I had my pre-op physical today with my primary care physician. The last time I saw her was sometime in the first half of 2007. Then, she was relatively new and I wasn't entirely sure about her. She prescribed me Demerol for pleurisy two years in a row, and Demerol is really fun. Let's be clear - I needed it. Pleurisy is inflammation of the tissue that lines the lungs. It's not as severe as pneumonia but it's known to be a hell of a lot more painful. But Demerol? That stuff is hardcore. So I liked her, but I secretly thought she was too easy to get drugs from and worried what addicts might get out of her.
She walked in today with a big smile and said, "I remember you!" I was thrilled that she recognized me because, well, most people don't who haven't seen me since 2007. My eyes look completely different, which has changed my overall appearance, and I have gained weight, especially in my face. Our appointment was just a technicality to make sure I wasn't going to die on the operating table. I already had a clear EKG and a normal 48-hour Holter (heart) monitor test, and normal thyroid labs finally, so I knew I would be good to go. I was expecting her to give me a hard time about my weight but instead she just wanted to know how the last five years have been because, as she could clearly see from my medical records that were transferred, it has been a crazy five years health-wise. She said I am her first patient who needed orbital decompression, but that she just diagnosed a female in her 20s last week with Graves, and thinks it is becoming more common. I can see that - acute stress is a known cause of Graves and with the economy and job market so awful, it's no surprise our health is being affected.
She said she'd be happy to take over my labs and Synthroid dosing/monitoring from here on out, and that was a relief. I miss my Florida endocrinologist a lot and now that I'm no longer on the brink of death (at least not because of my thyroid), I think it's time to start letting a general practitioner monitor those issues instead of a busy endocrinologist who focuses most of his day on diabetic patients.
I was so pleased that she has matured and learned a lot. She remembered that I worked for the hockey team, and kept asking me all sorts of questions about my health issues, the upcoming surgery (most physicians know very little about thyroid eye disease and its treatments, especially orbital decompression), and my personal life.
In Florida, I had so many specialists that I actually chose my primary care physician based on his nurse practitioner, since I knew she'd be the one I'd see most often. I loved her, and there is something to be said about female physicians and midlevels in the family medicine/general practice area. All of my specialists have always been males, and I think that's pretty typical. Both of my surgeons are males, but I am so glad that my primary care physician is as nice as I remember but obviously more experienced and knowledgeable.
She cleared me for surgery and wished me well. I will see her for my actual annual physical sometime after I'm recovered.
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