Homer's Travels: Two Down, One To Go

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Two Down, One To Go

This seems to be the season for medical checkups. Last week was the eye doctor (I ordered my reading glasses today ... $76 at Sam's Club, the cheapest prescription glasses I've ever bought.) This week it was my general practitioner and my annual ... exam.

Why is a blood test, blood pressure test, pulse measurement, and a weighing considered an exam?  A medical exam, to me , should be a little more hands on but that may be a little old fashion, I guess.  Test seems like a more appropriate word.  I know, I'm talking semantics.

My exam went well.  All my numbers, except my HDL (so called good cholesterol), were in the normal range.  The Niaspan, or prescription Niacin,  that I've been on for the last three months to improve my HDL levels did very little.  My HDL numbers only went up a couple points and, despite the medication, were still below normal. Since it didn't do much, I won't be taking it any more.  I'm kind of thankful as they were not that cheap and, more importantly, I will no longer itch.  Prescription niacin has a lot of disagreeable side effects that I will not miss.

My next checkup will be with the dentist next month.  I can't wait to see how the legions on my tongue have progressed.   The legions, by the way, are the result of an autoimmune reaction.  Apparently my body is trying to eat my tongue.  Should be an interesting dentist visit.


2 comments:

  1. Your body is trying to EAT your tongue? That's just... odd. You sure you haven't been infected with an alien virus?

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  2. GH: It's not as bad as it sounds. It's eating only the top layer.

    ReplyDelete