Thursday, May 25, 2006

My fkn doctor wouldn't refill my fkn Imitrex prescription.  It turns out I hadn't been there in 5 years.  So what?  I've been healthy.  Anyway, I had an appointment today to check in and say "Hi, I'm still alive."  Thirty minutes later they hadn't even acknowledged my presence.  Sigh.  Meanwhile, I see the drug reps start to pile in.  Grrrr.  They finally take me back and check my vital signs.  The nurse goofed on me cuz she said I weighed what her kids weigh.  I didn't ask how old.  She kept remarking that I hadn't been in for years.  I kept answering back, but I'm healthy.  They hate that apparently. 

She moved me into a room across from some guy with gout.  Ewwww.  I don't really know what that is.  Hello Google.  So you don't have to Google (since no one alive knows what gout is), here it is: Gout is a systemic disease (i.e., condition that occurs throughout the body) caused by the buildup of uric acid in the joints.  He was a 38 yr old man who hurt his arm at a retreat in NY.  Yes, I heard his whole story.  I think there may be a HIPAA violation or three going on there.  Anyway, now he has some weird staph infection.  Ewwww.  By the way, I tried to hold my breath the whole time I was there but 55 minutes is a looong time.  And, apparently there's a new antibiotic-resistant staph infection out called MRSA.  I was informed of this as a needle was being stuck in my arm.  Gah, I hope she washed her hands with soap.

I had assumed I would say hi to the doc and get rushed out, but he was very thorough (listened to my lungs and everything).  Laugh, he shut my exam room door so my history was private.  He reviewed where I was 5 years ago health-wise.  Again, I had to explain I've been healthy.  Because I'm a woman of a certain age, it's mammogram time.  I refused that on x-ray grounds, so I acquiesced to the blood work so as not to be perceived as difficult.  Yeah, yeah, I know I have rights, but I've been fired from doctors before so it's just easier to play along and get my refills for another 5 years.  Plus, he gave me samples of other ones.  I had to take back some of my unkind thoughts about the pharmaceutical reps for the 2 minutes he was handing me those (Maxalt, Imitrex, and Frova).  Overall, he's a good guy, and I have my refill.  He did say I needed to get annual checkups.  We'll see.