So I went to the GP today for my annual checkup. I have to go every six months for bloodwork for my diabetes anyway. Good news; my BP is still in healthy range, 120/70, resting pulse 65. Bad news, weight is up; ten pounds since last year. A real shame, that, because I had lost nearly 50 pounds when I was first diagnosed with diabetes. Got to get back on the bloody treadmill. Also not so good news, the dark spots on my lungs (diagnosed by biopsy as sarcoidosis on my hilar lymph nodes) have not gone away as promised. I'm asymptomatic, however, and since I have no symptoms, doctor says not to worry too much about it yet.
So, time to bring up the various aliments that have cropped up over the last year.
Left shoulder - feels like it is coming undone at times. Doctor poked and prodded, said it looks like bursitis to him. What to do about it? It's called getting old, son. Take some Motrin and try not to tear yourself up quite so much with karate.
Right knee - overall weakness and some pain; makes it hard to do katas like Chinto and Kusanku where I have to go down on one knee all the time. Doctor looked at the kneecaps of both knees, said they were 'loose' and the muscles above them (what do you call those?) were slack or lax or something. He felt some 'grinding' in the left knee; but that's not the one that hurts. He had me tighten my knee while he held the kneecap; hurt like heck. Recommended I do some leg lifts. Also, take Motrin. Also, it's called getting old, son. Try not to go down on one knee like that.
Jammed fingers from a fight nearly six months ago when I blocked a kick with an open hand - yeah, that's a shame, he sez. Let's x-ray it. Oops, looks like you maybe broke two of the fingers. Not the best job healing. We could send you to a hand specialist; but he'd want too operate and rebreak the joints and set them; guaranteed a year of limited mobility and no punching anything. What do I want to do? Live with it, I guess. He says yep, that's called getting old.
Nearly passed out while yawning in the dojo a couple months ago. Weird, huh? Well, it wasn't my blood sugar, I've been testing it in the dojo since then and it's normal (120 range). Doctor says it could be low blood pressure. Me, low blood pressure? I've been at 140/90 nearly all my adult life, even when I was in the Marines. Now I'm down to 120/70 and they're telling me I might be having a problem with my blood pressure? Make up your minds, quacks!
So that's the story. Have to await the results of the blood tests to get my cholesterol and PSA and liver and kidney function and my A1C and so on, but I'm not too worried. Some specialist is supposed to be calling me to get me to come in and do the big colonoscopy thing; since I just turned 50, that's going to be a new one on me, and everyone tells me it sucks bigtime. I make the doctor laugh when he said he thought I could get it done by the end of the year and I said "Whee, Merry Christmas to me!"
I also played with his toys. He should not leave me alone in his office like that.
View attachment $290873_2514932187629_1082932103_32973035_457508573_o.jpg
I don't mind going to see the quack every so often. I hate being told that there's not much I can do except keep getting older and having more stuff break. That's not right!
So, time to bring up the various aliments that have cropped up over the last year.
Left shoulder - feels like it is coming undone at times. Doctor poked and prodded, said it looks like bursitis to him. What to do about it? It's called getting old, son. Take some Motrin and try not to tear yourself up quite so much with karate.
Right knee - overall weakness and some pain; makes it hard to do katas like Chinto and Kusanku where I have to go down on one knee all the time. Doctor looked at the kneecaps of both knees, said they were 'loose' and the muscles above them (what do you call those?) were slack or lax or something. He felt some 'grinding' in the left knee; but that's not the one that hurts. He had me tighten my knee while he held the kneecap; hurt like heck. Recommended I do some leg lifts. Also, take Motrin. Also, it's called getting old, son. Try not to go down on one knee like that.
Jammed fingers from a fight nearly six months ago when I blocked a kick with an open hand - yeah, that's a shame, he sez. Let's x-ray it. Oops, looks like you maybe broke two of the fingers. Not the best job healing. We could send you to a hand specialist; but he'd want too operate and rebreak the joints and set them; guaranteed a year of limited mobility and no punching anything. What do I want to do? Live with it, I guess. He says yep, that's called getting old.
Nearly passed out while yawning in the dojo a couple months ago. Weird, huh? Well, it wasn't my blood sugar, I've been testing it in the dojo since then and it's normal (120 range). Doctor says it could be low blood pressure. Me, low blood pressure? I've been at 140/90 nearly all my adult life, even when I was in the Marines. Now I'm down to 120/70 and they're telling me I might be having a problem with my blood pressure? Make up your minds, quacks!
So that's the story. Have to await the results of the blood tests to get my cholesterol and PSA and liver and kidney function and my A1C and so on, but I'm not too worried. Some specialist is supposed to be calling me to get me to come in and do the big colonoscopy thing; since I just turned 50, that's going to be a new one on me, and everyone tells me it sucks bigtime. I make the doctor laugh when he said he thought I could get it done by the end of the year and I said "Whee, Merry Christmas to me!"
I also played with his toys. He should not leave me alone in his office like that.
View attachment $290873_2514932187629_1082932103_32973035_457508573_o.jpg
I don't mind going to see the quack every so often. I hate being told that there's not much I can do except keep getting older and having more stuff break. That's not right!