My brother and I had a running joke about my parents. His take was that they retired so they'd have all the time they needed for doctors' appointments. Now that I'm over 60 I'm starting to understand that everything doesn't just run according to plan. We become more like older cars that need little (and larger) tweaks and repairs. Lately I feel like a half broken camera that needs an extra dose of duct tape.
I'm now getting platinum level frequent visitor miles from: My dentist, my dermatologist, and my general practitioner. Nothing is a big, dramatic life or death escapade but more along the lines of the car stereo going in and out of service, or the front alignment needing, well, alignment. Annoying and potentially dangerous, in turn.
About a month and a half ago I went to my G.P. to ask about a smallish spot on my face. He said, "I don't like the look of that one." and sent me along to my dermatologist who said, "hmmmm. we should do a biopsy. Hold still while I slice off part of your face and then cauterize it with some wicked tool." Not long after that he called back to say, "That's a squamous cell something or other and I'm sending you to a MOHS surgery specialist. You'll like him, he's funny. And very good." (I liked the MOHS surgeon; all three of his kids are competitive swimmers).
In the interim I had an ancient crown come off a back molar. Always an unsettling occurrence. So I got in touch with my dentist who looked at the mangled remains of the crown and announced that we'd be doing it over again. Since she is extremely good at dental science and also sings even better than Norah Jones when she does procedures I presented myself on the appointed day to get pierced with a sharp needle delivering numbness, and then drained off part of my checking account to pay for the procedure.
But none of these visits are a closed loop. They all require follow up of some sort or another. You have to go back a week or so later to have the new crown fitted which gives the dentist an opening to say, "Hey, we missed your last regular check up because of the pandemic. What day/date/time works for you?"
But in the meantime I've circled back to the MOHS surgeon for a follow up at which he had nothing but praise for his own good work. And I have to agree with him that I can barely, barely see the scar. Pretty amazing but nonetheless another adventure in meeting with a doctor. Another spell of answering the Covid-19 screening questions for bored receptionist in scrubs.
But, feeling lucky I signed up for the Moderna vaccine and got jabbed (the one English/U.K. slang I actually like) back on February 10th. I still think it was a good idea but now I'm waiting to hear this week when I will get my second harsh piercing. I pass the time waiting for my appointment to be announced by listening to my friends regale me with their stories of all their gruesome second dose side effects. The one I like least so far is the story of a full overnight session of vomiting.... The splitting headaches are a close second.
But here's the deal. I can't schedule stuff until I know when I'll get the second vaccine dose because I have no idea how I'll react to it. Could be tomorrow. Could be a few days later. But if we're into the middle of next week I'll have to delay it because I've booked a project and the wheels for that are already in motion.
But, intermixed in the time line was another trip to my G.P. to have him identify a bump behind my left earlobe. It's been there for a while but, hey, over 60 and ample time to visit with my doctor; right? And the bump probably won't go away on its own...
He took a look and then punted. I'm scheduled to go back and see my dermatologist on Thursday, at some ungodly hour in the morning. Certainly too early for coffee..... I can't predict what he might say but I hope it's more of a "let's burn this off with liquid nitrogen" and less of a "let me do a biopsy and then I'll probably send you back to the surgeon." You remember him. He's the guy with kids that swim...
So, I also had this appointment to circle back around to my dentist for that deep cleaning and check-up and wouldn't you know it! Their state of the art X-ray machine found something my ballad-humming tooth doctor didn't like and now I'm being referred to specialist who does root canals. But I can't schedule that right now since I'm in the holding pattern for the vaccine. Which may save my life if I happen to end up singing with my choir group in a crowded bar on Sixth St. while dancing with vigor and breathing hard. The governor says that's all okay now.
So, now that I've crested and progressed into the maw of my 60s I'm beginning to understand my parents a bit better.
Who will win? Will it be the vaccine appointment? Will it be the dermatologist with his torture tools? Will it be the root canal guy with the long novocaine needle? Or will I just settle for a nervous breakdown instead?
And no matter who ultimately wins they'd better schedule quickly because I've got stuff to do. And that photo project next Thursday is not going to get rescheduled. Too many people already committed. And which I want to do in order to feel relevant..
I'm sure I'm missing some other torment of aging right now but I think I've had my limit. I did get a t-shirt the other day. It said, "I worked hard all my life and the only thing I got to do in my retirement years was wear this T-Shirt and bitch about stuff."
One of my less delicate friends let me know that he feels all of this is just my karma for having bought another Leica. I tried to tell him that the fates couldn't be so cruel; after all, I passed on the Ferrari...
Hang in there, Kirk, and just wait to see how many wheels fall off when you're in your 80s! As for the 2nd Covid shot, don't listen to the horror stories; my 2nd one was a piece of cake, just like the 1st one. I think that's my reward for not buying an S1R (yet).
ReplyDeleteHere's what I've been saying to myself my last several birthdays-
ReplyDelete"I've earned all these years the hard way - cool!"
And by George every year I realize it's true, all over again. Try it, you'll like it.
One phone call scheduled my first and second jabs so it is possible. Some locations may not have enough information about supply to commit to the second appointment.
ReplyDeleteYour dermatologist doesn't schedule you for periodic "skin checks"?
typing talker, No such scheduling in Austin. They schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays when they see how much supply they are getting. If you haven't heard from the health dept. by your 42 day you are able to just walk in with your CDC card showing your first shot and get the second. But they are supposed to call or text to schedule right at 28 days. We're almost all Moderna in Austin's system...
ReplyDeleteAs to my dermatologist: skin checks twice a year. I catch the new stuff in between and when I don't like something I go in. Better quicker than later.
Dental stuff? I just do what they say. I figure it's better than way. I have so much medical and dental anxiety it's almost better if everyone just springs stuff on me. I'll take any appointment as long as it doesn't interfere with my swim schedule!
What's the old saying? "Growing old is not for sissies," or something like that.
ReplyDeleteMy second jab was not too bad -- about 3 or 4 hours of chills and lethargy that evening and the arm a bit tender the next day. Good luck on yours.
Thanks! I'm in for the whole deal.
ReplyDeleteB is a saint.
ReplyDeleteI am aware...
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I got the second Moderna on Wednesday. It really knocked her down; I felt a little queasy the day after, and my arm was sore, but nothing more. My wife didn't get out of bed the day after until six o'clock in the evening, was up for a couple of hours, then went back to bed. The next morning, she was much better, and on Saturday, she was out trail riding. I think I read somewhere that about 30% of Moderna recipients have a strong reaction. (My wife's theory, which I suspect you won't like, is that athletic people like her, and you, are hit harder, because their bodies are stronger and therefore able to generate a more powerful response.) By the way, the covid vaccine center in Amarillo is giving Moderna shots to all comers, including those from New Mexico. Dozens, and maybe hundreds, of people from Santa Fe have gone there and...no problem. Texas hospitality. Our doctor not long ago sent around a message to patients suggesting they go over there. (Four hours from Santa Fe.) I just checked a minute ago, and they're going strong.
ReplyDeletehttps://amarilloalerts.com/vaccine
" all of this is just my karma for having bought another Leica. I tried to tell him that the fates couldn't be so cruel; after all, I passed on the Ferrari..."
ReplyDeleteAh, that was your mistake. If you'd bought the Ferrari, then you'd be too poor for any of that medical treatment and surely the powers that control such things would have taken it easier on you.
On the brighter side of things, all this stuff could have happened earlier and before you were on the glorious gov't healthcare system known as Medicare. I've basically been going thru a similar stage of the aging process, but I'm in my late 50s and having to foot most of the costs myself due to a $5K yearly insurance deductible. I wonder who I can contact to get a 6 year reprieve on all this stuff?
Pretty funny, but spot on - I'm reading this just before leaving for a medical appointment. We got our second Moderna doses last week. Connecticut has been well organized and getting the shots was easy. My arm got sore (actually painful) for two days - my wife got the chills and some general discomfort the next day. Not too bad.
ReplyDeleteLast week I hurt my knee while putting on my knee brace.
ReplyDelete"Lately I feel like a half broken camera that needs an extra dose of duct tape."
ReplyDeleteHere's your problem Kirk.
If you used Gaffers Tape you would be in much better shape.
Your experience reminds me of my biggest frustration - loosing control of my schedule. I'll be 80 next month and each passing year brings the need for more "maintenance". So the things I enjoy have to be fitted in around visits to the bevy of specialists that keep me going. Luckily, like you, all of my conditions are being effectively treated before becoming life threatening and do not limit my activities beyond the infirmities of my advancing age. So in spite of my frustration I consider myself blessed and take much pleasure in my photography, videography, and a variety of other interests. I am another example of the old saw "Now that I am retired I don't know how I found the time to go to work."
ReplyDeleteWow. Just wow. I just spent the last hour and 27 minutes on hold with Austin Public Health trying to schedule my second vaccine dose. I finally gave up and started e-mailing the mayor, the governor, my local congressional reps and any one else I could think of. This is no way to run a public health service. Amazingly poor planning for something everyone was aware was coming months ago.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder there is "vaccine hesitancy." I guess if people see that an entire government can't assemble the competence to schedule people whose information they already have they have to thinking "how can they possibly know how to deliver a safe vaccine?"
I was about to attempt some waggish comment, until I ran into Anonymous and the knee brace. That pretty much says it all.
ReplyDeleteI got my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine yesterday. Spent most of the day miserable and sleep a lot. Today is a lot better. Flu shots affect me the same way. So, no big deal.
ReplyDeleteOr, as Dame Judy Dench was recently quoted as saying , "F**k being 86 years old!"
ReplyDeleteIt seems so weird to me that Austin can't schedule you, while in Amarillo, they're giving shots to all comers, no questions asked, no pre-existing conditions required, no appointment needed, and you don't even have to be from Texas.
ReplyDeleteIf I were you, I'd go to wherever they're giving the shots in Austin, walk in and ask if you can get one.
Kirk, for what it's worth, I received my first shot through Austin Public Health on Jan. 14, and late in the afternoon on Feb. 10, I received an email that auto-scheduled me for the second shot on the very next day- Feb. 11. I'd take the bet that you will receive a similar email very soon. By the way, APH announced last week that they will now be assigning a specific date for the second shot at the time of the first shot, as most providers have been doing; of course, we all wish they had done that from the very beginning!
ReplyDeleteIt may be a clusterfu** but at least you can get vaccinated in Texas. If you think Austin is bad, you should see the utter lack of communication here in northern Virginia, outside DC. Supposedly, they're still giving shots to the highest-risk groups. But for how long, and when will the rest of us get a chance? How will we know? Crickets.
ReplyDeleteYou have better odds of sneaking into Area 51 in Nevada than penetrating the bureaucratic haze that is Fairfax County.
Ken
I wish one could opt to pay into the system to support the cost of services to those who can't afford them and in turn be able to schedule a definite appt. time and location. I'd gladly write a check (metaphorically) for up to $1,000 for the privilege of not having to deal with the constant uncertainty of our local process. It is, after all, the capitalist way. And the thousand dollars would offset the cost to the government for many, many doses...
ReplyDeleteAt 81 I'm definitely in decline. This past year I've gone from retina surgery to Mandibulectomy and Fibula Free Flap Reconstruction surgery for a rare form of cancer of the jaw. I retired from my job as cover designer at Penn Press a week before the jaw surgery which was quickly followed by 6 weeks of radiation. You start to wonder if this is the end… or will it never end.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to warmer weather and another chance to come to grips with a funky Sigma Qutro camera.
Cheers!
No one gets out alive.
ReplyDeleteTrue. We should be having more fun instead of trying to hold everything together.
ReplyDeleteHi Kirk,
ReplyDeleteI'm about 10 years ahead of you on the repair schedule and am all too familiar with what your going through now. I've found that there are varying periods of time when it seems like he only thing you do is go to the Doctors office or some other health professional to "get fixed." In my mid sixties, my three herniated disks caught up with me and I had to retire to, as my son put it, "Your full time job now is getting better." For just about a year, I was getting 2-3 physical therapy treatments a week, acupuncture, massages, daily home traction therapy, chiropractic treatments and daily walks of 3-4 miles along with an hour of strengthening/stretching exercises. That was the worst, but 10 years later, a regular exercise program and continued walking allow me to continue photography, albeit with less and less stuff to carry as hand and wrist arthritis has taken over as the new thing to be fixed. Several other problems like yours along the way, but the tough ones are the chronic unfixable ones where all you can do is alleviate the pain. Sounds like you are on top of it and staying ahead of the game as much as possible. Good luck!
PS You've just about convinced me to buy a Fuji x100v as my next step downward in weight that I can carry from a M4/3.
Kirk, you could try volunteering at one of the big vaccination sites in your town:
ReplyDeletehttps://apnews.com/article/volunteers-coronavirus-vaccine-sites-5dcef04d8b6fd33cd287ac3ab3e26137
I found out that my nephew copped a jab as a volunteer when my 3-7/12 grand-niece spilled the beans on him ("Y'know, Daddy already got a shot..."). Some people take a dim view of this, but not me. The volunteers at the Amazon pop-up site I went to over the weekend did a great job of marshaling the mob of panicky geezers that turned up, and kept us from wandering out into traffic.