Who's Taking Care of Whom?

I had my follow up appointment with my neurologist on Monday. I dropped Sweetie off with my mom and, since my 1pm appointment was five minutes down the road, I told her I'd be back by 1:30/1:45 - easy. Which was good because she had an errand to run after Sweetie and I went home.

1:45 - I'm calliing my mom from the exam room, telling her to just take Sweetie with her on the errand cuz I was still waiting for the doctor.

2:00 - He finally walks in, looking pretty frazzled. Right away he gets into how my MRI looked good, shows my Chiari Malformation but that's status quo. He asks me about going off my Carbatrol - am I off it yet?

Um, yeah. For, like, almost a year now. Oh, and all that MRI stuff - yeah, you kinda told me that 2 or 3 appointments ago. Old news, guy. (No, of course I didn't say all that to him. But if he could have read my mind, that's pretty much what he would have heard).

So I go on to tell him how a few weeks ago I felt kind of yucky - some pain in my side near where my shunt tube empties and pain near where my shunt tube is in my neck. But nothing Oh my God, I have to get to the doctor - ish. I said how, looking back on it, I think it was just a viral thing I was going through. And for the last 2 or more weeks I've felt fine.

He said nothing.

And that was it. He gave me some choices - either he could discharge me because I'm doing so well and haven't relapsed in the seizure department. Or I could follow up with another appointment, either in 6 months or in a year from now.

Discharged? Um, I have spina bifida, dude. I really don't think I'm allowed to ever get discharged. (again - more internal dialogue. Also something that my mom confirmed when I spoke to her afterwards.)

I chose the follow-up route.

Oh, but there's a problem. My doctor is leaving to work in Boston. So I can either switch to seeing the new female neurologist who'll be taking his place, or I can see the resident PA who happens to be a headache specialist (she's the one I was supposed to see a month ago, but I cancelled cuz I was feeling better).

I think I should see the neurologist (thank you very much).

Okay, 6 months or 1 year?

It would probably be a good idea to do the 6 month check. Even though I'm feeling fine now, I'd just feel better about a sooner check.

Fine. Done. Out you go. Nice to know you. Good luck. To you too. Kiss kiss. (ooooh, gross! No kissy - NO!)

And that was that. Fifteen minutes from the time he walked in the exam room to the time I was back in my car.

Good thing I got my own back, huh?