All Gaul is divided into three parts but this entry is divided into two, a doctor visit and seeing Mya. That opening would work better if I were at the doctor for my gall bladder, but I’m no longer in possession of one.
I have Crohn’s disease. I had cancer of the small intestine. I should be seeing a gastroenterologist regularly. I have not seen one in at least a dozen years. That’s not because of fear of doctors, but because of fear of doctor bills. Now I’m insured and I’m working my way back to taking care of myself. I still have some fear of finding doctors; my anxiety works in mysterious ways. My rheumatologist referred me to my gastroenterologist.
They are both associated with Montefiore but are on different campuses. The rheumatologist is at the main campus, a ten-minute walk from here, the GI at the Hutch on the other side of the Bronx. Getting there involves a subway, a bus, and a 14-minute walk. If I ever get the wherewithal to do so I’ll switch to a doctor at Mt. Sinai, the best place for Crohn’s and far easier to get to even though it’s in Manhattan. I made the trip and timed it almost perfectly.
The first time seeing a new doctor there is always paperwork, it was not too oppressive. Listing previous operations and hospital visits is time consuming for me. For a person who usually feels healthy I’ve had a lot surgery and other issues. It’s all redundant as they have my medical records. I think this is about being extra-careful that they don’t miss anything that I might have forgotten earlier. Maybe it’s just testing my memory. My guess is the former.
The next step was a nurse to take my vitals. As she put on the blood pressure cuff I could feel my pulse start to race so I knew it would be higher than I like. It wasn’t terrible, 126/85. What made me unhappy was my weight, I’m up to 186, the most I’ve been in years. I had reached a point where I could eat all I want and not gain weight, that seems to have changed. My weight has played this game before. My hope is that if I watch what I eat for a while and get back down to 175 it will stabilize there. If it doesn’t I’ll have to continue to not snack whenever I feel like it. That’s where I gain weight. There’s Halloween candy and no trick or treaters; this will not be easy.
I liked my doctor. She did not lecture me for not having a colonoscope for so long. In fact she didn’t even order one. There are new methods that give much of the same information while being less invasive. I’ll need one but she’s not rushing till I have the other tests first. She ordered a battery of blood tests and a stool sample. They can now check for inflammation in your stool! I have fallen behind medical advances. I knew I had. She also ordered a cat scan that I’m having the morning I leave for NERFA. I’m seeing her again the Tuesday I get back. She’ll probably put me on new meds, biologics, not the 6MP I used to take. I don’t enjoy taking meds but I know I need them.
After she was done with my examination she offered me a flu shot which I of course took. I didn’t notice any side effects but it is slightly sore to the touch, I just checked. I wonder how many reported problems are nocebo? that’s the side effect version of the placebo effect.
My plan for the evening was to see Mya at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 1. The appointment was at 3 and Mya’s gig was 7 so I thought there would be no problem. I was wrong. I was at the hospital till 5:30. I had to wait for each test and to make appointments. Then there was getting out of there. Google said the fastest way was to walk over a mile to the 6 train. I had a hunch and asked at the front desk the fastest way to get to the train and was told that there was a shuttle bus. Google wouldn’t know about that. I bet I just missed one because I waited so long it would have been faster to walk. I considered not going but it’s been way too long since I’ve seen Mya. I went even though I got there late and she was already playing.
I was going to wait for her song to end before sitting down but I saw somebody signal for me to come over and sit at a seat I didn’t have to disturb anyone to get to. When I got there I saw it was Steve. I’m blind and Rockwood is dark, that happens. I didn’t know Steve knew Mya. The other person there who I knew was Gail, she was sitting in the corner and no way I could make her out when I came in.
I loved the first song Mya did, I found out afterward it was a co-write with Karen Dahlstrom. That made sense stylistically. I love Mya best when she’s doing heavy blues and rock. This was a cleaner sound without being at all sensitive chick with a guitar or folky. It’s not that it’s better than her other material but it was good in a different way. She didn’t do any of the material I knew and that was great. I knew she had to have new song I haven’t heard. The reason I haven’t seen her is that she moved to Berkley and changed her name to Ray. No that’s the girl from Dharma Café, but she did move to Berkley and change her name to Mya (mee-uh). I should have given the phonetics earlier. Some of you are now changing it in your head. Good, that’s what I had to go through.
After the set I talked to Gail then went over to Stage 0, next door to talk to Mya who was meeting her adoring fans. That’s what she said so I asked for an autograph. It was too dark in there for me to read. I’ll look now and see what she said. Hold on while I walk into the room with my bag in it. Find a Mya song on Spotify and listen till I come back. Did you love it? She wrote, “To my pizza pal.” Mya and I bond over food. We are both very Jewish though not observant. Her mother and sister were there; I’ve met her sister but this was the first time meeting her mother. They all have exactly the same eyes and nose though the rest of their face and body are different. I hung with them till they went for dinner.
I got a call from the doctor today. I had some trepidation as I thought that meant trouble. It didn’t; I was just a bit deficient in vitamin D and she ordered a prescription for me. Everything else looked good. Her most important finding is that I’m alive. I suspected as much but it’s good to have confirmation from an unbiased expert. I think I’m a sexy sexy beast but at least Lena disputes that. As nobody else has weighed in I can confirm my own judgement. I looked at my report from the doctor. Sexy Sexy beast is not checked off.
I did not have a good night’s sleep as my back hurt. When I woke up I went to the recliner and fell back asleep. I often don’t like doing that but this time I knew it was needed. That’s why I didn’t blog this morning.
Now we are all caught up. I have an idea on what to write tomorrow. Let’s see if I remember it and I’m still feeling it, then.
Wise Madness 