doctor! I asked him if he was a bad patient. "Teachers make the worst students, and doctors make the worst patients," I said.
He laughed and admitted he was a Bad Patient early on, but got better. :)
By now, he'd called up my x-ray. Two tiny specks showed up, one on each side. Dr. L-- said they could explain the twinges, but they weren't big enough to really block anything or go after with more lithotripsy. And so I'm good for another year.
Yay!
Regular readers of this blog know about the major problems I had with kidney stones, problems that involved multiple operations with multiple urologists. For my latest procedure, I saw a new urologist who was closer to my house, but who I realized I didn't like very much. He--or his office--successfully performed a lithotripsy on me and said I should call to schedule a follow-up appointment. I never did, and they never called me, either. The breakup was mutual.
Instead, I went back to Dr. L--, who is nearly an hour away but who I like. If I'm going to deal with this shit, at least it's going to be with someone I feel comfortable with. I made an appointment so Dr. L-- could do the follow-up, but . . .
It turned out Dr. L-- had medical problems of his own and finally had to go in for major surgery. All his appointments, including mine, were rescheduled for six weeks later. Okay, I can deal. I only get little twinges of pain, and this is only a follow-up, so no biggie. When the rescheduled appointment came near, however, Dr. L--'s office called. He was still recovering, and could only see a few patients a day. So we had to push my appointment out further, to early June.
Well, that was all right. Still no major pain, and I needed to be on an annual schedule anyway. Every year, I need to be checked for stones, probably for the Rest of My Life, and its best if this happens in June. That way, if we find anything scary, I can have it taken care of over the summer, when it won't wipe out my sick days.
And so Friday arrived, with no more delayed appointments.
Here was where I discovered my blood pressure had gone down. It was 116 over 63. My heart rate was in the low fifties, as usual. Dr. L-- ordered an in-house x-ray for me, then walked carefully into the exam room to go over it with me.
While he was calling it up, I asked him about his own surgery. He seemed to appreciate being asked, and said that it had alleviated a long of long-term pain that had been getting worse and worse without him realizing how bad it was until it sent him to the hospital. Even doctors avoid going to the doctor! I asked him if he was a bad patient. "Teachers make the worst students, and doctors make the worst patients," I said.
He laughed and admitted he was a Bad Patient early on, but got better. :)
By now, he'd called up my x-ray. Two tiny specks showed up, one on each side. Dr. L-- said they could explain the twinges, but they weren't big enough to really block anything or go after with more lithotripsy. And so I'm good for another year.
Yay!