Nutrition and The Reoccurring Visitor

"Yes, I know you're back.  Now, go away!"

“I’m not sure whether it is a situation where my body can’t handle both of these things going on at the same time, and it’s waiting until one is over with before the other starts again.”—quote from Medical Mayhem: The Saga Continues

It has taken quite a while, but the worst part of my throat infection is starting to go away.  My throat and behind my ears aren’t sore anymore, but the cough is fighting to stay alive.  It isn’t as bad as it has been, and it was still pretty bad up to about a week ago.

Perhaps the statement that I made before holds true because as soon as this began its’ major dissent, an old ailment returned.  It resurfaced this past Monday.  The congeal factor isn’t as pronounced as it has been, but it is still some cause for worry.  Charity care hasn’t budged on its’ stance.  I’m not saying I’m going to give up the fight, but it’s draining me to get highly worked up about it. 

I finally got a chance to go to the nutritionist, after trying to see one since January.  It still doesn’t make sense for me to go to one all the way in the Hopewell/Pennington area when there is a nutritionist in the medical center I attend just a few minutes from the apartment.  

However, the person there, which I have never seen, has always rescheduled but either (1) Reschedules my reschedule or (2) Doesn’t tell me she’s rescheduled and I arrive, only to find out she’s rescheduled me.  I think my last straw hit in May when I came at 8:00 in the morning for my appointment at 8:30 for them to tell me I had once again been rescheduled; I didn’t even get a phone call, just the automated thing telling me my appointment was still a go as of the Saturday before my appointment (my appointment was on the following Monday).  

The last time I saw my doctor (not the new one I got shifted to, but the one I’d been seeing since September), I told her about the trouble I’d been having just to see the on-site nutritionist, so then they had to refer me to outpatient nutrition meetings at the Hopewell/Pennington location.

I have to admit—that location is a very nice one.  You would think you were at a spa resort rather than an actual hospital/medical center.  That is how fancy it looks.

The nutritionist there was very nice and personable.  The thing I found refreshing about her is that she wasn’t telling me I had to totally eliminate certain things, just to find ways to either decrease the intake, substitute them, or just prepare certain meals differently.  I told her I didn’t feel as if the BMI chart was an accurate indicator at where I needed to be in regards to my weight.  It might make some level of sense if my breasts weren’t so massive.  I explained to her I felt discouraged because my last doctor (before the switch to the male doctor, which I will elaborate on) had even suggested it was unfortunate I hadn’t found any affordable insurance because then she could recommend me to just have gastric bypass surgery to get me down to BMI levels.  I didn’t even think I qualified for that, but still, I’m not sure whether gastric bypass would be the answer.  Considering my fallacy is that I’m not eating enough times per day (I don’t get the memo…I feel hungry), so I don’t think based on my BMI numbers alone would be enough to make me a good candidate.

The nutritionist was very realistic and understood my concerns and how I felt.  She doesn’t think I should be up for gastric bypass just yet.  She’s glad I have started to exercise more, and she wants to see me in another three months to check on my progress.  The great thing is that I can actually see her for free, even though before I was told I’d have to apply for Charity Care (which I haven’t been getting anywhere with, as I’ve reported before).

"Hi, I'm your new doctor..."

Now, the breakdown as to why I have a male doctor:

Well, back in May, there was a notice out that the doctor I had been seeing, Dr. B. (I will abbreviate because it’s too long to spell her name or pronounce it), would no longer be at the clinic and all her patients who didn’t opt for other doctors would automatically be transferred to Dr. F.   I did ask her why she would no longer be at the clinic.  

She explained to me that she wanted to take this teaching position as well as practice medicine, but she was informed if she went down to part time on her medical duties that she wouldn’t be able to hold on to her full time benefits---that she had to do one or the other.  She opted for the other; it’s unfortunate when doctors can’t even hold on to their benefits and put in positions where they have to choose.  

Since my condition is classified as controlled, I don’t have to go in for it or do any labwork pertaining to it until next month.  I haven’t seen the new Dr. for my controlled condition but I did get a chance to see him as it pertains to my throat infection.  

I just hope that he doesn’t perform the same fallacy of Dr. B. as it relates to being so driven on results and not focused enough on the individual.  I know, in the end, Dr. B. started to come around after my emotional confrontation with her, but by that time, the damage had been done.

More to come in the next few months.  May the next round of news, particularly with my returning friend, be good news, which says, “I know what’s causing you to come around but I know the very thing to make you permanently go away.”

Peace.