I'm making a list...

And checking it twice. And I'm not Christmas shopping. I'm making the list of questions to ask my PCP at my annual physical on Friday.

They (the proverbial 'they') tell us a good patient brings a list of questions with them to their doctor appointments. I do this - I usually write them down but sometimes I just think through what I want to ask. I try to be a good patient but know I am not perfect.

While in treatment and for a few years after I used to keep a running list of questions for the doctor on my computer. I'm not that fancy any more. I pretend my brain will work and I'll remember what I want to ask until a few days prior when I start thinking about things and then decide I cant remember them all and  slightly panic.

I am at that panic point now. What the heck was I going to ask my doctor anyway? So I'm making a list. I started yesterday at work jotting down on a post-it. I quickly switched to a larger post-it. I need a bigger piece of paper so I can't lose it. I use paper because its easier than the high tech route of a word doc on my phone to update.

I know this will be my basic annual physical. As basic as any doctor appointment is with two cancer diagnoses. I know I will be sent for blood work and a chest x-ray. Maybe some other doctors for follow ups on assorted ailments. I never get to just go to the doctor and leave. I plan my annual physicals for first thing in the morning so my trips to the blood lab and x-ray avoid the long lines.
So today I will focus on making my list - once I find the list I started yesterday. On a nice big piece of lined paper so I can bring them with me and write down the answers. Like the good patient I pretend to be.