A Story....
Here’s a story… not sure where it ends or what lesson you may learn, but here it is.
A few years back at a routine physical I commented on a bump behind my right ear. The doctor took a look and said it was most likely a fatty tumor (quite common, like a boil) and that Ishouldn’t worry unless it started getting larger. So over the next few years as I was to the doctor for this minor ailment or that sickness the doctor would take a look and note the tumors size. After about 2 years it had not grown but due to a new pair of eyeglasses I was noticing the mass more and more so my HMO said I could have it removed and scheduled me for minor surgery.
I arrived at the medical facility and checked in with the surgeon, disrobed and lay on the table waiting for the doctor to perform the minor outpatient surgery. Doc came in and quickly said, “That’s not a tumor, it’s an enlarged Lymph Node (quite common).” I asked how the other 3-4 doctors who had seen it over the last few years had not realized what it was. I was never given a clear answer. So I got dressed and went home, no cutting, no pain. I still have that enlarged Lymph node behind my ear.
Next stop on our journey begins one fall as after walking at lunchtime for a few weeks (after all the doctor had been after me for years to loose a some weight and begin to exercise) I began to notice a strange feeling in my lower right leg. I at first attributed it to the exercise and rubbed some Bengay into it. But the pain began to get worse and worse. So I went to the doctor who told me he thought I had what he descried as a “cold” in my leg and it should get better with time.
After a few more weeks of it getting worse to the point of constant pain and walking hunched over, the doctor prescribed a minor muscle relaxer and a minor pain pill and signed me up for 8 weeks of physical therapy.
After 8 weeks of therapy and more pain, the doctor finally decided it was time for an MRI.
After the MRI my pain began to lesson and by the time I found out I have 2 herniated discs in my lower back (hence all the therapy and drugs were useless), the pain began to lesson and go away. I honestly believe that the final knowledge of knowing I wasn’t crazy and having to lie perfectly still in the MRI machine for 30 minutes helped the discs to reverse course and not swell any more.
The 3rd act starts in 1999 when I went to Optometrist who tells me that the Glaucoma test (the puff of air test) reading s borderline high for my right eye but everything looks OK. After another 2 tests since then until this past February, the readings were the same but the Eye Doc suggests I see an Ophthalmologist to rule out any early stages of Glaucoma. So I call my HMO and make an appointment (this was late Feb.).
At my appointment today, the Doc says that the pressure in my eyes is normal and everything looks good. I ask him about the puff test and am told that it is frequently wrong.
Chapter 4 is a short one wherein my grandmother lives to be 93 after smoking for some 75 years of that time and drinking and eating whatever she wanted.
So, where does this leave me? Maybe I’m just unlucky with doctors and such, but I am beginning to think that perhaps the docs aren’t as smart I have given them credit for over the years. Yes I am overweight and maybe too much so, but so are the nurses who tell me I have to loose weight not to mention I see them out in front of the building smoking (I work in the same building as my primary Doctor and HMO office). I don’t smoke and never have.
Should I continue to listen to the Docs…. yea but I’m gonna be much more skeptical in the future. No use wasting my time and money on things that aren’t really wrong with me.
A few years back at a routine physical I commented on a bump behind my right ear. The doctor took a look and said it was most likely a fatty tumor (quite common, like a boil) and that Ishouldn’t worry unless it started getting larger. So over the next few years as I was to the doctor for this minor ailment or that sickness the doctor would take a look and note the tumors size. After about 2 years it had not grown but due to a new pair of eyeglasses I was noticing the mass more and more so my HMO said I could have it removed and scheduled me for minor surgery.
I arrived at the medical facility and checked in with the surgeon, disrobed and lay on the table waiting for the doctor to perform the minor outpatient surgery. Doc came in and quickly said, “That’s not a tumor, it’s an enlarged Lymph Node (quite common).” I asked how the other 3-4 doctors who had seen it over the last few years had not realized what it was. I was never given a clear answer. So I got dressed and went home, no cutting, no pain. I still have that enlarged Lymph node behind my ear.
Next stop on our journey begins one fall as after walking at lunchtime for a few weeks (after all the doctor had been after me for years to loose a some weight and begin to exercise) I began to notice a strange feeling in my lower right leg. I at first attributed it to the exercise and rubbed some Bengay into it. But the pain began to get worse and worse. So I went to the doctor who told me he thought I had what he descried as a “cold” in my leg and it should get better with time.
After a few more weeks of it getting worse to the point of constant pain and walking hunched over, the doctor prescribed a minor muscle relaxer and a minor pain pill and signed me up for 8 weeks of physical therapy.
After 8 weeks of therapy and more pain, the doctor finally decided it was time for an MRI.
After the MRI my pain began to lesson and by the time I found out I have 2 herniated discs in my lower back (hence all the therapy and drugs were useless), the pain began to lesson and go away. I honestly believe that the final knowledge of knowing I wasn’t crazy and having to lie perfectly still in the MRI machine for 30 minutes helped the discs to reverse course and not swell any more.
The 3rd act starts in 1999 when I went to Optometrist who tells me that the Glaucoma test (the puff of air test) reading s borderline high for my right eye but everything looks OK. After another 2 tests since then until this past February, the readings were the same but the Eye Doc suggests I see an Ophthalmologist to rule out any early stages of Glaucoma. So I call my HMO and make an appointment (this was late Feb.).
At my appointment today, the Doc says that the pressure in my eyes is normal and everything looks good. I ask him about the puff test and am told that it is frequently wrong.
Chapter 4 is a short one wherein my grandmother lives to be 93 after smoking for some 75 years of that time and drinking and eating whatever she wanted.
So, where does this leave me? Maybe I’m just unlucky with doctors and such, but I am beginning to think that perhaps the docs aren’t as smart I have given them credit for over the years. Yes I am overweight and maybe too much so, but so are the nurses who tell me I have to loose weight not to mention I see them out in front of the building smoking (I work in the same building as my primary Doctor and HMO office). I don’t smoke and never have.
Should I continue to listen to the Docs…. yea but I’m gonna be much more skeptical in the future. No use wasting my time and money on things that aren’t really wrong with me.
posted by Shannon @ 5:57 PM
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