Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Tuesday: Another Doctor's Appointment

Today was another sunny, mild day.  I had another doctor's appointment today, so I took the day off from work.  Which was a good thing, because all I managed to do today was go to my appointment and come back!

My appointment was scheduled for 1:00 p.m.   I was asked to arrive at 12:45 p.m. (they always ask you to be there 15 minutes early to check you in, etc.).  I left the house just before noon and I walked into the clinic at 12:40 p.m. Checked in, paid my co-pay, and sat and waited.  Read through my prayer book, cover to cover.  Watched parts of the children's movies they were playing on the monitor (shared waiting room with pediatrics and family practice; the latter part of Robots and the first part of Wreck-It Ralph).  I don't know why they have the volume set so high, but it was still too loud for me even after the security guard on duty lowered it (when people in the waiting room couldn't hear their numbers being called).

And I waited.  I knew that the nurse assistant had muttered something about the PA being triple booked, when she made the appointment for me (although she had been speaking in Spanish to another person at the office), so I was prepared for a long wait.   But at 2:00 p.m., I decided to go up to the receptionist and ask her how much longer would I have to wait, since my appt. was for 1:00 p.m.  She said, "Let me check; they were looking for your chart".  I was called in a few minutes later!  Apparently, the chart was on the PA's desk as she had been reviewing it, earlier! 

The PA apologized for the wait and thanked me for waiting.  She said she was checking my file because the oncologist's office had sent her a report.   I updated her on what the neurologist had to say.  She will wait for his report, but she was pleased he didn't find anything wrong.  I mentioned the other fall and she examined my shoulder and had me move my arm, etc. and she agreed that there doesn't seem to be any fracture.  I am to continue to ice or apply heat as I choose for any stiffness and soreness.

She looked at my blood pressure and sugar level monitoring logs and she wants to keep the blood pressure medications as they are (said she has seen in my chart how crazy things became on previous occasions when the blood pressure medications were changed).  But she wants to lower the blood sugar medication to half my current dosage.  I am okay with that; this is the second time my blood sugar medication has been reduced since I first started taking it.  The goal is to be off of it, completely, eventually.  I am to continue to monitor my sugar levels (and pressure, too) for 3 more weeks and see her again in 3 weeks.  

I was at the clinic till almost 3:00 p.m.  I hadn't eaten lunch yet, although I had taken some crackers and a banana with me.  I wasn't even hungry, but I ate a couple of bites of the banana when I got into the car.  Now my car smells of banana!

I decided I wasn't in the mood to go shopping for a pair of pants after all, and came home!  Didn't get home till 4:00 p.m.!  I debated whether to stop and buy some fried chicken for my meal (Tuesday special: two pieces - drumstick and thigh - for $1.79), but decided not to.  I had enough food at home and fried chicken isn't the healthiest thing to eat, is it?

I brought the trash cans in, checked the mail (bills and a survey regarding the services of one of my doctors), texted daughter (spoke to her on the phone after she got home and we will video chat a bit later), ate a very late lunch, opened the windows to air out the house, and relaxed.

My neighbor whose husband passed away just before Christmas called to give me details of the funeral Mass scheduled for later this month, I chatted with a friend who called to ask how my doctors' appointments went, replied to a friend's email and to a cousin's text.  Still need to clean the litter box and wash a few dishes, pack a lunch to take to the office tomorrow, and try on an outfit (tried on two of my wool skirts and they are both too big in the waist - fitted waist bands;  they sit on my hips!).

Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to reduce the dosage of my sugar medication.
- A safe drive to the clinic and back.
- Answered prayers.
- Another sunny day
- Friends and family who call, email, text, etc., to ask how I am.

Today, I spent: $15 for my co-pay; $5 for parking.

It is supposed to rain, again, tomorrow.  I am planning to go to the office.  Hope the morning drive won't be too bad.

Wednesday's To Do List:
- Go to the office
- Call the street tree services about the sapling my neighbor planted/getting a permit to plant, etc.
- Call the pharmacy to see if my new medication is ready for pick up
- Go to the pharmacy after work, if it is ready
- Do some housework, maybe?

How was your Tuesday?  What have you planned for tomorrow?

10 comments:

  1. Tuesday lovely, began by being brought cup of tea in bed at one daughter's house... Ended curled up in bed with book and cuppa at my other daughter's house! And in between a committee meeting with some good friends, and time to cuddle baby granddaughter. Feeling blessed. Wednesday, morning with Liz and baby, afternoon, back to see Steph, night, back home to my long-suffering husband xx

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    1. Sounds like you've had a couple of delightful days, Angela. I'm so happy for you. :)

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  2. Those long waits are frustrating. It's always good to ask what's going on because often as not there's an extra glitch in the system like your chart being on the PA's desk. After you got in, I'm glad your appointment went well.

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    1. Thank you, Live and Learn. A 30-minute wait is normal for this clinic, but I knew an hour was a bit much. I hope there won't be as long a wait on my next visit. :)

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  3. Oh, I felt like I was right there in the waiting room with you! I dislike waiting and loud noises so I was getting annoyed for you. Our pediatrician's office also keeps the TV on annoyingly loud and then people think nothing of having their kids play with phones or iPads with the sound turned on, while they make their own phone calls so the rest of us have to listen to the whole conversation (in whatever language they speak), I hate the whole experience of it. Is it any wonder I never go to the doctor's anymore?! LOL. I do take the kids though, well only Youngest Son now since the others are all over 18. I'll have to break out my earbuds if the noise is too loud when we go for his appointment next month.

    Anyhoo, I'm glad you were able to lower your medicine and that your shoulder isn't fractured! Still, it sounds a bit odd that you're still in discomfort from that fall, it's been a couple of weeks, hasn't it?

    Kudos on not buying the fried chicken, especially since you said you'd eat from the freezer this month :) I was going to do that too and I've been doing it, but the thing is that i keep putting things INTO the freezer. Ground beef on sale last week and I just saw that Save A Lot is having full roasters for $0.79/lb starting today. Aldi's will be on sale next week for $0.89/lb. So I'm thinking I'll get one for next week's menu and keep it in the fridge since my freezer, as usual, is full!

    I hope you had a nice drive into work today, be safe! As for me, it's Wednesday, which means my grocery shopping/errands day but I'm only visiting 3 stores and 1 gas station so it shouldn't be too bad, I'm hoping. One of the stores is Walmart and I hate shopping there so I need to brace myself. Then this afternoon I'm taking Youngest Son to take his Learner's Permit written exam. If all goes well, Greg will start teaching him how to drive this weekend. I have very mixed feelings about my last baby driving a car. Already?! But he was just born!

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    1. Yes, it'll be 2 weeks, this Friday, since my fall. The shoulder doesn't hurt much, but it is still a bit sore. I think it will feel better in another few days.

      Hope your son's doctor's waiting room won't be too loud when you next visit. Good idea to have earbuds to shut out the noise.

      No, no, you aren't supposed to refill the freezer until you've eaten up what's in it! Although I did just that, today, when I stuck half the can of spaghetti sauce in the freezer for another day!

      Thank you, I had a good drive to and from work, today. Hope you had a good grocery shopping/errands day and your son passed the written exam. They do grow up so fast, don't they?

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  4. That sounds like my idea of torture - waiting around with overloud videos on! I'm glad things are going okay and prayers and good vibes continue. You are getting a lot of rain. I hope it's topping up your supplies. x

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    1. Thank you, Lyssa. I read somewhere that we've had more rain so far this winter than we had all last year! We still have a couple of months left in our rainy season, so it is starting to look good!

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  5. Wow.. so sorry you had such a long day..I have had my chart removed and they forgot me.. Dummy me....waited 2 hours before I went and inquired why?
    Sorry you didn't get to go shopping for pants.. Maybe you will have a better week next week.
    SO happy about your blood sugar med being lowered..This is fantastic..
    Have a great day.

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    1. Oh, Judy, you were very patient to wait for 2 hours! It's OK; I'll go shopping, eventually. Till then, I'll manage with what I have. Thank you; yes, I'm very pleased about the medications being lowered. :) Hope your week is going well.

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