Not proceeding as expected

Well, I made it through my doctors appointment yesterday. I was right, there was a TV in the waiting room, turned up too loud on Fox News to make sure that the two other people waiting could hear it. But I wasn't there long. It was a very quick visit. However, the doctor wasn't all so positive.

First of all, I learned a new word: osteopenia. It is the precursor to osteoporosis. And I have it. I need to up my calcium and Vitamin D intake and take another test in two years. Basically, it means my bones are starting to thin. I did a little research when I got home that says women over 60 need to be tested to see if they have it. Well, I am not over 60. So I got it early. Great, yippee, yahoo, NOT. This means that unless the bone thining slows down due to increased vitamin D and calcium intake, I will probably end up with osteoporosis - like my aunts, mother, and grandmother. I can also exercise regularly (which I do), start weight lifting more regularly (which I keep meaning to), quit smoking (already did that), quit or reduce drinking (this takes all the fun out of life). WAH! I guess that's my only comment.

Then the doctor said with your gall stone there are two choices live on a low fat diet to control it or if it becomes an issue, see a surgeon. Well, apparently mine is an issue as I can feel it all the time, even when lying in bed on that side. So I get to go see a surgeon. I know its not big surgery and I am really sick of the fat free diet but I really don't want more surgery. Grr, grr, grr.

Then the doctor said that the two issues I am having with problems with my leg related to bursitis and with general fatigue/crappiness feeling are hard for her to diagnose. I should see if I can write down when I have them and what I was doing so she can figure out what the causes are. She said, and this makes a lot of sense, if I tell her about a specific symptom, it is very hard to diagnosis and just run test after test. But if I tell her the story with the symptom of when and where I get it, it is much easier for her to go in the right direction. This is how she was able to send me to the gall bladder surgeon based on what I could tell her about the pains I had from that.

Even though I am going to see the surgeon soon about my gall bladder, I still should see the GI doctor for my other issues. And, I need to go back to see my primary care doctor in October. Just when I thought I could break free of Lahey, I get sucked back in!

Further proof on the sheep's butt hair. Last night I was hot and sticky and took a quick shower to cool off before I went to bed. Even though I fell asleep with wet hair, the sheep's butt still looks exactly the same...