Thursday, June 21, 2007

Not For the Squeamish

So. . . I've had these EPISODES over the past year. One of them took me to the ER, and all three left my bathroom looking like a war zone and me passed out for a day of R&R. For me to go to work, sink down into a chair and look around and say, "I can't do this today" -- I have to be really, really sick.

So I took the unprecedented step of making medical appointments.

How unprecedented? Well, this is my OB-GYN a few hours after The Lovely Daughter was born: "No, you cannot go home this morning. I know you can't stand it here, but you did just pass out cold. Why don't we make sure that you can remain conscious when you go to the bathroom before you try it at home?"

And the same gentleman on the phone a few years ago: "No, Gannet, OF COURSE you don't have to come in for an appointment, no matter what the nurse said. I would be DELIGHTED to write you an rx for a mammogram. I APPLAUD the fact that you are giving some attention to your health. And just so you know, it would not be a terrible idea for you to come in for a real live actual doctor's appointment. Anytime at all would be just fine. "

You get the idea.

However, I forced myself to overcome my distaste (I am trying to be restrained here) for all things medical and went off this morning to spend some time drinking disgusting chemicals and getting x-rays in Polar Cap Medical Building. Global warming has clearly failed to make an impact there. One of the technicians finally brought me a blanket and I spent my down time huddled underneath it in a corner, looking as if I were terminally hypothermic.

But here's the surprise: the x-rays themselves were WAY COOL. Really. The human body is such a masterpiece of creativity. It really was a jolt to see how intricately our insides are put together and how elegantly they function -- all of it out of sight and (usually) out of mind and taken completely for granted.

So far my particular insides look fine. And my appendix is extremely cute.

8 comments:

Mark Smith said...

Been there, done that. Upper, Lower, and the version with the camera (both ends there too).

They never did find anything specific, but the symptoms went away on their own. It sounds like my symptoms were somewhat different than yours.

Hang in there - you aren't alone.

(If you ever do the tests with cameras, ask me about it. I have many useful tips that would gross out the rest of your readers.)

Mark Smith said...

One semi-disgusting tip for today:

Drink LOTS OF WATER. All day. Until you think you live in the bathroom.

You see - the stuff you drank is essentially the same as lead, and will form concrete down south if you don't stay very hydrated.

Gannet Girl said...

Mark, thank you. I've been kind of wondering why. . . . Never mind. Now I know what to do.

Di said...

Gannet, everyone knows you have beautiful innards.

I really hope that you're doing OK. I'm holding you in God's Light.

Diane M. Roth said...

good to know your insides look fine, so far...

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you ventured into the system to make sure things are OK. I hope whatever it was does not make a return visit.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad that you took just a little smidge of your time to take care of the physical part of GG. You do such a splendid job with the spiritual part, and with taking care of others. You're no good to anyone if you aren't physically well.

Jan said...

"Choose health!" That's what you did today--yay! I remember someone telling me that years ago, and I figure it means the same things as "Choose God." Take deep breaths-- gifts of God; in fact breaths are God.