Feeling Good About Me

Any of you who have followed me over the last couple of years know I have multiple health issues.  In the past I've written about each of many trips to doctors, all consuming a half year of medical visits since my health issues began back in February of 2000. 

Until now, all these appointments, tests, prods, zaps have begun each year in September and continued into March or April, usually spaced two or three weeks apart.

That'll all change this year as yesterday I had the concluding checkup for this cycle.  And now, because of all my visits since last September, I'm free and clear until next year.  The ordeal won't start over until January, 2011, because my doctors have done a great job.

I have a terrific team of physicians, including my primary care guy, a neurosurgeon, and a cardiologist.  Each of these have associate members who also have been involved.  The cardiologist needed to see me every six months and it was he who suggested I have an ICD (Implanted Cardioverter Device).  If you were reading this spot in 2008, you may remember I began that venture with the doc saying to me, "We need to start a conversation."  Those are words patients don't like to hear.

The implant was done in January 2009, just eight years after my near fatal heart attack.  The device works and has helped to improve my heart's pump function.  Following my six-month visit in March this year, the doc announced what I consider to be super news:  he wouldn't need to see me again until next January.

Yesterday I had my check up with my neurologist.  He is watching with care aneurysms in my abdomen.  I first met him back in 2001 when all this began with what is called a Triple-A, Abdominal Arterial Aneurysm.  Mine had burst and the resulting loss of blood led to that heart attack.  The doc saved my life.  I still have aneurysms in my body and have a CT Scan every year to follow their development, or lack of development.

This year's scan was last week and yesterday I got the good news that all continues to be OK and there's no change in those little devils that continue to reside in me.  I don't have to see this doc again until next April.

And so all those tests, prods, zaps, pictures, etc., are done until 2011.  This will be the longest stretch without some sort of medical stuff I've gone through in this century.

And that's good, especially for a guy who has reached his mid 70s through all this.

Thanks for bearing with me today and allowing me to get this story out of my head.  I'm feeling pretty good today.

GiM