Hello and welcome back to the healthy world of the Dogpound. I hope you are all in good health…I think I am as well since I just came back from my annual “poke and prod” session with my doctor. That is what I call our annual “wellness” check provided free by my insurance company. Not sure how “well” this visit is since I spent more time in the reception room than I did in the doctor’s office. I like my doctor but he was like…you have five minutes…start the clock “Now!” The nurse took my blood pressure and updated all of my prescriptions prior to the doctor’s appearance, and when he did come in, he checked my neck, used his stethoscope in two places on my back and chest, pushed on my stomach, and checked my ankles [didn’t even roll up the pant-leg. That was pretty much it. He did ask me about a few shots I could take, told the nurse to write up a blood test….then he asked me what was going on with me. I told I still had this nagging “jar-thumb”….no comment. I told him my gut has been hurting…doctor: “take more fiber”… I told him I could not lose weight and…doctor cuts me off: “you are getting older, your metabolism is lower..you need to eat less and exercise more”..I tried to interrupt [to no avail]to tell him that I am already going to the gym 5-6 days a week and I have upped my time from 45 minutes to an hour…to no less than an hour and shooting for 90 minutes as often as possible…with weights and jogging. Despite all that I still gained two pounds! [PS I know what you are thinking..yea, we get the picture…after each work out you stop at McDonalds for a Big Mac and milk shake. I promise you, I do try to eat semi-healthy.] I know I am older…thanks for the reminder, doc…and I know all about this stuff…not like the first time I have heard it…but still…it is very frustrating and it is even more frustrating when you are treated like you are on the clock. I understand they probably do not get paid much for this type of visit, but one of the reasons for making this a free exam is to promote interaction with your medical care providers. If you leave the office feeling that you were not heard, then that really puts a dent in the incentive to go back when you have a pain or a concern.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“The best doctor in the world is the veterinarian. He can’t ask his patients what is the matter – he’s got to just know.”- Will Rogers
GUESS WHO!
A young couple got married and went away on their honeymoon. After two weeks they came back and finally put away all of the presents they received from friends and family. Since this was a new home, the process took some time. A week later, they received in the mail two tickets for a popular show where tickets were impossible to get. They were very excited and warmed by the gesture of the person who sent this. Inside the envelope, however, was only a small piece of paper with a single line, “Guess who sent them.” The pair had much fun trying to identify the donor, but failed in the effort. They went to the theater, and had a wonderful time. On their return home late at night, still trying to guess the identity of the unknown host, they found the house stripped of every article of value. And on the bare table in the dining room was a piece of paper on which was written in the same hand as the enclosure with the tickets: “Now you know!”
That is all she wrote today.
