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Bud Grossmann’s
Words of the Week
for the Week of
August 5, 2007
Previously unpublished fiction.
© 2007 by Bud Grossmann.
All Rights Reserved.
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Untitled, 1970
© 1970 by Bud Grossmann
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HEALTH CARE REFORM
David C. Fischer to Nurse Maureen:
Next time you offer me a BLT, could you be more specific? Mmm, good! For several years I was very careful with salt, trying to avoid b.p. medication, but this past March, when r. w. (suspectedly) drove my b.p. sky high, I became even more careful. Then, in April, Dr. — put me on Metoprolol 50mg twice a day, and I got a little more relaxed about salt, figuring, let the pills take care of it.
Speaking of the pills, I think I associate several things with the prescription and possibly with stress arising from r. w.: a worsening of typing skills (typing the wrong word, esp. substituting one short word for another like at for in, etc.; spelling errors even while trying to be careful); possible worsening of despondency (very, very hard to isolate—so many real reasons to feel low in recent months, but this reportedly (per Internet) occurs in 5% of patients taking Met.); chest discomfort (likewise hard to determine whether I'm just imagining the pain and, if not, then it's hard to determine whether the pills bring it on or disappointments in r. or whether, maybe, the pills are just failing to prevent it); light-headedness; lethargy (hard to identify because my sleep patterns have been terrible); weakness (I fell out of my exercise routines for a while; I think I'm keeping up with them now, but haven't recovered my strength and endurance). Oh, Maureen, I love hinting for free medical advice in addition to r. counseling.
Nurse Maureen, in reply:
But seriously, you talked about your high blood pressure and pills/salt/emotional level. Okay ...take your pills, watch your diet, exercise...high blood pressure, cholesterol etc. alot of it is hereditary...so you do what you can about what you can...as far as the emotional side of it...I don't know what to recommend...I do but it won't do any good anyways. But if you are having alot of the listed side effects then you probably should see your doctor about a change in medication. That is my "professional" advice. My common sense advice would be ditto. And when N. is slapping one side of your head I might do the same on the other side.
But yes, my professional advice would be for you to see a Dr. regarding side effects/emotional status etc.
David C. Fischer, again:
Did I tell you Dr. — costs $90 a consultation? My first impression of the guy is highly favorable, but my first three visits cost me $844 (minus $109 covered by insurance—oh, and my share of the pills is ten bucks a month). The first visit was a 15-minute discussion of r.w. (doctor's conclusion: "You seem like a nice guy and not too bad looking. I think you'll find there are plenty of fish in the lake."), and basic blood and urine work. On the second visit I got a 15-minute physical. The third was a bargain, only $23 for the five minutes when Nurse — took my blood pressure twice. For $90, I think I prefer to have a stroke. I'll see him at the six-month mark if I should live so long.
To Be Continued, if Fischer
should live so long, or unless
the U.S. Congress takes care of it.
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