I'm going for a physical.
Yes, at the tender age of 42 I'm going in for a check up. My first in, I dunno, to many years.
Starting to get a bit of mileage on the ole chassis and I should get things checked out, just to be sure.
Bit of cancer in the lineage, and a few heart things back there too, so because the heartburn has been steadily increasing, she whom I love has made me an appointment.
I'm usually pleased with my general health. Lot's of guys I've known have had a difficult go at it, even by age 40.
Let's just keep all the fingers and bits crossed shall we?
UPDATE:
Well, he seems a nice enough man, and he is painstaking in his efforts.
We worked through a complete family history and my personal medical history, which didn't take a lot of time. Then he talked about his philosophy of Doctoring, which I agreed with. Good, both on the same page.
Then he started to list off the tests he would like to do, before we meet again. He wanted blood, but as I hadn't conveniently fasted for the previous 12 hours, that would be next to impossible. So tonight I'll work on the fasting.
Well then the nurse, or receptionist or technician, whatever, wanted me to make a donation into a jar. Hmm. I distinctly remember going to the bathroom before I went to the Doctors office, so I wouldn't have to excuse myself. (See, it has been a long time since I've been to the Doctors!!).
She quite sternly insisted that I produce something, anything should be enough. Talk about pressure. But hey, what do you know, I can pee under pressure. That's a good thing to know, just in case.
I was most apprehensive about the prostrate exam. (I don't want anything there that wasn't meant to be there, know what I mean?) But the doctor put me at ease quite nicely. He said they would test it digitally. I think it's probably some kind of ultrasound thing.
So tomorrow I go for blood work, next week I get the digital exam, and then he'll tell me to loose some weight, eat better, and exercise more. And I'll see him again in another 20 years.
easy peasy.
An increase in heartburn could mean something big? Please fill me in: let me know what the doctor says. I've been getting more and more heartburn lately.
ReplyDeleteplease please please EVERYONE go for a yearly checkup.
ReplyDeletetoo many people shorten their lifespan because they only go to doctors when problems arise - problems that if caught earlier might be much more cureable.
my dad was just diagnosed with cancer based on his most recent yearly checkup....the doctor said that if he had not caught it this early, his prognosis would be way worse...a simple checkup may have given him many more years to live because they caught it early.
Does digitally = with digits? Digits not only a word pertaining to numbers.
ReplyDeleteWe women are accustomed to having all sorts of things prodded and squished during check-ups. I figure you guys have very little to complain about.
Linea: You forget that guys are wimps.
ReplyDeleteYearly checkups you would think but my husband when to the DR. a few years back and he actually told him that they don't recommend yearly checkups. I think it was something like every two-three years.HMMMMM. Maybe that is just up here in the North
ReplyDeleteHey Randall...I quite enjoy your blog. However, I need to burst your bubble about one thing. Your "digital" exam of the prostate is going to be really quick..like 15-20 seconds at the max, but it's not an ultrasound. (I know..I'm an ultrasound tech!). It's just going to be a finger up the hoop. On the other hand, be thankful that it's NOT an ultrasound, as the probe is a bit bigger than your Doc's finger, and that test can take 15-20 minutes, as opposed to seconds. =) That said, hang in there, you'll be fine. It's nothing compared to a Pap smear!! =)
ReplyDeleteHilarious! I was thinking the same thing about digits! But I feel your pain. My doctor says that he doesn't do prostate exams on guys my age (how much should I trust my doctor?), but I'm not looking forward to it when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteI'd ask the Doc for a second opinion except I'd be afraid he'd stick two fingers up there.
ReplyDeleteand thanks Julie, I think.
ReplyDelete... up the hoop?
:-)
I couldn't believe it took 3 posts to pick up the digital thing ;-)
ReplyDeleteTwitches gently.
Has anyone ever met a Proctoscope? A few years back I was rather fed up working in a particular way, so I ended up putting a sign on the door of my lab:
"Department of Proctology"
I'm sure it was designed by a Doctor Proctor.
*laughing* I suppose that I could have phrased that a bit more gently! Sorry Randall!
ReplyDeleteKnowing Randall and his sense of humour, I'm assuming that the "digital" comment was meant as a joke from the start.
ReplyDeleteAh, Phil got me. (How long have we known each other Phil? :-))
ReplyDeleteActually, I confess I did think just what I wrote, till i got to the elevator. Then I almost blurted out to the lady beside me, "Heh, digital, as in digit, as in FINGER!?!"
Well, i'm trusting Julie's opinion. Anything longer than 20 seconds and he's just wandering around in there.
Elevator?
ReplyDeleteDoesn't that place only have two floors?
Maybe you should just walk more...
ReplyDeleteI had to go to the basement to pee, didn't I?
I did the same thing for my first physical: took a good long pee before I even went to the office.
ReplyDelete[...] Digitally speaking of course. [...]
ReplyDelete