so don't ask if you don't want to know
Posts tagged VA
And I shall name it Squishy
Jan 26th
The last couple of times I’ve had my yearly mammogram they’ve found something in my lefty. So I get the squishy and a week or so later I get a letter saying I need an ultrasound. So I go in for that and they say it’s nothing to worry about. But today I had to go in for the whole lets-get-a-closer-look shebang.
I don’t worry. Here’s my philosophy: shit happens. 
I could get all freaked out that they keep focusing on this little thing and scheduling my yearlies closer and closer together. I could freak out that today I had a regular mammogram (again) and a spot-specific mammogram (that hurt like hell) followed by an ultrasound. I could let my imagination soar and think of 100 negative connotations and be all angsty and shit.
But why? What could I do up ’til this point to change the outcome? I’m receiving excellent care from a top-notch bunch of medical professionals. People whose job it is to know what to look for and how often to look and all that. What good would it do to freak out before any final verdict?
Turn’s out it is Negative. The Dr at the Laura Dreier Breast Center (marvelous place) says it’s a cranky (my word) lymph node. No biggie.
See? I don’t understand these people that get themselves all worked up without the facts. Seems like such a waste of energy to me. And even if it had been something serious, I don’t think I’d have freaked out then either.
Just keep swimming.
But that’s not what I need!
Jan 20th
I went to my doctor appointment at the VA today. I’m not going to bitch TOO much because it’s all better than it used to be and also… free.
Parking sucks. Wandered the parking lot for 7 minutes waiting for someone to getthefuckout leave. I was early (of course) but got right in to the BP/weight screener and fairly quickly into the Dr. She’s new to me as my old Dr. Monte apparently went part time. I really like her. She listened, went over all my history thoroughly, and set up a bunch of stuff. Something like she didn’t know 0f any meds I could be taking that I wasn’t already so I should go back to the specialists in Pulmonary. Peachy.
I mentioned I’d tried to lose weight by altering my diet but it’s impossible to move as one needs to move to get exercise. Especially now, but even when my breathing was better I still couldn’t exert myself without guppying. So I’m scheduled for another visit to the nutritionist next week and from there I’ll join a class ingeniously named Move. We’ll see.
She said my BP was fine yet when I checked out the front guy sent me down for a home BP monitor. He also sent me to radiology for an ultrasound and they turned me away – they’ll call me. And he sent me to get an H1N1 shot (mission accomplished) and to Well Woman. So I sat outside that clinic for an hour before the baffled nurse came out and explained to me that I didn’t need an appointment until JUNE. That’s what I thought!
All that and I’m still not breathing normal. Better today than yesterday because it’s NOT RAINING but still not right. I have labs ordered and need to fast, so probably next Thursday as long as I have to be there anyway.
I guess I just sit here and wait for pulmonary to call me?
Went out with a whimper
Jan 1st
Jezuz christ, the last few days of 2009 were certainly eventful.
Except Christmas. I got nothing for Christmas but the flu. Then again, I didn’t get anyone else anything either. I may have even had the HiNi flu, I dunno. There was a moment in there I would have gone to the emergency room had I the energy to shuffle out to my car.
So for New Year’s Eve Eve (Wednesday) I decided to take everyone out to Texas Roadhouse. We’d not had a Christmas Dinner, or much of a Thanksgiving either. My number one adopted son Shane and his daughter tagged along too. We had a really great dinner and I agreed to take the two little girls home with me so they could all go out. Peachy.
Yesterday morning the girls and I went to McDonald’s for breakfast and play. They were fighting and whiny and I couldn’t get either father on the phone. Came home and tried to do my business while they continued to fight and whine. Finally at noon the guys stumbled in to get them.
Shortly after that I got a text from Max asking what I was doing the rest of the day.
- Making a dump cake
- Cleaning my kitchen
- Taking a nap to prepare for being up late
- Wrapping the two lousy gifts I managed to get for my friends
- Shower and dress up
- Be at ShEvo’s by 6:30 to record a show
- Party the rest of the night
Not much right? He responded:
can u take an hour outa that and spend it with me? we r gonna get a courthouse marriage today and id like you to be there
WHAT THE FUCK?
Sure his divorce was final earlier this week and I knew he’d been spending most of his time with Shane’s sister… OMG I can’t remember her name! Shit. My bad. I’d only met the girl through a dark car window one time. That’s it. She seems nice enough and I love Shane so I can assume with the same upbringing… I dunno, I’ll have to wait and see, right?
At least I got to be at this wedding. That’s the same judge that Max, Shane and Casey have all stood before for not-so-good reasons but I didn’t see a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Small town.
Anyway, on to Sheila and Evo’s for our recording and their party. I’d had trouble since the flu with my breathing whenever I exerted myself and it just got worse and worse all night. By midnight I was being a downer in a really great party and in real guppy distress and my friends were all offering to drive me to the hospital. Fine. I asked Katie and Tyler cuz I have to go downtown Phoenix to the VA and I know Tyler lives the closest and Katie lives near me so it wouldn’t be as inconvenient – plus they hadn’t been drinking.
Technically it was after 12:30 by the time we got to the ER and 3:30 when got home, but I’m just going to chalk it up as 2009 not letting go. More on that later.
2010 has GOT to be better, right? I feel great this morning!
