Doctor Doctor

Now that I am OF age, a curious thing happened. I had a complete Wellness Exam. 

I GREW shorter! I'm a half inch shorter than I was at 20 yrs old. Well, no real surprise there. I'm a little people.

Taking care of me is as important as taking care of hubby. 
A couple of things came up. The eyeball thing of course which will be re-evaluated tomorrow, stress from caregiving and dealing with the mental status of the other half.

My doctor Ann, is awesome. I've been with her for 23 years. She said with the stress and anxiety issues I go through she'd like me to go see a counselor. I agreed. [Seeing means by zoom in these times and I am not sure about that. I need human contact. Even if it means conversing outside.] Phone calls are OK. But seeing another face other than my walls is what I need.

Interesting that she said I qualified for meds for this. She rattled off the med list and I shook my head with each one. She smiled and said she did not see me taking those meds either. 

I told her what I currently do to try to keep sane. I will go back to CF with modified exercises until the bay doors are closed for cold weather. Then I will go back to Virtual CF. She prescribed hiking and Yoga. 

So I have a diagnosis code Z63.6 which is Dependent Relative. The hardest part is having to admit it to your provider. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been this comfortable discussing these issues in a Zoom or Virtual Appointment. 

Here is a not so great fact. Most CareGivers do not outlive their dependent if they do not take steps to Care For Themselves.

This is not new information to me. It is just how it is. I hate to admit it, but I do have more times per week that I get irritated with the other half for no real reason. I always am nicer after a nice long hike or workout.

And now I will take time to do a bit of bragging. I passed my exam with flying colors as far as all the vital readings go. I even got a BMI rating! Too funny, I had to look it up. 
Since I am small, I've got to do a bone density test. Hmmm, how do you study for that? One fasting lab and poke and I'm done with my tests. 

I also got the flu shot and am scheduling shots for Shingles. Interestingly enough on a side note. A friend who WILL not get the Covid vaccine did get the Shingles vaccine. 

Ruminate on that for a moment.

My last thoughts for today.
Doctor Ann told me that last week they had to divert patients because our little hospital had NO room in the ER or beds. She did not say why, she just said it happened.
The ambulance had to take patients to another state. There were no available ER's within 100 miles of our tiny town.

It did not make our local news. 

She told me to stay safe and do her prescribed hiking and yoga plan. To follow up with a phone call to get in touch with a counselor if the VA couldn't provide any help.

~~~~~

I'm going to make up a sheet to put on the fridge. 

It will go something like this:

Val must go hiking every week as a prescribed medication. Dr. Ann Said So.

I do like my doctor.