A Periodic Visit to the Hospital

Hello, everyone! Good Tuesday to you all!

Well, it's that time again for a periodic follow up visit to my doctor. This morning, I left the house for my 10:00 o'clock hospital appointment, in the Rheumatology Department. You know, I haven't been there for a while. My last visit was last year, four-six months ago? Know what, folks and friends, as much as possible I don't like going to the hospital unless it's necessary. I have no choice but to go there once in a while for different reasons, i.e., meds refill, lab studies, follow up visit regarding current medical conditions, issues, etc.

Man, though it's sunny, it's cold and chilly outside! It looks like we're still in the wintry mood, even if we're about to welcome Spring in a week or two? This weekend, btw, we're reminded already to adjust our clock, spring one hour forward for Daylight Saving Time? Mind you, I'm looking forward to spring season! No more snow for me, please! I've got a taste of it already this winter. (But the latest news is that there's another winter/snow storm approaching in the mid-western part of the country, like Chicago and Indiana. Anyway, the forecast in our area, Hampton Roads, is that we're going to have rain and slight snow  by late Wednesday and early Thursday morning?)

Back to my visit to the Naval Hospital/Medical Center. It takes me fifteen to twenty minutes to reach the hospital by car, of course. But once you're in, what's the next thing do? To look for a parking spot in the parking garage. I tell you, it's one of the problems that an outpatient, like me, encounter once he or she's inside the hospital compound. When I was still an active duty staff-personnel and working there, I've never parked all the way to the fifth floor of the parking garage. I could always park on the ground or first floor of that parking garage. But things have changed and, understandably, we're getting/having more patients/guest/visitors coming in to the hospital for whatever reason/s. Just imagine, hospital employees and staff-personnel (both military and civilians) working there number over four thousand? Do we need a new parking garage for the hospital? I'd say so, I believe. But with this thing called sequestration, budget and spending cuts in the federal and state governments, I doubt this idea of a new parking garage would happen in the future. It's not a priority as of this time, as far as the hospital administration is concerned. It may not be that necessary, after all.

At the Rheumatology clinic/department, I filled out a form/questionnaire, as usual. Then, a male hospital corpsman checked my vital signs. Afterwards, I was brought to one of the examination rooms. Eventually, I saw first a female doctor doing internship there, she said, from Internal Medicine. Since that's my first time to see her, I introduced myself. She did, too. As a routine, she asked several questions and took notes of my answers, before she did a brief physical examinations, using her stethoscope. She instructed me to take in a deep breath as she listened/checked my heart, lungs, etc. She examined my spines, starting down to my lumbar to thoracic and up my cervical spine. She also told me to go drop by at the Internal Medicine/primary care provider after my visit there to make an appointment regarding other stuff or concerns.Then, my regular rheumatologist came in and we did talk. He did a brief examination on my chest and lungs. Then, finally, he broke the news that when I go back there for a follow up appointment in 6 months, he said he won't be there anymore for he'll be working in another state.  A new rheumatologist will see me. What can I say but to thank him for all that he's done in helping me with my fibromyalgia, chronic lower back pain, etc. As I shook his hands, I thanked and wished him the best in his new assignment. Finally, I was instructed to go to the Pharmacy to pick up my medications.

That's about it. Done. Went home after that hospital visit. I ate my lunch and went upstairs to bed. I was not feeling good. So tired....And sleepy! After a couple of hours, I went downstairs and turned on the lights in and out of the house. As for my dinner, I just had hot cocoa and munches some cereal (Kashi?). Then, back to our bedroom and now finishing this blog post.

This is all for now. Until next time around, my dear folks and friends. Take care and Have a nice day, everyone! (OMG, it's past midnight already! Good night, everyone!) Thanks be to God. And thank you, folks and friends. As usual, I pray, "May God bless us all!"-chris a. quilpa, 05 March 2013