Two Weeks

First, and I think and hope, the good news. Two weeks ago, I suffered two frightening episodes unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I kept the first to myself, but when it happened again I was properly scared and called our doctor. He took it seriously and had me see a specialist. In turn, the neurologist set me up for an MRI and MRA. Then I saw the cardiologist who set me up for more tests (Echo sonogram and a Holter Monitor and a blood test just for ??? ). Then, of course, one sits around waiting for results. Yesterday a nurse called about the Echo test but I couldn’t understand what the results meant. She confessed she didn’t know either. Then today I saw the brain guy and he explained that those results and the MRI and MRA results were all normal for my age. (When you get up here in years you will find that doctors seldom say that you are getting old. Things become “normal for your age”) Anyway, tomorrow -- more results, but I am full of confidence.

I blame malpractice insurance and Medicare for a nervous couple weeks. This is the second time this year that a doctor has told me what he is “reasonably sure” what my problem was, but then set up all sorts of tests to eliminate other things such as strokes. I don’t think he would be quite so cautious if malpractice insurance weren’t in the picture. (I don’t think my family would sue, but how would a doctor know that?) Further, if Medicare wasn’t there to allow me to pay only a small fraction of the cost, I would say, “that’s alright, doc, I’ll trust your diagnosis.”

For those curious about what the episodes were --- gee, I can’t remember! Hint, hint.