Well, I went to see Dr. Arturo the other day. (You should know him by now- he is Paty’s brother, the doctor). I had a few things I wanted to talk to him about, to get his help with, is more the truth. I want to lose the fifteen kilos I already told you about; I want help with a “diet” to get started; I would like a “happy pill” for awhile, until we get moved and settled. This has really taken a toll on both of us, but, me, being the weaker half, admitted that I do not sleep much, and certainly not more than two hours at a time. I drink too much. I cry at every episode of whatever show I am watching, even when there is nothing about which to cry. My weight is out of control, and I just want to move to our own place. Wah wah wah. Boo hoo.
Of course, my blood pressure was up, (he took it twice, but would not tell me either time what it was), which I totally expected. He, too, wants me to lose said fifteen kilos, but over the next six months to one year, not in the next six weeks. As I am actually shrinking in height, (I lost one half inch in the past year and a half), I really need to be much more aware of how much weight I have gained. (Though I hardly need to be told- I see myself, every morning, in the full length mirror, staring at me when I get out of bed- every morning. (Definitely not having one of those things in the bedroom, to begin with, anyway)!
So, the good doctor ordered every blood test necessary, and appropriate for my age, and activity level, a UA, a chest X-ray, and, an Ultrasound of my upper abdomen, (I convert everything I eat, lately, to abdominal gas, thank you very much).
Paty took me, this morning, to the Laboratório, a very clean, and brightly lit building, that has a ton of educational information, in simple, easy to read signs, on every wall, plenty of plastic chairs, on which to sit, and bathrooms, nicely designated, so you have no doubt which one you need to use.
Once registered, and the exams paid for, (thirteen hundred pesos, or sixty five dollars for everything), I had the chest X-ray. After I had changes into the thin, white paper “top” that is open in the back, I stood, with my back against the freezing cold X-ray plate, shivering, because none of these rooms are heated in any way, and was told to turn around, and to put my chest up against the plate!!! Are you kidding me, I thought? Evidently not, because she then told me to hold my breath, and do not move, for what seemed like forever! Then, it was done. I got redressed, and away we went- down the hall, for some more torture.
So, now, we go around the corner, to the rooms where someone is going to draw my blood. I gave my blood to a young man with the lightest touch of any phlebotomist ever to have drawn my blood. Of course, he had to comment on how small my veins were, to Paty. I told them both that it was the only small thing on me, and I really needed to have that one thing. He chuckled. He did not realize that I was a popsicle.
Then, we got to sit in the hallway, outside of the three Ultrasound exam rooms, for about forty five minutes, while, having only physician available to read the scans, the area was starting to get crowded- people were not happy about having to wait so long. Eventually, however, after another ten minutes, or so, a second technician came, so they were able to run two rooms. The rest of us were taken care of promptly.
The results of the Ultrasound, you ask? Well, it is confidential, so, if I told you, I would have to kill each of you. Suffice it to say, I need to lose the weight we talked about, get more exercise, and eat better. Also, no more Tequila, except on Fridays. Have to go to Berlín!
Post script: fun fact. Now that I have just passed the one year post cataract extraction phase, I am, once again, without glasses! My eyes, just a week, or two ago, started working in harmony, like Dr. Borisuth and I had talked about, before having the surgeries. For about a week prior to this manifestation, I was having difficulty reading, and driving, with the glasses I had made here. (That was in an early post), so I stopped wearing them, and was only using reading glasses. Now, I do not wear my distance glasses at all, and only need the reading glasses to read the menus in Spanish. Yay!