Double Good News

It is also no secret that I stress out over doctors' appointments.

I don't like them.  I dislike sitting in the waiting room.  I dislike sitting in the exam room, waiting for the doctor to come in.  I dislike being asked questions and not knowing exactly what to say to answer them.  
  
For instance, at my last visit to Dr. Hart, the nurse asked if I were ever afraid of falling.  I answered "Yes" and explained that with my left knee being weak and needing a replacement, I was always cautious about stepping in an unseen hole or not adjusting to changes in the slant of a floor, and I was sometimes concerned that my knee would just give out on me because it did sometimes.  Not frequently, but it has happened. At the end of her set of questions she told me that because I had said "yes" to that question, Dr. Hart would explain to me that for future appointments I could call a certain number that he would give me and ask for assistance to leave my vehicle and enter the building because I feared falling.  WHAT?????  I blurted out that I had no problems with leaving my vehicle and walking into the building....but she dismissed me with a "well, you said 'yes' and you will be given the number to call on future appointments."

Good thing she had taken my blood pressure BEFORE that, because I was not happy.  And for the record, Dr. Hart said nothing to me about calling a number and asking for assistance.  
But back to the Double Good News in the title of this post....

Today was the appointment with Dr .Oeltgen.  My cardiologist.  The one who diagnosed the a-fib, did the cardioversion, and prescribed the Xarelto.  I have been seeing him for several years, both in Lafayette and in Winamac since he does go there twice a month to see patients.  He always baffles me with his 'let's see you again in..." because the time frame is odd.  Four months.  SIx and half months.  How about 8 months?  Last fall when I saw him he was so pleased that he said he would see me in a year and I was shocked.

When I was waiting for the elevator to take me to the floor where his office is located in the St. E complex, I felt a presence behind me...and it was him!  He said hello and asked me how I was doing, said that he was running late, so I replied that I was glad I had brought along my book to read...and he said he would see me in a few minutes as we entered different doors to his office area.

Next the gal at the front desk had to update my information which took about 10 minutes.  I saw for many another 5 minutes before my name was called.  At that point I was deep in a chapter in my book and I felt very relaxed.

A step on the scales usually provokes some stress, but I didn't really care this time.  However, the nurse said that  there was a difference of 40 pounds from my last visit.  I was thinking that I had gained 40 pounds, but she said it was 40 pounds lower than my weight in October 2018.  I should have taken it!  But when I stepped on again, the weight was close to what it was in Dr. Hart's office two weeks ago---only two pounds lower.  Cha-ching!  Good!

BP time.  The nurse and I were chatting and I felt relaxed.  120/70.  Not bad!  That was good news too!

When Dr. O came in (and it was quick too...maybe 5 minutes after the nurse left and I was still working on that same chapter), he was quite pleased with my BP and heart rate and the fact that I was in an exercise program at Miracles Fitness (which we had chatted about in the elevator).   

While I would have liked to have a couple of the meds discontinued because I was doing so well, that didn't happen.  BUT the good news was that he gave me not one, not two, but SIX weeks of samples of Xarelto.  I had told him that the meds were fine, but the Xarelto was SO expensive, especially at the end of the year when I go into the 'donut hole' with that particular med.  So he offered me free samples.  What a guy!  

Good blood pressure reading.  Good pulse.  Lungs sounded good.   Exercise is fantastic.  

Free samples of Xarelto, which will get me through the year without having to spend more money on that particular med.

And....come back in a year!  

Good news all around!