14.12.06

What a Draaaag it is Getting Oooold...

I had a physical recently, and thankfully they didn't have to jam a kielbasa-sized finger in my *ss to check the prostate. I'm entitled to that treat next year. I shouldn't complain much, since the ladies are poked and prodded periodically during their physical examinations. Moreover, my dad beat that prostate cancer sh*t a little while ago - that hit a little close to home.

Dr. Beth Any problems?
Me Other than occasionally sh*tting a rose bush and a bit of pain in my rotator cuff...
Dr. Beth Well anytime you want to get that taken care of... You're looking at a couple months without hockey.
Me Whew. Shoulder's good. Shoulder's good.

I've grown accustomed to getting thrown a clean bill of health as I'm shown the exit - with one eye kept on the blood pressure. This time the doc chided me for blowing off the blood tests last year.

"All right... All right. I'll go."

It took me about two or three months to get around to it, with the Dr.'s request form becoming increasingly smudged with foot prints on the floor of my car. I went in for my complimentary pricking and came home to take a nap.

Fast forward a couple of weeks:

Mrs. P
Did you call the doctor's office?
Me No. Why?
Mrs. P They left a message.

Faaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhk.

I'd never gotten a call over a blood test before, so I knew it couldn't be good. Of course I didn't call the doc back for a couple of days.

Mrs. P Did you call the doctor's office yet?
Me Uh... not yet.
Mrs. P CALL them!

Three days later...

Rinnnnnnngggggg....

Me Hello.
S0 & So Hi. This is So & So from Dr. Beth's office.
Me Oh yes. I meant to call you.
So & So Uh-huh. I'm just calling about your blood test.
Me Oh?

So & So Yeah. Just a couple things. You really need to watch that cholesterol. It's a little up there. Fortunately you also have high levels of good cholesterol...
Me There's good cholesterol?
So & So Yeah, which is why it's not that much of a concern, but you should still watch it.
Me No problem...

So & So Then there's the issue of your blood sugar.
Me My what?
So & So We ran a couple tests on it, just in case you snuck in a sugar doughnut or two that evening.
Me Heh.
So & So But it looks like you're sugar's a little high. You're bordering on diabetic.
Me You're kidding me?
So & So Yeah. You really need to watch that, too. So if you eat a lot of ice cream for example... maybe skip a couple days or two.

Me All right. Thanks.
So & So You're welcome. We'd like to test you again in about six months to see how you're doing.
Me Ok.
So & So Will you remember?
Me Sure.

I hung up the phone, put a couple of cookies in my mouth and went to hang out with the boys. After years of deluding myself with the idea the misconception that I'd been taken care of myself, I now envisioned myself clutching my chest at the Fletchmonster's kindergarten graduation or losing my foot like f*cking Ralph Cramden in that movie with Tom Hanks.

While out to lunch with the Fletchmonster and Mrs. P, I suggested that what the doctor in fact did was ruin every f*cking meal I'd ingest for the rest of my life. It'd either be healthy and taste like sh*t, or I'd actually look for my sad reflection in the grease, knowing that each mouthful would push me closer to the grave.

On the other hand, it could be a blessing in disguise. Mrs. P went on the warpath for something I already forgot about. I was re-caping the events for my best friend Doug.

Me Yeah. I used to think about stepping in front of a truck when she gets like that. Now I just felt like jamming a couple of Twinkies™ in my mouth.
Doug Heh. With a side of bacon.

Well, nothing lasts forever... even cold November rain. Even still, I would like to at least stick around to watch the Fletchmonster make it to second grade. I suppose an alfalfa sprout sandwich washed down with soy milk is a small price to pay.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

My yearly physical (the first in 3 years) was scheduled for January, right around my 50th birthday, but I've just postponed it till march so I can make a committee meeting of all the lame excuses, but I'm counting on it to give me another two months good health!

What really stinks is that they lowered the markers for things like cholestrol--I use to be real good, now I'm boardline

but when you're older and have younger children, you got to take care of yourself--so stay away from those Buffalo Wings!

This is from SAGE, who is getting dang tired of beta-blocker which is why I'm anonymous

Anonymous said...

Loved the GNR reference. Do I get extra credit?!

srp said...

Here from Michele.
Diabetes is nothing to mess with. It took a long time for my mom's to be diagnosed and she already had kidney damage.
Diabetic diets are classically hard to do with all the substitutions and such. Easy way to do it is with the glycemic index (look it up). Eat only low index carbs and those with higher fiber. The closest "popular" diet that does this is the South Beach. It works. And doesn't taste half bad... those Twinkies have to go though.

yellojkt said...

I had a physical a few months ago and never got any feed back. And I got the finger poke (don't turn 40).

kenju said...

After years of good reports, I got the same ones you did.I have to go every 3 months for blood work now. I wasn't surprised about the cholesterol but the sugar, I was. Of course, if you tell me I can't have something - that's when I start craving it!

Michele sent me.

You take care of yourself!

Prego said...

Sage - I only eat wings socially, like a social smoker.

pickle - Only if you got the Stones reference with it.

srp - thanks for the heads up on the glycemic index

yello - I guess we all have to take one for the team at one point.

kenny j - I'll have to admit to gorging myself in sweets as a protest. I suppose I should curb it after the holidays.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I'm starting to get those results and my weight is just increasing even though I work out and even eat a bit less.

Try to eat healthier when you can and keep up the hockey. That's my prescription for you.

Carrie said...

Don't forget your cherrios. That does wonders. Or so I heard.

And does your wife read your blog? If she does, does she kick your ass afterwards?