Dealing With Headaches

Well, I was especailly prepared for my first doctor appointment in a few years — at nine this morning, while still in bed (hey, I’ve had a hard life), I began a migraine. Sometimes, I’m able to sleep it off. Not this time. I staggered out of the bed, made myself slurp down a Yoplait and popped an Excedrin Migraine. (If you can avoid it, try not to take Excedrin Migraine on an empty stomach. Otherwise, you might not have the Excedrin Migraine in your body long enough to do any good.)

Things had calmed to a dull roar by the time of my appointment at 11:30. I still had to wear sunglasses until the light reduced to a tolerable level. (My senses magnify painfully when I get a migraine. For most people, this is sensitivity to light and sound, but I also can be sensitive to taste. My Mom gets sensitive skin.)

Meeting Dr H (Again)

I used to see Dr H when I was a teenager. Of course, niether Dr. H’s staff nor me thought I was ever going to return to Clifton Heights (ha ha) so my medical records were trashed. Since Dr H sees thousands of patients a month/year/hour/whatever, I was like a brand new patient.

I sat down on the couch thingy with the really big roll of toilet paper over it and got my first good look at Dr. H in 20 years.

And, darn it — he had the indecency to look JUST THE SAME. Me, I’ve got wrinkles, I’m growing hair in strange places, I’ve put on weight — and he looks just the same (except for a couple of streaks of iron grey.) What the heck does Dr. H know that I don’t? Next time, I have to remember to ask him if he’s related to Dick (”Fountain of Youth Face”) Clark. Of course, he probably never spent five years being homeless in another country like I did — but that’s still no excuse.

Anyway, one of the first things he did was realize how uncomfortable I was and sat me in a real chair for adults. We could look at each other eye to eye. That did a lot to help my nerves.

Practical upshot is that I have to fast from 10pm tonight to do massive amounts of bloodwork in the moring. Then we proceed from there. I supposse I should start stuffing my face now to make sure I have enough calories to get through tomorrow morning.

Dr. H also mentioned that he might want me to start a daily abortive medication to prevent migraines instead of just relying on Excedrin Migraine. I gripped the chair arms when he said that. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Money!” I said. (Imitrex, for example, can probably be exchanged for gold nuggets in some cities.)

“You do have a prescription plan with your insurance.”

“Oh — yeah,” I said. I keep forgetting I have insurance now, although the monthly bills are a reminder as sublte as a kick in the groin. After spending so many years uninsured, I just automatically assume if it’s good for me, I can’t afford it.

Have to go now and get in my daily quota of Cheez Its before the 10 pm deadline.

I see Dr. H again in 2 weeks. I wonder if he’ll grow even younger.