I have the day off.
The past two mornings I have walked the two blocks to the train station and caught the 8:14 toward Chicago with the rest of the commuters. A half hour later I got off both mornings in Evanston. On Tuesday for my first physical since before the pandemic. Yesterday for a routine dental checkup.
The physical was interesting, different from any I have had before. Less invasive. More being offered choices. This may be due to the doctor whom I had not seen before, but I sense it is because when you reach 80 doctors know you are in the end game, even if most patients don’t want to face that fact, and so have a different orientation, less concerned about certain conditions because they know something else is more likely to kill you first.
I had the pleasure of startling him. He was typing information into a screen when he asked if I exercise. I said I do. He asked for details. I gave them. His head jerked from the screen to me. “You do 80 push-ups? In succession?” I replied that is just the first set.
It is quite satisfying to be able to startle people at 80.
He suggested that I have a tetanus booster. I accepted. He suggested I have a new improved anti-pneumonia shot. I accepted. For this I was rewarded with a very sore arm which has prevented me from working out for two days. I will find out in a couple of hours if my arm is up to it today.
After questions, prodding, blood testing, the conclusion is that I am a healthy old man, but I already knew that.
I was quite happy not to have to catch the train this morning.
My next appointment is next Wednesday with the beautiful skin cancer specialist. Then the following Monday for a routine check of my good eye. When I can return to Hilton Head will depend on whether follow up is necessary with the skin cancer doctor. Usually she chops bits off for biopsy. If they come back cancerous, I have to go back to be chopped again.
In between the last two appointments, Carol is going to drive us to St. Louis for a weekend where I will for the last time confront—originally I had written ‘view’— a few sites from my very distant past.
The photo of Steve Earley’s SPARTINA makes me homesick.
Steve has just trailered SPARTINA south and is in the vicinity of Charleston, SC, about to begin his winter cruise through the Low County to Florida. I am sorry not to be in Hilton Head this year as he passes through. I wish him a safe and fulfilling sail, and I will be following.
http://logofspartina.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment