I Got My Seasonal Flu Shot!

Yes I did.

And I was not required to take an oath of secrecy about it -- so I'm sharing.

I saw my doctor yesterday.

We dealt with the purpose of my visit.

Then we discussed the matter of my not eating (we still don't know the cause and it continues to be of concern).

A requisition for an ultrasound of my abdomen was handed to me.  And a referral to an endocrinologist.  And instructions to increase my anti-heartburn medication to see if that helps in the interim.

No, I cannot increase the Cesamet dosage -- not until we have some answers to our many questions.

No, I cannot go off the Cesamet -- what are we going to replace it with?

"But, why stay on it at all?"  I asked him.  This dosage of Cesamet isn't helping; I'm not sleeping; the pain is becoming unbearable, yada yada yada.

I told him that once again in discussion with my physiotherapist, she said that I'm describing classic degeneration in the hips and she doesn't understand why it isn't showing up in the tests.  He agreed that every examination of me would support degeneration but the x-rays indicate no osteoarthritis.  He's confused!  In flipping through my file, he noticed that back in June of 2008, an X-ray did in fact report evidence of slight degeneration (although the X-rays taken in April 2009 reported none).

It wasn't difficult to convince him that my pain is much worse now than it was even a year ago.  Something has changed.  Perhaps we should do another X-ray to see if there is further degeneration since June 2008?

He studied the two reports and decided that an MRI would tell us more than X-rays and he claims that he can get an MRI done within six weeks!  We'll see if it happens that quickly!

So that's what he's ordering -- an MRI of my hips and it will tell him a lot more than an X-ray.   It'll be interesting to compare the results of the new MRI to the one that was done back in 2002 when there was "no degeneration of the hip joints."  I don't even want to think of what the options will be should the diagnosis be confirmed now; or how long it will be before anything can or will be done about it.

He left the room and then I remembered the last thing on my list -- so I accosted him outside the examination room.

"I suppose I won't win the seasonal flu vaccine fight with you?" I asked.

"The seasonal flu vaccine?" he queried.

"Yes, you told me that I had to have the H1N1 shot first because I'm under 65.  But I guess you're still not going to give me the seasonal shot anyway, are you?" I said.

His shoulders slumped ever so slightly as he said, "I guess we can slip one in.  Go sit down and I'll tell M to give you one."

So, my doctor, in his wisdom, could see the silliness of the Health Ministry's edict and he gave me my seasonal flu shot.

I really thought I would have had more of a fight on my hands though.   Perhaps, after all these years of dealing with me, he just wanted to avoid the argument that he knew would ensue.  Or, after the discussion we had just had about my "issues" he determined that my risk factors are such that I really should have all the ammunition I need, as soon as it is available (saving me the need for making that very argument).

I don't know what motivated him to apply common sense to this situation; but I trusted that he would because he is such a reasoned person.

And once again, he didn't let me down.  That's why I continue to trust his sage counsel.