medical adventures and the sheriff called on me

[code monkey]

reminder – all of this is good news.

despite my fervent wish to avoid medical settings this has not been possible and last week saw me in 2 different offices.

first the 6mo followup sonography. no change, stable, still benign. come back in another 6mo and if it’s still holding steady then we’ll go to annual diagnostic scans.

the next day - off for the excision of something suspicious. (all blessings to the developers of local anesthetics. it wouldn’t have been half as much fun without your work.) all indications were that it was benign but i can’t forget that a day after michael got the results of the biopsy he was told by one of the non-surgical medical offices that everything was fine. no substitute for cytology. the report came in today – benign. relief. the stitches will come out in a few more days. the suture material is bright blue and is very much like thin fishing line.

a public service announcement
all of you who’ve been putting off your checkups – and you know who you are - get yourselves to the telephone and make the appointments. and then keep them.

oh, the sheriff. Imagine my surprise to see a sheriff’s car in front of my house. Now magine my surprise to have him knock on my door. i'm being arrested? a crime in the neighborhood? nothing so dramatic - i hadn’t been seen for a while, people were concerned and he was checking to see if I were ok. small town living at its best.

this came at a good time as I’d found myself overwhelmed by a feeling of sadness and desolation over the weekend and this was lifting only slowly. it started when a storm hit – many lightning strikes and the power went out a few times. michael and i used to enjoy storms. i spoke with a neighbor, another of the not-so-merry widows and she too was climbing out of despair. which hit at the same time. something in the air? she and her husband had not liked to watch storms. i'd been alone all weekend and she had non-stop company. i’d recently come to the realization that the person I considered my closest friend, the woman who told me, with tears in her eyes, that she’d promised michael that she and her husband would take care of me was simply not to be trusted. believe me, I’ve been very careful to ask for something only when it was essential – a ride to&from the hospital for surgery, for example. she has on many occasions made spontaneous offers of help and then later , just as spontaneously, announced that she wouldn’t as it would be ‘just too upsetting’. this has been a rollercoaster ride i've not enjoyed. the realization has stung and so it was a nice surprise to learn that people were concerned about me. now if they'd just call to say hello...

[SciFiFisher]

All good news. <high five!>

Nice to know your neighbors care enough to send the Sheriff to check on you. I am a lousy neighbor. by the time I get home from work I barely notice what my neighbors are doing unless their house guests are parking on my side of the street. And then I usually suspect them of running a drug house.

[code monkey]

All good news. <high five!>

Nice to know your neighbors care enough to send the Sheriff to check on you. I am a lousy neighbor. by the time I get home from work I barely notice what my neighbors are doing unless their house guests are parking on my side of the street. And then I usually suspect them of running a drug house.

thanks!

maybe your neighbors are just very social.

the sheriff was a little vague but it sounded as though the mailman and the state of the lawn were involved. former friend had volunteered a succession of different people for the yard work before the penny dropped and i asked a neighbor if she could suggest a service. when you start in the middle of the season you're not the top priority and there's catch-up to do. another lesson learned.

[SciFiFisher]

Brite says you should check Angie's list for people to do the lawn. If you can't find a 14 y/o looking to make some folding cash you might also run an ad and/or check craigslist for lawn services.

[geonuc]

i’d recently come to the realization that the person I considered my closest friend, the woman who told me, with tears in her eyes, that she’d promised michael that she and her husband would take care of me was simply not to be trusted. believe me, I’ve been very careful to ask for something only when it was essential – a ride to&from the hospital for surgery, for example. she has on many occasions made spontaneous offers of help and then later , just as spontaneously, announced that she wouldn’t as it would be ‘just too upsetting’. ...

This is seriously upsetting. I know life goes on, people change and promises fade, but how long has it been, really?

[Loresinger]

From our conversations that friend only causes you anxiety and grief

as for the lawn get a goat (smile)

and I am very happy to hear that all came back negative. We need our CM in one piece.

[gethen]

i’d recently come to the realization that the person I considered my closest friend, the woman who told me, with tears in her eyes, that she’d promised michael that she and her husband would take care of me was simply not to be trusted. believe me, I’ve been very careful to ask for something only when it was essential – a ride to&from the hospital for surgery, for example. she has on many occasions made spontaneous offers of help and then later , just as spontaneously, announced that she wouldn’t as it would be ‘just too upsetting’. ...

This is seriously upsetting. I know life goes on, people change and promises fade, but how long has it been, really?

Not long ago I was complaining to my older sister about my disappointment in a good friend who really let me down on something important. She observed that the person who is always fun to be with, ready for any adventure, loves all the things you love, may also be the last person you want to work with or depend on.
The very things you like about a person in good times may make them incapable of being there for you when the chips are down. Sadly, your friend sounds like one of these people.

[pumpkinpi]

Wonderful news, except for the untrustworthy friend.

And thanks for the reminder to get things checked. I was a Sun worshiper in my youth, spending my summers tanning, or "laying out" as we called it, on any sunny day I could. Sunburns were only occasional, but now I realize that even the tan is a sign of Sun damage, and that damage occurs even without a change in skin color.

I now shun the Sun. For a while I was on a medication that gave me an AWFUL itch the first time I was exposed to the Sun each season. No rash--nothing visible--but agonizing enough that I had to take a sick day from work. (swift, you may recognize the medicine--6mp or mecaptopurine.) I am no longer on the medication, but I still do all I can to avoid prolonged exposure for me and my kids--slathering with sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding the Sun during peak hours. Everyone remarks that "it's a gorgeous day" when there is a clear blue sky, but I prefer thick clouds any day.

However, I fear that my past will haunt me. I am covered in moles--most are normal looking but I keen an eye out for changes. My sister was/is even more of a tanner than me (she would actually go to tanning beds, and still gets out a lot in the summer) and she's already had one suspicious mole removed. So I know I need to go to a dermatologist to get my full-body check, and follow up regularly.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Well, good news on health front, very good to know indeed.

Your "friend" needs a kick in the shins

[Rommie]

Wonderful news, except for the untrustworthy friend.

And thanks for the reminder to get things checked. I was a Sun worshiper in my youth, spending my summers tanning, or "laying out" as we called it, on any sunny day I could. Sunburns were only occasional, but now I realize that even the tan is a sign of Sun damage, and that damage occurs even without a change in skin color.

I now shun the Sun. For a while I was on a medication that gave me an AWFUL itch the first time I was exposed to the Sun each season. No rash--nothing visible--but agonizing enough that I had to take a sick day from work. (swift, you may recognize the medicine--6mp or mecaptopurine.) I am no longer on the medication, but I still do all I can to avoid prolonged exposure for me and my kids--slathering with sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding the Sun during peak hours. Everyone remarks that "it's a gorgeous day" when there is a clear blue sky, but I prefer thick clouds any day.

However, I fear that my past will haunt me. I am covered in moles--most are normal looking but I keen an eye out for changes. My sister was/is even more of a tanner than me (she would actually go to tanning beds, and still gets out a lot in the summer) and she's already had one suspicious mole removed. So I know I need to go to a dermatologist to get my full-body check, and follow up regularly.

My twin brother has also similarly been the "sun worshipper" in our family, and got one or two potentially suspicious ones removed in January (reminder: I turned 27 in January!). One of those cases of who knows if it'd be malignant years down the line, but certainly gave him a shock.

[Swift]

(swift, you may recognize the medicine--6mp or mecaptopurine.)

I know of it; I've never taken it and I don't think my wife has.

[Hap]

a public service announcement
all of you who’ve been putting off your checkups – and you know who you are - get yourselves to the telephone and make the appointments. and then keep them.

One (dubious) upside to being a diabetic: semi-annual check-ups with the internist, with alternate semi-annual check-ups with the endocrinologist, resulting in quarterly checkups with some kind of doctor. Kinda hard to miss the required age and/or condition related recommended tests/examinations, e.g. my upcoming colonoscopy next week (yay).

[Loresinger]

This thread needs to be re-named "sickness sucks" or "chronic sickness sucks more"

[code monkey]

One (dubious) upside to being a diabetic: semi-annual check-ups with the internist, with alternate semi-annual check-ups with the endocrinologist, resulting in quarterly checkups with some kind of doctor. Kinda hard to miss the required age and/or condition related recommended tests/examinations, e.g. my upcoming colonoscopy next week (yay).

good for you for managing your disease. it isn't easy but it is essential. i know some diabetics - you know who you are, people - who are not at all careful. despite reminders. frequent reminders.

[code monkey]

*** update ***
just had the 6mo scan and the results were better than holding steady. the irregularity has resolved itself - it's gone! i'm back on an annual schedule.

*** a public service announcement ***
all of you who’ve been putting off your checkups / tests / etc. – and you know who you are - get yourselves to the telephone and make the appointments. and then keep them. or must i release the flying monkeys?

[FZR1KG]

Great news CM

[brite]

Release the flying monkeys... They need the exercise.....

[code monkey]

Release the flying monkeys... They need the exercise.....

i've got a trip a month for the next several. does that count?

[brite]

Release the flying monkeys... They need the exercise.....

i've got a trip a month for the next several. does that count?

Are you taking them on a leash??