Thursday, August 19, 2021

I Look Great! (In A Manner Of Speaking)


 I would tell you what this pup's name is but I'm not sure. It's either Butter Bean or Biscuit or Brownie. Whatever its name is, it's freaking adorable. 

I went over to meet the pups and get some hugs after my doctor's appointment and let me just say this- never in my life have I gotten so very worked up for so little reason. 

Jesus Christ. Pretty much thought I might die this morning. Full blown panic. I took an Ativan forty-five minutes before I was supposed to be there. I guess it helped. And then the funniest thing happened- I got a text from Rachel. She said, "Dr. Zorn's new office is fancy!" 
I texted her back, "Have you been there today?"
And she replied, "We're here now."
Turns out that she had an appointment for a med check with the doctor right before my appointment. Of all the days in the year! 
And they were still there when I got there so I got good hugs from them and Rachel commiserated because she has the same medical anxieties I do. It was so nice to see them. And Dr. Zorn's new office IS fancy, in a brand new building but his staff is still the same down-home folks they always are. I have never in my life met a receptionist who uses terms like, "Sweetie, Love, Honey" the way Zorn's receptionist does and I usually hate that sort of thing but in the case of me being in a doctor's office, it's balm to my soul. And of course I am "Miss Mary" because I am a woman of a certain age and in the south that's what people do and some people hate that but hell- it's sort of sweet. 

So I had to wait quite awhile today to see the doctor. Longer than I've ever had to wait at Zorn's. They've started a new thing for the Medicare patients wherein one of his NP's comes in first to go over questions like what tests I might need or if I want certain vaccines and some life style questions about exercising and so forth. And that was the first time I'd met this lady. She was sweet too and we ended up talking some about her fourteen month old son who just got tubes put in his ears because he's had eight ear infections in his short life and I could tell that she has suffered through them with him. She showed me a picture of him. He is gorgeous. 
I told her I'd get the pneumonia vaccine and she gave it to me. At this point in my life I'll take any vaccine they want to give me. 

And then I waited and waited and waited, pretending to read my New Yorker magazine. I couldn't tell you what I read if you held a gun to my head. You want to know what I was really doing? I was conjecturing that something horrible had showed up in my blood work (of course) and that Dr. Zorn was researching it and making phone calls about who to send me to next. 
Seriously. 
He finally came in, cute as ever, said, "Hey! Your blood pressure is good! I like that!" And we chatted a few minutes about this and that and then he said that all of my blood work looked great and that okay, my cholesterol is a little high but he's not going to worry about it and he kept saying, "You look great!" 
I couldn't believe it. 
We talked some about my medical anxiety situation and he listened to me and didn't make fun of me. He really is kind. And then he did that thing that I always promise myself I'm going to pay more attention to in order to figure out how he does it where suddenly, I'm on the exam table and he's looking in my eyes and listening to my heart and lungs and poking around in my abdomen. It's like a magic trick. I really do not understand it. 

I asked him how his boys are and if there's another baby on the way and he said the boys are great and "Oh, let me show you some pictures" and he did and they are beautiful little guys AND, yes, they have a girl on the way, due in October. 

I gave him a jar of dilly beans. "You're so nice!" he said. "I'll eat these for lunch!" And he told me again that I looked great and he sort of side-hugged me and said, "Call me if you need me," and I told him thanks for taking care of my Lily and my Rachel and he said that we have a great crew.
"Well, we're crazy," I said. 
"Everyone's crazy," he told me. "It's just that some people know they're crazy and some people don't."

And that's how it went. 

And then I went to visit Jessie and Levon and got to see Vergil too. Jessie let the puppies out and we played with them in the front yard. They are...well, puppies. Cute as...well, puppies. 


They rolled and tumbled together in the grass and pretend-growled and yipped at each other and nipped at our toes. "They're so cute!" Levon kept saying. 

And then I went and got a drive-through order of a Mediterranean vegetable platter with hummus and dolmades and salad and falafel and pita and ate some of that on the way home and it was delicious and then when I got here I realized I was exhausted and laid down on the bed, finished the last three pages of "Roughing It" (thank god) and fell asleep to wake up with my nurse cat, Maurice cuddled up to me. 

So that was it. And I don't have to start worrying and freaking again until August of 2022 IF I AM STILL ALIVE although I do need to get another mammogram in November. 
No big deal. I do not fear the mammograms. 

Thank you all for being so supportive and understanding and loving to me these past few weeks. I'd apologize for my craziness but if there was any way I could not be crazy I'd certainly do it. You can bet your life on that. 

Love...Ms. Moon




37 comments:

  1. That's got to be so stressful for you. I'm glad everything went well. I'm the opposite. I'm fine seeing the doctor, I hate mammograms. They hurt so much.

    Have a lovely evening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I nursed babies for so long that I have very little structural integrity left to my bosoms so mammograms really do not hurt me much at all.

      Delete
  2. So glad it all went far better then you could have ever imagined it!
    Your readers are an amazing support group for you! We may not know you personally, but we love you anyway! ❤

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Marcia. And you're right- I have the very kindest community here that I know of.

      Delete
  3. I feel as if I do know Mary personally! Not in person, maybe.
    So glad this day's over for a long time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's funny how we can all feel as if we know each other to some degree. And whenever I've met a blog friend in real life, it's been like seeing an old friend again. Every time.

      Delete
  4. Well, I thought of you at work today, and said to myself, "Well, by now she's surely out of that doctor's office..." All's well that ends well. What I'm mostly curious about is aren't you the least bit tempted to have a puppy of your very own? I have no desire to own another dog at this point in my life, which is why I stay away from puppies. If I held one, I would want one, and I don't want one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I appreciate your thinking of me!
      I have absolutely NO desire for a dog. Been there. Done that. I do not want the work or responsibility involved. Even holding puppies doesn't move me to want one. But I do enjoy holding puppies. I enjoy petting other people's dogs, too. I like dogs. Just do not want one.

      Delete
  5. I had my mammogram two weeks ago and got a call the following day. On Monday I’m having an ultrasound due to ‘abnormal findings.’ For some reason I’m not full of anxiety like I am when going to the doc to discuss my labs. Glad your doc thinks you’re looking good….hoping my tech thinks so, too. 😉

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The dreaded, horrible call-back! Why do they wait so long to reschedule? Hopefully your gut feelings are true and there is nothing to be concerned about. Please keep us informed, okay?

      Delete
  6. I get you. I am same with any medical appointments and l just broke a tooth so am terrified. Also just gave up on mammograms cos as l am disabled l have to go to a hospital that impossible to get to on public transport even if not disabled not to hospital where l live, and by the time my next mammogram comes round they won't routine call me cos l will be too old for the NHS system and Trump n Branson will prob be running medical provision in UK If not the country. Glad all went well at the docs Maggi xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Maggi. I am so sorry. Our bodies can bring us so much pleasure and so much pain and so much worry. This sounds like a horrible situation.

      Delete
  7. You are not crazy for being fearful - we fear what we fear. I'm so glad that is over for you for now - pleasant dreams tonight and may you smile through each one. For myself I am thrilled that my husband and I went to Microsoft and got our third vaccines - the first day they are offering them! For our first ones it took forever to find a place. This time we are ahead of the pack! Let's all have happy dreams tonight!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good for you and your husband! I hope your reaction isn't too bad and yes, my dreams last night were very pleasant and I hope yours were too!

      Delete
    2. All we each got were very slightly sore arms. It was the same with the first two. Happy sleeping!

      Delete
  8. Congratulations. A year can be a pretty long time, sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Except that I'll start obsessing about next June.

      Delete
  9. I am glad all went well for you and I understand your anxiety, so no apologies necessary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, e. We all have things that may not be completely logical to fear and yet- well- we do.

      Delete
  10. SO glad this visit is over for you and with great news that you "look great* (which we know already). Now to relax! I had Vet appt. with dog today...... all went well there also, thankfully.....for our dear aussie *Hamal* (rhymes with camel) that just turned 11 yesterday. He's good for another year! Woohoo! Another thing crossed off my list! sigh............
    Susan M
    Susan M

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hurray for Hamal! And for you. Doesn't it feel good to get these things over with?

      Delete
  11. So pleased that your doc appointment went so well. Perhaps you won't worry so much next time? I am a bit worried this morning as we have to do a " lateral flow test"...the quick one that you do yourself, as we are going to a music " gig" tomorrow and they have asked everyone ( mainly oldies) to do a test if possible. Not done one before so a bit apprehensive!Will get it over and done with after the dog walk.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I will stress out again. Unless some miracle occurs and I am freed of my horrible anxiety. Which would be ideal.
      I have not had ONE Covid test of any sort. Isn't that crazy? I hope your test went okay.

      Delete
    2. Yes, we were both " negative" thank goodness! It wasn't pleasant though....really made us gag when wiping our tonsils! ( or where they used to be in my case). I won't be in any rush to repeat the process!

      Delete
  12. I canceled a follow up appointment to the dermatologist yesterday because all issues have been resolved and I didn't need her to tell me that, wasting both our times. I like my PC physician, she's a DO, more interested of remedies other than pills. but yeah, I get the NP in first going over everything checking for depression and cognitive skills (had to take a little quiz, draw 2 o' clock on a clock face, remember these words and then she went to get the doctor without asking for the words which I did remember) and now they are starting to ask me if I have fallen lately. cause I'm in my 70s I guess. I like my electrophysiologist. be sure and call if you start having trouble, he says, we're a team, he says.

    puppies are cute. how many do you think they will end up keeping?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good for you for having the wherewithal to just call and cancel when you know it's not a necessary appointment.
      I guess this thing with the NP is becoming the usual and I guess it's good. I did not have to draw a clock face. I could do that but I'm not sure I could remember any damn words.
      I got asked if I'd fallen more than twice in the past year. Since I only fell the once, I could say "no" although it was a pretty damn bad fall.
      I love it when doctors say, "Call if you need me." Yes.
      I don't know if Jessie and Vergil will keep any of the pups. We shall see.

      Delete
  13. Good! Glad you made it through it, if not totally unscathed, at least whole at the end of the day. My mammo is scheduled for November, too, along with my bone density test on the same day. Have osteoporosis, but decided against meds, so this just sees where it stands--or if I am still standing :).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. I was asked if I wanted a dexiscan too and I said no because I think the meds for osteoporosis are whack. And that's the word I used.

      Delete
  14. I'm so glad it all went so well! It's amazing that Rachel was there practically at the same time you were. That's a heck of a coincidence. It sounds like Dr. Zorn has about the best bedside manner possible, especially if he's able to assuage your anxiety and begin examining you without you even quite knowing!

    "Butter Bean" is about the best dog name ever. Well, second best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It WAS a weird and random coincidence, wasn't it?
      You're right about Dr. Zorn. They can't teach those skills in any school.
      You're right- "Olga" is the best name ever for a darling doggo.

      Delete
  15. I really want your doctor! I haven't been happy with mine in years.

    I agree with Steve, Butterbean is a great name!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Damn, girl. I thought you'd seen a doctor that you liked. I'm so sorry. I wish you could see mine too. You would love him.

      Delete
  16. I love you and your anxieties. And I love that doctor.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Everyone needs a Dr. Zorn in their lives. Sadly most of them are so overworked (well here at least) that they don't have time to "Zorn"!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm so glad that appointment is behind you for another year, and that you got to see your loves. If only we all could go to Dr. Zorn.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.