Checkup of doctor’s appointment

The doctor’s appointment was okay, just a list of other tests and perhaps some more pharmaceuticals, and I balked at both. Here is what I know about today’s medicine–the doctors are being evaluated and paid on how many patients they can see, how many extra tests they can order, and how many drugs they can prescribe. The insurance companies, the medical conglomerate, and big-pharma are all in the same pot, wanting to get as much money as possible. Well, the insurance companies may be attempting to keep costs down, and they know that if they can catch an illness or ailment sooner than later, it will cost less in the long-run. They would rather pay upfront than deal with an ailment later on.

I have orders at the medical corporation’s lab for various tests. I probably would have gone this morning, but I have other things I want to be doing. As I’ve previously written, May is marathon month, and I have lots to do in the next three weeks to finish out the school year. Getting updated blood work is not high on the agenda. I will get there, on a morning when I don’t have a list of chores and errands. Right now restocking supplies takes precedent.

The doctor also wanted to order a whole bunch of other tests, all paid for by medicare, all paying well into the corporate medical machine. I’ve pretty much decided I don’t need bone density and mammograms very often, if ever, any more. The agency will call and I’ll push them off.

I have heard horror stories about shingles vaccines, and yet the doctor continues to push that shot. NO. She agreed that the second shot is very difficult for older patients. I informed her that I had been telling my friends I refuse to get this. One friend had asked, “you can do that?” Well, duh, yes, it’s your body. You can refuse various procedures. I informed the doctor that more doctors may be getting pushback on that vaccine.

She gave me a dementia check. I had a series of these tests about 2 decades ago when I thought I might be losing my marbles. It turned out I was just overwhelmed with all I had to do and wasn’t performing at the high level I once had. Yesterday’s test was a simplified version, one I’m sure they had adapted to fit the time prescribed for a Medicare appointment.

Here’s a list of words. I’ll ask for them later. Draw a clock face on this circle and set the time for 10 after 11. (How long can they use this test? Today’s children are not growing up with clock faces, but rather digital clocks.) What are the words? Listen to these instructions and do them after I count to 3 and say GO. (It was a series of movements–leave my chair, walk to the door, touch the knob, turn around and return to the chair and sit down.) I think she timed me and I guess I did fine as she said “well done,” but she might say that to everyone. What are the words?

She wants me back in three months to review all the tests! And we set next year’s Medicare appointment. This morning I got a survey from the medical conglomerate that operates the hospital, labs, doctor’s offices, etc, asking me about my visit. I deleted it. I am sure they use these to evaluate my doctor and will probably send me another one.

Oh, and the cough…turns out that 5 weeks of continued cough is not unusual after some the current respiratory ailments going around. The isolation of the pandemic caused all of us to have reduced immune systems and new bugs are promulgating at a rapid rate. Our bodies just have to catch up. She wasn’t at all concerned!