(long) Medical results; appointment with new MD

[Guest guest]

Feel free to delete if medical stuff is not your thing.

OK, med appt. I was a little apprehensive about seeing a new physician. Especially when there was a 30-ish fellow walking in and out of exam rooms . No white coat, though. The last thing I wanted is some kid I could have "borned" telling me I eat too much.

Now, I met Dr. U when I was 20 years old (1975), and except for the 3 years we lived 80 miles south of here, he had been my doctor all that time. When we met, I felt like an "insider" because I worked at the hospital, could speak medically, and of course, didn't have a weight problem. He was always polite, but distant, often terse; you never forgot he was the MD and you were the patient. He really only chewed me out once, but only one time did he warm up really and that was my first visit after we lost Dad. He was patient and sympathetic.

Imagine my DELIGHT when a middle-aged (55 next month), gentleman with a definite Santa belly came in. I took to him right away like a duck to water. He was gregarious, friendly, not judgmental, reviewed my actual lab numbers with me and GAVE ME A COPY without me asking. He just kept saying, well, this is good, this is very good. " I LOVE your blood pressure (110 / 80) - that's a 17-year-old's blood pressure" Physical exam completely normal - well, I just can't find anything wrong with you. We commiserated - we have VERY SIMILAR daughter situations. Dr. U was HIS doctor as well, and chewed him out too, regarding his cholesterol, etc. Honestly, I feel he could be a friend or we could go bowling together. I am SO RELIEVED!

Issues - he hardly mentioned weight at all, I'm the one who kept bringing it up.

Eczema - "Use the cream. You're gonna get a staph infection if you don't stop picking at it."

Thyroid - lab numbers clearly show I haven't been taking it, he gave me a new Rx.

Cholesterol - I'm 3 points from the upper end of normal, so he'd like to see that come down a bit. However, he said taking the thyroid will lower my cholesterol ! He explained how, and I don't remember the details. But, he said before they had all these new cholesterol drugs, they used to give people thyroid meds to bring their cholesterol numbers down.

Glucose - fasting glucose should be below 100. Mine was 102. Keep an eye on it. Especially since virtually everyone on Mom's side of family is diabetic.

Iron - I really thought I would be low; typically, I am borderline anemic even though TOM stopped 13 years ago at the age of 39. He said my iron level was perfect. Don't take any supplements, other than what might be in a multivitamin. L and I were talking about it, and we think there are 2 main reasons. I haven't donated blood in over a year (I'm always borderline and they have to "spin" me), and we alternate weekly using romaine or spinach for our daily "salad base."

UA - even with mild UTI symptoms two days before the lab work, he said it was 'clear as a bell. Perfect"

So, all in all, I'm very pleased and while I don't want to get sick, I have NO concerns about going in to see him for anything.

It felt like a warm, medical hug. I feel really good about it.

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In other news, daughter has planned and prepared meals for the week. Tonight, she's out at class so she prepared a chicken pasta casserole. The only thing wrong with it was it was not loaded up with cream-of-something soup, and had only a dusting of shredded cheese on the top. In other words, it was no doubt much healthier than what I would have done (grin).

I think God has given me a couple of very gentle V8 smackdowns, and I should pay attention.

Eileen in OR