"In the beginning"

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The views expressed in this blog are not necessarily the views of the blog management, (on the other hand, they are not necessarily not the views of the blog management).

No effort has been made to stay within the bounds of the truth in this blog as it has always been the view of the management that the truth should never be allowed to stand in the way of a good story.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

A Visit to George.


In keeping with todays post, a medical theme.


Click on picture to enbiggen.

I made my bi-annual visit to the Doctor yesterday, our conversation started out something like this;

me; G’day George, how are you?

Dr: Fine thanks Peter how are you?

me; I’m great George.

Dr; Well why are you here then?

me; I need my blood pressure pill prescription re-newed so I can go on feeling great. (He gives me a prescription with 5 repeats when I visit, thus the bi-annual visits.)

We sit and chat for ten minutes while he checks my blood pressure and reviews the results of my last blood tests while deciding whether to send me for new tests (usually every 2nd visit, or annually.)

I look on George as a friend, over a ten year period we have probably not spent more than a couple of hours together but he is always cheerful and I believe he has helped keep me well so why wouldn't he be a friend? he has also led an interesting life, having spent 5 years in the outback as a doctor with our wonderful "Royal Flying Doctor Service" which keeps the remote areas of Australia safe.

We exchange farewells as I’m leaving the surgery and another chapter in my medical history is written, I don’t want to brag about it but my health is excellent…. (the hell I don’t!! I’ve never been in a hospital except to visit and I’ve never been sick in my life…. Why wouldn’t I want to brag about that!!!).

This has been a matter of good luck much more than good judgment I smoked cigarettes for forty years (a pack a day, starting with packs of ten and finishing with packs of fifty, in fact pocket size probably had a lot to do with my quitting) since my twenties I have avoided exercise diligently, I am overweight to the tune of perhaps 30/40 pounds, but bugger it… I don’t get sick.

While I can continue with the existing status-quo I don’t have any intention of changing anything in my life, now I’m no Mr. Apollo, physical exertion of only a moderate level leaves me short of breath (thanks a lot Philip Morris) but if I regulate myself I’m as good as new.

My boast of “never been sick in my life” has a few minor blips on the screen too I suppose, I have had 5 or 6 kidney stones over the years, thankfully none for about 10 years now, these are not fun… and if childbirth is worse, as I’m assured it is, then I’m eternally grateful for being born a male.

There have been a few doses of the flu etc that have been unpleasant, (one memorable case where my hair ached!!!!!) anyone who snickered when they read that… I hope your hair never aches, cos let me tell you there is a whole world of feelin’ crook that precedes that.

I had most of the childhood diseases as a child, took a few tumbles, some bordering on serious, some bloody hilarious but as I said at the start I don’t feel like I’ve ever been sick.

As a direct result of yesterdays visit with George I am now on two new medications, the first is to help with a problem I have in bed…. no nothing like that….. after I’ve been at rest for a couple of hours my feet get hot, I’m talking about a feeling that someone has set them on fire, so I hang them out the side of the bed for relief… at this time of year... Winter..... a couple of hours later I wake up with two big blocks of ice on the end of my legs, George had a name for this, pathological pain or something like that so I’ popping pills in the hope they’ll solve this issue.

The other new medication is to try and get rid of my shakes particularly when I raise an arm to eat or drink, with the price of booze these days I can’t afford to keep spilling it like I do, at rest there are no shakes so he assures me that rules out Parkinsons disease, but in the hope of becoming a less messy eater I’m also popping pills for that one.



He who hesitates is a damned fool.
Mae West




17 comments:

Walker said...

Sounds like you are fit as a fiddle now play us a jig LOL
Its good that you are on good terms with your doctor because the are capoable of doing unspaekable things to you if you get them angry.
Keep up the good health

Merle said...

Hi Peter ~~ Glad you got a good report from George, as I hope to next week from Alan. Had the blood tests today and will probably need a tablet for diabetes. I hope the pills for your feet help - mine are always cold and a bit numb. The pill for the shakes is interesting, but glad it's not Parkinsons. Take care, Love, Merle.

Puss-in-Boots said...

Mum has the shakes like that, too, Peter and no, it's not Parkinson's either. About 30 years ago she was in a car accident where a drunken driver rear-ended her and she had pretty bad whip lash. Consequently the vertebrae in her neck are buggered and that's what causes her shakes.

Glad to hear you're ok, though, Peter. There would be nothing worse than chronic ill health. Mine's not too bad, either and I hope it stays that way!

willowtree said...

I've got a pretty similar deal, twice yearly visit to the doctor for blood pressure meds and once a year to a specialist for pathology.

kenju said...

Peter, congratulations on your continuing good health, in spite of your vices.....LOL

Hope your feet get back to normal soon.

Cliff said...

When I started reading this post I wasn't alarmed. Regular checkup,,,right??
Then you spring on us that you're spilling alcohol?
You should have gotten help sooner.

OldHorsetailSnake said...

I am glad you are on pills. Really glad. Otherwise you would be in perfect condition at an age where nobody can be in perfect condition. Whew!

Rachel said...

I hope the new medications helps Peter. It's nice that your doctor is your friend! That's how it should be. Having hot feet and then cold feet.....no fun there!

Loved the cartoon!

Anonymous said...

Hi Peter. Since you haven't got very much hair (on your head), one could be led to think that maybe the hair pain wasn't all that great! Otherwise I am glad that you are so fit, despite the cold feet.

Jack K. said...

It's great to learn that your health is good. Keep up the regimen that has brought you this far so successfully.

I have a concern about your use of enbiggen. (I like the word and understood it immediately.) There is a real possibility that some drug company will want to use it as a name for a concoction similar to Cialis, Viagra or whatever male enhancement drug is next out of the laboratory.

Yeah, you were right, I did think of that when you mentioned a bed time ailment. tehee

Keep on keepin' on.

Dave said...

I've been there Peter, where I've had the flu so badly that my hair ached!

No fun at all...!

Pamela said...

reminds me of when I had that NORO virus and puked up my toenails.

Wish I could say I've been as healthy as you.

Some people just have good genes I think.

Is that food thing Neuropathy?

Anonymous said...

In 1957 I had the notorious "Asian Flu". I know what you mean when you say your hair ached!!!

Since I have very cold feet, we would make good bed partners. Oh my gawd forget I said that. You need to stop adding those Mae West quotes. They bring out the worst in this happily married woman. LOL

Jamie Dawn said...

You must have changed some things in the inner workings of your blog, because my computer DID NOT like loading your blog page. I tried yesterday, and it wouldn't work, but today after a wait, it did finally work.
Well...
that joke/cartoon is funny!! That poor fella surely IS gonna die. :-)
I am glad to hear that you are healthy!! You probably come from very hearty stock. It's good that you keep on top of your health by seeing the doc twice a year for prescription renewals and blood work and things.
I hope you remain healthy for many years to come!!!!!

Lee said...

Keep well, Peter. I hate going to doctors and rarely do! I have to re-introduce myself every time I go to mine! ;)

Have a great weekend. :)

Jeanette said...

Hi Peter, Pleased to hear you got a good report from the doctor, and i hope the tablets help you. I suffer from cold feet.And I always dread check up time. Take care.

Vickie said...

I love this post---most of all it is great news that you are doing well. I hope the medication will do the trick---after all you don't want to keep spilling that expensive booze.

Hope you are having a great weekend.