This is as close as AI & I will get with an illustration for today's adventure, I think - even if I can't quite figure out which rubber tube in the image goes where and does what... ;)
Anyway, once again I had to get up early for a walk into town to my primary health care centre, this time to see the doctor and get the results from my blood tests last week, and discuss whatever else might need discussing. (A standard check-up of this and that.)
As with all my health appointments this winter, I'd been worrying weeks ahead about what the weather might be like on the actual day. But so far this week the temperatures have stayed above freezing point; so there was no snow and ice on the ground today. Raining a little, but not much wind. So no problem walking into town as I usually do.
In the illustration above, there are two doctors, because while I was expecting a tête-à-tête with "my" doctor (whom I'd met once before, at a previous check-up 1½ year ago, and quite liked), this time he had a young medical student with him, who was to go through things with me, while the senior dr would just sit quietly in a corner and pretend not to be there (but listen in, and be at hand). "If that was all right with me"... And as I do realise that medical students do need to practice to learn, of course it had to be...
And yes, the young man was nice enough. He may well become a good dr. I just really miss the times when I had one and the same doctor for many years, and knew that she actually knew me. Since the last one of that kind, it's been a new face every time for a number of years, and varying routines. Some do a lot of talking and very little listening... This student, on the other hand, pretty much left all the talking to me! (Luckily, the senior dr had not been asleep in his corner, so he did provide further comments at the end about some things that I felt I had not really got answers to...) (Afterwards it struck me, though, that neither of them said a word about the results of my blood tests. But I assume that must mean they were all okay, and did not need discussing!)
As for my blood pressure, that tends to rocket as soon as I set foot in a dr's office (no matter which dr), and this time was no exception. Knowing that, I had actually checked it at home in the morning though, and then it was just fine. And they took my word for that.
Remains to be seen if they sorted out the prescriptions as discussed. (I trust the senior dr has to sign those, though, so no real worries.)
The good news (besides no bad news!) was that the senior doctor is a permanent member of the staff there now, and confirmed that I'm "listed" with him now.
Nevertheless, I hope I won't be needing any further appointments for a while!
13 comments:
Well, I haven't been able to see my doctor for a couple of years now. It is all nurse practitioners and telephone consultations at our surgery. Progress?
You seem to be successful with the AI picture generator. Me, not so much. I'll have to improve.
JayCee, sometimes one does wonder. Health care here too has been going in the "less personal contact" direction.
Duta, it's not easy figuring out the right instructions, especially with people involved. This was the only image that felt ok for with what I had in mind.
Goodness. Well, you know what they say...no news is good news. I assume if there was anything abnormal in your blood work, they would have told you. Our doctor puts the blood results up on her computer and goes over it with us. Well, anyway, good news all around, HURRAH!
I was going to say what Ginny wrote in her comment; no news is good news (when it comes to health-matters, mostly)!
My gynaecologist has retired; I was with him for decades and now have to find a new one for my regular checks. My eye doctor, thankfully, has remained the same ever since I switched to her surgery after I was becoming more and more unhappy and apprehensive about the old one. But last year she told me that she was thinking about early-ish retirement... no date given just yet, but sooner or later, I will have to get used to a new (set of) eye doctor(s)...
Ginny, my old doctor that I had for many years (until she retired) used to do that too (show me the results on her screen). However, now we can access parts of our records online, so I had a peek today, and the lab results do seem ok.
Meike, it's always a worry when one has to find (or just accept) someone new for regular check-ups/treatments, isn't it... (I.e. if one liked the old one.)
same thing is happening here in the USA. I have seen so many docotrs in the past 20 years i can't even remember all the names. i did start a few years ago a ledger book and write down bob and my doctor names and what for and when and diagnosis.
today we got to Bob's doctor appt at 7:00 and were told the doctor had taken today and tomorrow off and we should have gotten a text asking us to reschule, of course i did not get it or i would not be there. she made it for next tues. the worst part was. we got up early, ate early, walked beau in the black dark to make sure he had done his business, and then turned around and came home to wait to do it all agin next week. i would really be upset if we had WALKED there like you do. the office his doctor isin had gone down hill for hte past few years. I am trying to entice bob to another doctor.
Aw, sorry for you about that, Sandra. Reason enough to feel upset, even if I know you're early risers anyway (which I'm not). Health care here now tends to send texts just saying there is a message waiting in [a special app that you have to log into to read it]... I'm always afraid to miss those! (But on the other hand, messages sent by letter may arrive too late, as mail delivery is not what it used to be either.)
It does sound as though there were no problems with your blood test - that's good news.
Carol, there have been no alarming results from my blood tests in recent years, but I'm glad they keep checking every now and then, as one never knows. (Both my parents got diabetes 2 before they were the age I am now, for example.)
It's the same here with doctors. Unless we specifically request one, we just get assigned anyone and the fees are expensive here too.
Post a Comment