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Men at the Doctors

Mike's doctor sent him for some screenings after his last physical. Mike had no complaints or concerns, but he has reached a certain age apparently where the medical profession feels compelled to look for stuff.
It was major effort on my part to get him to go for a physical several years ago, but he has been good about going since. He also sees a dermatologist on a regular basis now. He always comes back and says, "Great! Everything's fine...What? This bandage? Oh, he just scraped off a suspicious spot. It's not the bad kind of cancer" OR: "Why are we being charged for surgery? Oh, they took off some polyps during my colonoscopy. No problem." Granted, these have been small things that were easily fixed, but he might have mentioned it, I think.
After the tests, he got a report from the doctor. Everything looked fairly good but there was a mention of small tumors on the kidneys of "unknown origin, probably not concerning."
"Mike, did you happen to ever mention to your doctor during any one of your physicals that poly cystic kidney disease runs in your family?"
"No. Why would I? My mother had that and she lived to be 80."
Does this make sense to anyone? Does it make sense that he will not ever put on sunscreen? Does he think he's George Hamilton?? It doesn't make sense to me, for sure. Maybe I'll have to accompany him on his next doctor's visit.

Comments

  1. That's why Mike has you to keep him alive. Thanks for a great story.

    ReplyDelete
  2. that's exactly the same sentence I hear from my father and it drives me MAD! I am concerned about his health while he doesn't give a toss! God...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Up until Bob's blood problem surfaced he never told me anything. He would, however, tell our daughter, after all she was a nurse.

    I have only missed one or two of Bob's hematology visits. Our internal medicine doctor reads Bob like a book and will even come out to find me, in the car on the parking lot, if he thinks I should know something.

    The cardiologist is another matter. I won't go near the man. We're like tying to cats together by their tails and throwing them over a clothesline. He cannot tolerate questions, not even from the patient, much less a spouse, and that's all I am, questions. Bob has figured the best way to deal with him is to keep quiet and ask no questions. I would burst if I couldn't ask questions so I just stay away. As best I can tell from a distance, he is taking good care of Bob so I will put up with the situation. Otherwise I'd demand a referral.

    From the things you mention it sounds like Mike needs to be speaking up, or allow you to speak.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What is it about men and sunscreen? Do they think they're made of wood?

    ReplyDelete

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