I love a good doctor visit.
1. More or less lifetime follow-up appointments, and
2. Worry. Anything that doesn’t feel absolutely perfect makes you wonder: is it back? You stub your toe and you wonder if it’s cancer.
Getting back to Item #1, I had somehow fallen off this doctor’s radar. He had to cancel one of my annual or semi-annual appointments one time, and then he also cancelled the follow-up. Next thing I knew, I was not being seen by him, not since 2011. I finally called and made an appointment (which was today), where two wonderful things happened.
First and foremost, he gave me a clean bill of health, at least for today, and within the scope of his specialty. That’s always a great feeling. I can tell my imagination “Down boy!” for a while.
The second thing was my BP. I checked it in one of those pharmacy machines over the weekend, and it was sky-high. I was alarmed. That is not normal for me. Well, in the doctor’s office today it was checked. The results: 124/67. Pulse: 64. I believe your average long-distance runner decades younger than me – or any human being for that matter – would be willing to take that. I certainly am. And I’m on exactly zero meds, unless you count my daily 81mg low-dose aspirin.
I sympathize with the many people who take handfuls of prescription medicines every day. I know it’s difficult and expensive. I feel very fortunate to have the measure of health I enjoy.