I went to have my annual CT Scan today. I need to have one done every year because of the potential for movement or leakage with the stent in my aorta. It was placed there because of a rupture caused by the forced impact of the accident. My heart is quite healthy, but the stent needs to be monitored in order to ensure that there isn’t a leak. I set the appointment for early in the morning because they wanted me to fast for three hours before the appointment and I figured that it would be easiest to go before breakfast and eat something afterward. Also, I didn’t think that the wait would be as long if I scheduled the procedure for the earliest possible time. I set the appointment for their opening hour and I was right about the wait.
Everything went as well as I think it could have with my visit to the imaging center today. In a sense it all started a few days ago when I had a blood sample taken for the sake of today’s scan. They do this in order to check for problems with the kidneys that could lead to further problems caused by the scan, The office manager today was really nice in the way that she dealt with me while getting the paperwork ready for me to have the procedure done. I was surprised to find out that my new insurance company doesn’t require a deductible on this procedure (my former insurance company required a $300.00 deductible, although I have a supplemental insurance policy that would reimburse the full amount). Even the office manager was a little shocked by the fact that I didn’t need to pay any money today… so yeah, yay for me.
Ya know, the vein tapping gets old. (Scan Tracer)
The nurse was careful to answer a couple of questions that I had because of some problems that I experienced with my last CT Scan, and the procedure itself didn’t last more than a few minutes. I really grow tired of doing this every year, but my cardiologist says that it’s a must in order to monitor the stent. I will be seeing him next week for a yearly exam. He does the whole EKG/stethoscope thing. I like him a lot, but I honestly wish that I could do away with the whole medical checkup routine that has become so common in my life since the accident. However, the CT Scan itself is pretty simple. You basically lie down with an IV in your arm for a few minutes. The only uncomfortable part of it involves the dye that they use to trace everything inside of you. It makes your body feel really warm inside, almost as though you’re going to ignite internally. It’s freakish.
Yeah, that's me at the CT.
I sometimes wonder if the person who caused this accident thinks about me at all. I mean, does she ever wonder how I’m doing, or does she ever consider the damage that has been done to my body along with the pain, trouble, and inconvenience that I go through in order to live from week to week with the aftereffects of what happened? On most days it really doesn’t matter to me; I sincerely wish her well. It’s just that on days like this I do wonder if it matters at all to her. I guess that in the end most people live within the boundaries of their own existence. Life goes on, right?
I always ask for a DVD copy of the results for the CT Scan, although I have no idea what it all means. Still, it’s kind of cool to have so many images of my insides. Each CT Scan involves a bunch of different images from the front, side, and top. They run in sequence and you can make them “evolve” as the images go from near-blank to full. Maybe next year I’ll swallow something distinct like a key and look for it in the photos.
Why, you may ask, do I feel like using British slang? Because my wife and daughter are presently binge-watching a TV show made in England and I’m in a good mood. I had a visit today with the endocrinologist. COVID-19 has really changed the way in which these visits are done. I had to sign a couple of forms confirming that I have been, am, and will always be germ and illness free. I had to have my temperature taken before they would allow me to sit in the waiting room. Everyone within the building was wearing a mask and gloves. I was eventually seated in the examination room, but in the farthest corner of the room, away from doctors and nurses alike. I felt as though I was in trouble and thought for sure that they would place an old-fashioned dunce cap on my head and make me clean a chalk board later. The doctor wouldn’t even physically touch me. The whole thing was a real freak show, but it made me laugh a little inside. Anyway, the point of this post is to report that my diabetes ...
I went to see an orthopedic hand specialist today. I had to answer a host of invasive questions along with having my hand x-rayed. I liked the guy, but I'm really not too confident about where I'm going with this. My hand has developed a trigger finger from the tendon damage that occurred in the accident, and I also experience a great deal of painful discomfort from nerve damage. He gave me a shot in hopes of avoiding surgery for the trigger finger, and he gave me a referral for a neurologist in order to have the nerve damage tested. Today is Columbus Day and no one answered the phone as I attempted to make an appointment, so I assume that the neurologist stayed home to play with her dogs Nina, Pinta, and little Santa Maria. Anyway, the orthopedic surgeon told me that the test results from the neurologist will allow him to determine if he can help me with the nerve damage or not. So...a fifty dollar deductible payment later, and what I have is several questionnaires filled out,...
I had the annual CT scan required to check the stent in my chest a few weeks ago. They called me a week later to let me know that there are no leaks and no movements involved with my stent and that my aorta won't be killing me this year (well, I added that last part). Yup, I am the poster child for stability when it comes to internal chest bleeding. I'll be back to the endocrinologist in a few weeks for blood work, an office visit, and a sonogram. It becomes a little frustrating as I continue to pay one copayment and deductible after another with all of the medical people involved with my healthcare. I sometimes feel as though I'm being taken advantage of by going through procedures and visits that cost the providers very little, but affect my personal budget in a big way. To be truthful, I'd drop every one of them if it wasn't for my desire to make my wife happy. She would freak out if I didn't continue to deal with all of the medical things that I've been ...
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