...the results are [mostly] in

my "med fest" of annual check-ups & tests...
is mostly over...

"mostly" since the mam-o-squeeze is next week...
the pap results aren't in yet...
and... I have to meet with the gastroenterologist...
to see about a colonoscopy...

all the rules say, "no aspirin" for 7 days, before...
my arthritis wouldn't let me go that long without it...
so we're having a "consultation"....

there's NO history of any colorectal cancer in my family...
but HMO's have "rules"...
and my impending birthday requires me...
to at least discuss the colonoscopy...
[sigh]

then there was the DPT booster I was surprised to learn that I needed...
[now, I can step on rusty nails with impunity...]

at the dentist's, I learned that I have 2 cracks...
and a small cavity near an old amalgam filling...
all in the same tooth...
which will probably need to be crowned...[$igh]

also 3 front teeth need to be "re-bonded"...
as they have chipped down with normal wear...

I'm supposed to have 100% coverage...
[a carry-over from a deal I took advantage of 30 years ago...]
it's always been 100% before...
hopefully... it is still that...
[they're "checking"...]
or I'm really $crewed...

that's the not-so-good news...

the good news... ?

the "mole" discovered on my back in December...
is an ordinary, benign, "age spot"...
not any kind of skin cancer...
no need for a biopsy...
VERY normal...
[whew...]

my lab tests showed improvement across the board...

my cholesterol is still "high"...but down 30 points...
my triglycerides which were way too high...
are now a "low normal"...
my HDL [good] cholesterol is up...
my LDL[bad] cholesterol is still too high...
but has dropped 16 points...

my blood sugar dropped to 3 points above normal...
[the "normal" level has just been dropped...
or I would have been "normal" now...]
my blood pressure was also good...
but it's always been low...

my doctor was very pleased...
and credited my improved health and test scores...
to my weight loss and exercise...

since all the cholesterol medications don't work with me...
[I'm one of those "few with a negative reaction"...]
it's been a struggle the last few years...
as both my weight and cholesterol levels rose...

so he's very happy to see progress being made...
in the right direction...

needless to say... he wants me to "keep going"...
he said that I seemed "different"...
and that it was "a good change..."

sometimes...it's nice to have a doctor...
you've known since junior high...