All Shot Up

We made our monthly trip to see Ol' Doc McLaughlin this morning and got to sit around waiting in the treatment room decorated with Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers material. I prefer the room decked out with Harley-Davidson stuff or the one fixed up like a French cafe, but I did enjoy a baby's diaper suit hanging on the wall with the message on its front saying "Poop on Pittsburgh." Not that I don't like Pittsburgh, a great city where the Allegheny and the Monongahela meet to form the Ohio River.
Anyway, I got a flu shot to keep me healthy this winter and a testosterone shot to give me energy and last night I had a shot of gin on the rocks to put a smile on my face so for now - at least until happy hour rolls around - you could say I'm completely shot.
The remarkable thing about this visit to see the doc who likes to be called Hugh is that I was on my best behavior. No wisecracks, no one-liners, just a decorous man behaving decorously. Last time after he slammed a needle into my butt he said, "Beautiful!" so I asked him if he meant the view or his expertise with a syringe.
Jackie said something about acting my age. That's exactly what I was doing. There comes a time in life if you live long enough when you can say just about anything to anybody and get away with it. Along with that, everybody smiles at you, young ladies hurry to hold doors open for you and somebody is always asking if you could use a little help. I play the role to the hilt, milk it for all it's worth even though I can open doors for myself and never need any help.
Well, there was one thing this morning that caused the sawbones to jerk his head back in shocked surprise. After pointing out the latest skin cancer on my left hand I called the $100,000 machine he uses to remove them a "gadget." Apparently that is not a term normally used when discussing medical equipment. But what the heck, I can say anything I feel like saying because it's one of the perks you acquire with age. That's something for young squirts to look forward to.

Thanks for the smile, Dick. I'm glad you got all your shots, and if gin puts a smile on your face, have one for me!

Well Dick,
I got my flu shot last Thursday and that was the only medical thing associated with a "shot." I've been busy with the non-medical shots though and they're keeping me healthy - well at least more amicable.

Thanks for the heads up about the things I can look forward to 'getting away with.' Does smoking a pipe help?

I have been poked, prodded, shot, and at times personal dignity has been seriously challenged. You do get all sorts of perks with serious illness, also, however.

After having doctors ignore me and misdiagnose, I have become assertive and ask lots of questions and make requests.

And then there are those times of definite perks: of chocolate, of ice cream, of wine!

Carol

You even sound better, Carol. That's enough to perk us all up here.

I agree, Carol. Never let them get the best of you.

Today, my new doctor, even sent me a letter telling me my blood work looked good, he'd see me later in the month and "enjoy the fall." My last doctor didn't even answer my calls. This is a definite improvement, and indeed we need to be self-advocates and let these people know exactly what we're thinking and needing.

Carol

It sounds like your new doctor is a winner, Carol. And I agree, you seem to have perked up considerably. Tell Megan I enjoyed her poem, and your story about the magic carpet was nice, too.

I think I was worried about my husband's hip surgery. I knew he was going to try to show me he was doing well so I wouldn't worry.

I have been helpful. Each day I put on his left sock and also new bandages!

Having my husband's sister and her husband here has helped also. Tonight we had family members and I think we all had a good time. Megan got to read her poem in the anthology.

Megan is visually impaired and has had difficulties with friends and lots of disappointments. Her poem is different, but it expressed how Megan felt about friends. As a freshman, when she went to the homecoming dance, "friends" thought it was humorous to leave Megan all alone on the dance floor talking to herself. We have always had to let her know when we were leaving the room, because she cannot see us leave, and especially couldn't see her friends leave her on a darkly lit dance. She stayed away from school activities until last year when she went to the prom with a group of real friends.

Carol