Our doctor had Andy come back six months after his annual physical to see how he’s doing after his brain bleed last summer. She said he was very fortunate.
While he was there he mentioned that he’s having problems with his hip, a preview of coming attractions, it doesn’t need to be dealt with now. When he told her where the pain was she said it’s his back, not his hip. Then she added, walking two miles a day is good, but using chain saws isn’t going to help — she wasn’t saying don’t use them, just that it’s not going to help his back.
His reaction was, “Huh?” She said, yes, she knew about the chain saws.
How did she know? When he came home he asked, “Have you been talking to our doctor about me?”
April 12, 2019
I guess that’s the “hazard” of having the same primary care doctor.
I guess I might find out. For the first time ever, as of a couple of weeks ago, we share a primary care doctor, after Karen switched to the guy I’m seeing.
Up until a couple of years ago, after I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and a related heart issue, I never had a regular doctor. At work, because of the license I held, I had to have a physical every two years. After I retired in 2007, I didn’t keep up with regular doctor visits. If I had, my blood pressure problem probably would have been identified before the heart was affected. Now I have regular visits with our primary care physician as well as semiannual appointments with a cardiologist.
Oh… that hurts. High blood pressure is so silent and so damaging. 🙁
My hips hurt frequently and I always suspected it was more a back issue
The doctor said if it were his hip the pain would have been more in the front, not the side and slightly back.
that makes me smile. I mean what Andy said to you not what the doctor said.
but I look at the two of you as a team. and one watches out for the other.
it doesn’t mean needless and irritating ‘mothering’ and interference to me.
it just means the buddy system and it’s a good thing to know someone has your back. (no pun intended!)
I’m impressed by the doctor. If it came from me it was from last August when I had my annual physical. She’s part of our team too.
I would have told Andy – No! She must be reading my blog.
😉
Lol
If it were from reading my blog she probably would have mentioned his climbing up on the roof to take the Christmas tree down. 😀
Did you tell Andy it was the sawdust on his shoes that gave him away? That’s what I would have said. LOL
😀
nice one re: sawdust on his shoes…maybe if you put the Christmas tree up again, an elf will appear who takes care of chain saw matters 🙂
😀
Well….did you??? LOL – no politician-like answers LOL
If I did it was last August during my annual physical. I spent most of my time talking about Andy’s brain bleed (subdural hematoma) in July and the carotid artery dissection they found. The neurosugeon wanted to operate and put in a stent, but the research we did said the dangers of operating were too great for us to risk it. To check we sent his information to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and they said they wouldn’t see Andy because they had nothing to add to what we were doing. Well worth the effort to apply.
The main thing I remember from that conversation was my complaint about the hospital’s diagnosis on the exit papers — a subarachnoid hemorrhage. It made me worry about their competence. If it had been a SH he would have died. Our doctor said it was due to the coding system — they had to look for a code that came close and that was what they found, don’t worry about it. I appreciated her explanation, but I think it’s scary that things like that happen all the time and that kind of misinformation could sometimes affect subsequent treatment.
Anyway, however she knew about the chain saws, she gets gazillions of brownie points for caring enough to listen and remember.
Andy and I each have medical power of attorney for the other, so we can talk to the doctors about things like this. We’re a team, and clearly our doctor is a part of it.
PS Thanks for asking. 😀
reveals much about what doctors remember – the side lines or similar…but also the explanation of how “codes” work, had that problem years ago with yearly medical report, I found it intriguing when the local doctor couldn’t find a box that suited my then condition…I would say when he ticked something “oh..that mean you can cure/help it” he/she would look sheepish and say “nope….”