Doctor Visit
May. 16th, 2014 07:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stoutfellowToday I went to the doctor; specifically, I had my first appointment with my new Primary Care Physician. While I was at the hospital, they provided me with a list of local doctors who were taking new patients. I cross-checked that with my insurance provider's list, leaving me with about eight choices. Of those, all but one had offices near the hospital; the last had an office not far from the university, and so I chose that one.
It's probable that, at least some of the time, I'll need to have someone drive me there, but today I decided to walk from campus. Checking the map, it seemed (and was) straightforward: go out through the southern entrance to the university, turn right, and hike about half a mile down the highway. Unfortunately, I took a wrong turn and, instead of leaving via the south entrance, I looped back north and wound up at the north entrance. At that point - already somewhat tired - I had about a mile to go. Despite this mishap, I got to the office with time to spare. (There are advantages to being phobic about being late.)
Not much happened; they took my weight, height, and blood pressure, and I had extended interviews with one of the nurses and the doctor. I was a bit annoyed by the fact that they kept asking me questions that I had answered in the paperwork I'd already submitted. (Cripes, I don't remember what generic medicine the pharmacy substituted for my prescription! "Begins with a 'p', I think....") Still, there was some meat to the discussion. They couldn't do bloodwork, since I'd eaten in the last twelve hours, but that can be taken care of anytime. (On that occasion, I will definitely need a ride - I'm not taking that hike on an empty stomach!) The doctor wants a follow-up in three or four months, and then we'll go to the standard once-a-year schedule.
(I did warn the doctor that I would be regularly consulting with my sister, the nurse, which he took in good part. He mentioned that I could give her access to my records, but that I might want to think carefully about whether that would be a good thing....)
It's probable that, at least some of the time, I'll need to have someone drive me there, but today I decided to walk from campus. Checking the map, it seemed (and was) straightforward: go out through the southern entrance to the university, turn right, and hike about half a mile down the highway. Unfortunately, I took a wrong turn and, instead of leaving via the south entrance, I looped back north and wound up at the north entrance. At that point - already somewhat tired - I had about a mile to go. Despite this mishap, I got to the office with time to spare. (There are advantages to being phobic about being late.)
Not much happened; they took my weight, height, and blood pressure, and I had extended interviews with one of the nurses and the doctor. I was a bit annoyed by the fact that they kept asking me questions that I had answered in the paperwork I'd already submitted. (Cripes, I don't remember what generic medicine the pharmacy substituted for my prescription! "Begins with a 'p', I think....") Still, there was some meat to the discussion. They couldn't do bloodwork, since I'd eaten in the last twelve hours, but that can be taken care of anytime. (On that occasion, I will definitely need a ride - I'm not taking that hike on an empty stomach!) The doctor wants a follow-up in three or four months, and then we'll go to the standard once-a-year schedule.
(I did warn the doctor that I would be regularly consulting with my sister, the nurse, which he took in good part. He mentioned that I could give her access to my records, but that I might want to think carefully about whether that would be a good thing....)
