random thoughts – Day 2,128 (Tuesday) – fun, then less fun

The day’s calendar had several entries: meet with a friend, a follow-up doctor visit for the fall-season neck adventure, and dance class.

The morning catch-up was fun. It had been far too long since the last time we sat and talked. Hours flew by, and suddenly I was leaving to go to the doctor’s office. Unlike my previous visits, the parking lot was packed and the waiting room was full at the Spine and Pain Center. 

Several loud talkers were chatting. One mentioned having arrived 45 minutes before their appointment time due to the availability of a ride service, then pissed and moaned about having to wait when it wasn’t even time for their appointment yet. Chill, people. Maybe go to the cafeteria first if your ride delivered you so early. 

In the exam room.

The same person then surveyed many of the others in the room to ask what time their appointments were. Several said “1:50” and then all the self-proclaimed scheduling experts began complaining about how the scheduling is done. And how there weren’t enough seats for everyone waiting. And how it’s better to have a morning appointment than an afternoon because "the doctors don’t know how to stay on schedule." And about all the money the doctors make. One whined that her visit could have been a Zoom call. I wanted to tell them all to shut up, but instead, I played chess on Duolingo on my phone with the sound off because I forgot my book.

Around 2:20, I was called in for my 1:30 appointment and led to an exam room. The medical team on that side of the door apologized for the wait. The assistant asked the usual sliding scale questions about pain levels which make no sense. What is my average pain level? Since when? It was about a nine in September and today it was zero. Am I averaging since then? I don't know how long it's been better but it was since the physical therapy. What exactly are we looking for? I mentioned if I knew it would be this kind of exam I would have prepared notes. This was supposed to be a follow-up regarding the MRI that took two months to get.

The doctor came in and relayed the result of the MRI which I had seen a month ago when the lab posted it. There are two right-side issues. One is a disc bulge with something something arthritis. Elsewhere, there is a cyst. Apparently, there is no plan to do anything about it. I asked if there was anything I should watch out for or be aware of and the answers were posture and pillows. My bed pillow should be neither too flat nor too thick. And that’s when I had the realization that the neck problem really took off after I started using some very plump down pillows, which were later cast aside in the height of the neck/shoulder pain and arm tingling. Oy.

Oh joy. Another oil delivery.

A sinking feeling happened when I arrived home. As I drove under the carport, a familiar yellow envelope was tucked into the back door signaling another oil delivery, the third since October. This one means another $445 will be exiting my wallet. It’s been a month and four days since the last delivery of similar scope. Clearly, I was spoiled by gas heat in Lowell and definitely wasn’t prepared for this oil stuff. And it's only January.