So today was an interesting day. I went to see my new primary care doctor which was already a pretty anxiety inducing experience for me but this was even worse because today I had a fistful of lab orders suggested by the out-of-state homeopathic specialist I saw about a month back. The idea was if she could make those orders herself my insurance would probably pay for it because she was “within district” unlike the specialist. Now why location makes a bit of difference I have no goddamn idea but apparently it does. I hoped I wouldn’t be seen as pretentious like “Heeey! You’ve never met me but I’m about to tell you how to do your job! THANKS!” Obviously I was nervous.
This was all made worse when this morning didn’t go as planned. I woke up SUPER early and then didn’t want to get up with only three hours of sleep under my belt but I did anyway. I decided I’d die my hair so I got myself all glopped up in orange and since I had all the time in the world I then sat down to promote the free book promotion I was doing today (on the first anniversary of my book Honoring Echo.) I was only going to do a few little things but before I knew it I was writing up promos for 7 blogs, 7 Facebook pages, and my Instagram and Twitter. And then I looked up and I had literally half an hour to get my shit together and get to the doctor’s office. CRAP!
I flew to the shower to wash out all the orange glop out of my hair, threw on some clothes and ran out the door in a fit of adrenaline induced energy I hadn’t seen the likes of in at least a year. I don’t have any idea how I got there on time but I so did! But this came at a cost. I was a bundle of nerves.
I checked in and was immediately brought in and asked if I would allow a nurse in training to do the whole vitals and weight routine with me. Sure, I had no problem with that but I did try to leave my hip bag behind when I took it off to get weighed. WHOOPS. This is something I’d normally never let out of my sight.
So then I sat down, started answering all their questions, cracking nervous jokes all along… which thank God I got a few chuckles with. And after a pleasant check in the doctor came in. I smiled, and braced myself, thinking I’d ease my way into this. Say hi first.
“So it says here you had migraines and a lot of other things but also you’re not on ANY medications? Is this right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So the migraines and everything went away?”
I laughed, “Noooo…. I just stopped complaining about it!”
I was giving off crazy vibes again wasn’t I? Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound. “I uh… actually came in here today because recently I wanted to see if anyone else could figure out what was wrong with me after avoiding the doctors for fifteen or so years….”
She was intent to see the paperwork. It was a fistful – four pages of lab tests that needed to be done on a range of things from food allergies to hormone levels. She seemed very interested in the whole thing remarking they all seemed appropriate and asking if I had a follow up visit for him to read the results and come up with a plan for me. Yes, and yes! But I did apparently lose some of the paperwork and she had to call the lab and have a new order form faxed for the food allergies. OOPS.
By now I was calming down. Things were going well. I had been stressing for a month about this because if she didn’t go along with this there really wasn’t any way for me to financially swing such a battery of tests. We had pleasant conversation after this and I told her about my book. Again she seemed interested so I promised to leave a copy at the desk. By now I had struck up conversation with the doctor, two nurses, and all three clerks who probably thought I was mad after I stayed two hours, left, went to the car, and CAME BACK IN – with a book. I laughed. I can’t take myself too seriously and I don’t think anyone else does either, thank god.
It was a good day. I now am all set to go have my blood drawn on the 20th day of my cycle to see where my hormones are at as well as get tested for food allergies, lyme, and I don’t know what else was on those sheets. YAY! SUCCESS!
So I am sure I will be back after I get all that done. Even though my physical health has been at its poorest in years I’m actually mentally feeling very hopeful at the moment – more hopeful than I have felt in a long looooong time!
**All photos taken by myself Theophanes Avery – Glen the Caterpillar comic also drawn by me***
