Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Three...count 'em, three great reports!

It is the season, purely coincidental, I'm sure, for all my doctors visits to converge. I suppose it's better to get the poking and prodding out of the way quickly.

About a month ago, I was asked to visit my cardiologist for an annual follow-up visit including an echo-cardiogram. It is a sonogram of the heart. For those of you who have not had this procedure, it is the procedure where a sensor is rubbed around the area of interest with a quart or so, it seems, of sterile lubricant. The screen makes all sorts of interesting images and the machine bleeps and honks meaning, I surmise, that I do have an operational heart. After the procedure, Dr. Cardio saw me and after reviewing my test result, pronounced me fine and suggested I see him again in a year.

A few days later, I saw my primary care physician to follow up my slightly elevated triglycerides now being treated with medication. After reviewing my blood tests, he told me my triglycerides and cholesterol were within normal limits. Evidently, the medication is doing its job as expected.

There seems to be a trend here and I like it! I appear to be in fine health and expect the visit to Dr. Hema will continue the trend.

Today I visited with Dr. Hema, filled with optimism. Part of my optimism was generated because I choose to manage my health care a bit more aggressively that most. I knew the answer before I walked in the door! I knew the answer because I insist that my blood tests be administered prior to my visit and that I obtain a copy. I then compare my results from previous visits and I know if my progress is trending towards better, same or worse.

My M-spike number was 0.24, about the same as the last several visits. My particular lymphoma, known by the tongue-tying name lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, never really goes away, so a decline in my M-spike number is very unlikely. Therefore, the best result is just what I got, no significant change. Dr. Hema scheduled another visit in six months.

That sure was a long-winded way to get to WOO HOO!

I feel very healthy and I'm able to do just about anything I want to do. My beloved wife and I intend to enjoy life to the fullest.

Thank you all, gentle readers, for your prayers and support. I appreciate all the help I can get!