New city. New doctor. New year. It’s time for my physical.
This always seems like asking for trouble. I’m feeling decent. Why turn over rocks looking for stuff?
First step, the weigh in. I unloaded my pockets as if the weight of my keys, cellphone and wallet would make a difference. The scale read at least ten pounds less than I actually weigh. They do that to cut down on complaints, right?
I had a long session with the doctor. I like him a lot. Obviously intelligent. Seemingly competent.
I take Vitamin C and a multivitamin. “Why,” he asked?
As of tonight, no more.
He did a physical exam. No problems there.
He adjusted one medication, looking for the sweet spot, then renewed prescriptions for some others.
A nurse came in to administer a few injections and draw blood. She was nice. It didn’t hurt. I was still scared s**tless of the procedure.
Why, as a grown man who’s had dozens of shots in my lifetime, am I still panicky at the thought of a needle? Why is that fear so strong it trumps reality?
The average life expectancy in the United States is 78. I’m trying to be above average.
Geoff, When I moved from CA to CT, I had an appointment with a new doctor. I had a physical and after it was over, I went into the doctor’s office. Up until that point, I was in a good mood. I sat down and looked out the window and noticed it was snowing. I freaked out, I had never driven in the snow. How will I get home I thought to myself? At that point I wasn’t worried about medication or anything else. Now I don’t make any appointments between Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day, unless I can get a ride.
LOL Carole!!!!!!!
My favorite was the DRE. (You guys will know what I’m talking about.) But it was the DRE at my physical 10 years ago that detected an anomaly that turned out to be early stage prostate cancer. Had the surgery and am cancer-free 10 years later.
if I were you I’d stick with the multivitamin. as you age your body doesn’t absorb nutrients from your diet as well as it used to. also if your vitamin says you’re getting ‘100% daily value’ of anything, you’re probably not getting enough. That ‘daily value’ only measures the amount you need to avoid being deficient, NOT the OPTIMAL amount your body needs to function peoperly. BTW a ‘whole foods’ vitamin (referring to the source of the ingredients not the health food supermarket)would be better than what byou get at the drug store. Your body recognises it as ‘food’ and is able to make more use of it than the chemical concoctions from drug stores.
I’d also make sure to get enough Omega 3s, some CoQ-10 and a good calcium suppliment (with calcium citrate NOT calcium cabonate).
Sorry to rant but I used to work for a nutritionist who ran a health food store. Learned a lot.