Met The Doctor in Meeting Mr. Jesus Christ

Made my appointment, prepared with all the latest lab work to hand over, not really knowing what to expect, trying not to expect anything but being clear-minded enough to maintain a rational conversation and making sure to ask the three-hundred-thousand questions that have run through my mind, keep in mind I've had 23 years to prepare for this appointment.

Doctor is efficient. I like that. He's swift, normally I'm good with that, but we are treading on some new territory so I really did need him to slow down a bit. He's so dog gone chipper I'm not sure his metabolism can gear down any. He's almost too young to be a real doctor, but just old enough I knew he wasn't friends with Doogie Houser. The only qualification he bore was the white coat with the pencil holder in the breast pocket and a prescription pad he pulled from the hip pocket.

The business end of the meeting was intense. I was prepared to talk about the Hepatitis. He had many other illnesses on his check list, my normal nausea rising now as a result of emotional discomfort as he checked my "yes, yes, yes" off his long list. There are things to rule out, by nature of association and the decades, the blood work form with 34 different tests evidenced that need. To my surprise no standard tests. I guess either blood is good or it isn't, and too, he has copies of all the basics which were recently completed by my primary.

A symptom of concern is what the doctor kindly called "confusion". Yeah, that is a nice way of saying can't remember what I'm saying as the words come out of my mouth, total inability to organize effectively, and most irritating what I have been passing off as the result of concussion, a progressing dyslexia and speech impediment. I have a friend who calls it brain fog. I didn't think she was serious, but turns out she was. So, does this mean my brain is rotting away? Who knows, just as long as I have some left when this is all said and done.

Moving on to the photo shop end of things we talked of personal matters above and below the waist, soon enough forms filled out to have Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, an Ultrasound with Doppler of my abdomen were completed.

I asked about biopsy. That's coming soon enough, but the picture test results and several specific blood labs need to come back first. Biopsy is the one test I don't care for. There aren't good drugs to dull the pain, sometimes something to "relax". Trust me, relax is not on the books after you've had one liver biopsy. They hurt like sin, however briefly, scare the skin off you at the moment the needle snaps into your body, and if all doesn't go well (which I've experienced several times) it becomes a bad day, fast. So, I'm not gonna give much thought to the biopsy until the day it happens.

The up side according to the doctor is I MIGHT be a candidate for a newer, less evil treatment modality, depending on my genotype. I've sworn to work on a positive mind regarding this new stuff, because I'm NOT a person who trusts big pharma. New drugs to me = lab rat. I'm inclined to go with the evil old tried and known than risk finding myself glowing in the dark one night. So, attitude workout in the making. Really. I'll try.

The other thing is this "exciting new drug" won't be available for a while yet. Sorry but I had my sights set on getting on to dealing with this and being on the other side, what ever that looks like in the end. Now I have the obligation to consider options, always, there are options. Only joking of course, heaven forbid there be only doctor decisions and drug companies.

In summary, the appointment really did go well. I think the doctor is going to work out okay, though he still has the bedside manner test to pass. The true bonus in all this, considering this was day one, is my next appointment after all the tests are completed is the same day as my original appointment had been scheduled. All in all things are moving along swiftly, which is a bit uncomfortable, but I'm gonna roll with that. The option doesn't look nearly as attractive.

So, the visit wore me out completely and I suppose "the unknown factor" has put my humor back in perspective, you know better to laugh than freak out, plus I get to stay up really, really late tonight and have dinner at 2 a.m. because I have to be NPO for my blood work tomorrow which is being done at 2 PM....just before I visit the orthopedic surgeon.

I'm looking forward to good news at that appointment.

Out