Friday, September 5, 2008

Confident Trust - Epic AND TMI

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust.
Psalm 4:8

Confident trust. Seems to be a theme that many are struggling with these days. Waiting takes confident trust. Not the kind of waiting where you are whining and fussing and scrambling around working toward a solution without ever having consulted the One who can do all things and loves you so much that He sent His Son to die so that He could have a relationship with you. No. That is not confident trust.

Confident is defined as, marked by assurance, as of success. It comes from the Latin confidere which means, to rely on.

Yesterday I went to the doctor for two reasons. The main reason was to see my primary care manager in the gynecology department to request a referral to go see a urological gynecologist for my girl problem. Yes it is still a problem. Yes. After THREE years of doctors, tests, procedures and medications it is still a problem. The second, and ironically enough, lesser reason I was there was to have my mammogram results read by the doctor so that he could prescribe a course of action. You may remember that I had gotten a call from MY gynecologist that there was a mass detected on the mammogram and it required follow up. That was Wednesday. I had to wait a week and a day to see the doctor.

I was irritated at the inconvenience of having to go to yet another doctor so he could do yet another examination just so I could wait to be able to get an appointment to go see yet another doctor. And irritated at having to wait to get information about where the breast health journey is going to lead me. And by the way, "I am NOT sitting on that examining table with the stirrups. I am sitting in a chair. You want me in stirrups, you're going to have to work for it." Hm. That somehow doesn't sound too appropriate. I suppose it is good I didn't say it out loud.

The doctor came in holding only my urology records and my mammogram results. Did you ever watch that show Ally McBeal where they acted out whatever was in her imagination? Like, one time, her crush said something that hurt her heart and you see a red arrow going right to her chest and piercing it. She was fine of course, it was only her imagination. Well, I imagined whipping out one of those sticky rubber hands and smacking him upside his noggin with it. I said, "Those are only my urology records, there is more." And he said, "Oh, they only gave me these..." grr. "So, what are you here for today?"

Oh. it's going to go down like THAT is it? *slips on boxing gloves and oils up naked bulging muscles* So after feeding him some leather giving him the, "I want to go see another doctor and you need to tell me what is up with my cha cha's and stop making me wait some more" talk, we settled in and had a nice get to know me conversation. He asked me to tell him all the things I could remember about what has been done so far about my issue. Well let's see, there was those four weeks where I had a weekly tea party urethral massage with my gynecologist, or the time that big camera ignored the do not enter sign and showed me the inside of my bladder on tv, cystoscopy, or the myriad of medications which have helped me to now move into the category of obese according to your lovely, uplifting little chart there.

Truth be told folks, I liked this doctor. You could see his wheels turning in earnest interest and medical consternation. I just wish that he had done the reading first. So he says, "Okay - I know of another nerve drug that we could try and I will also put in the referral request for you to go see the Urogyno." "It's possible that we may not be able to fix this." "What you mean like EVER?" "Yes." "Like, NEVER?" "Yes." "Like, for the rest of my life, for always and ever, I may never have intercourse without pain??" "Yes."
"That is not acceptable."
And now, on to the mammogram. "Ah yes, I see that they detected something on your mammogram that they would like followed up on. I'll go ahead and put in the order for the ultrasound. You'll just need to go down there and schedule it." That's all you get Mrs. MoCracka S4J.

Oh no you DI'INT! "Hey, Dr. S ~ is this something that should be marked urgent, or right away or something that I need to be FREAKING OUT about?" "Nah, not urgent." Well thank you man of many words. "Now, are you up-to-date on your pap?" *rubber thing snaps and this time takes out an ear* "I HAVE NO CERVIX YOU JACKAL Um, yes. My last approved visit with my gynecologist was used for a well-woman exam. Which is in those records that you don't have in front of you." "And how long ago was that?" "Just a couple of weeks ago." "Okay, we'll skip the exam today then." *Raises fist in the air and brings elbow back in excited cheer* (yes I really did) "THANK YOU!"

"Oh, and come back and see me in two or three months so we can see how the medication worked and also I am pretty curious about what Urogyno comes up with." "Well, it is certainly my pleasure to satisfy your curiosity."

Okay - explanation of the medication which I started taking yesterday. The theory is that there is a nerve that is misfiring, causing pain when it is disturbed(and by the way this is my lame'mans explanation - please do not publish this on medrx.com [cause I know you wanted to]). So we are going to try to convince it that it can give up the game with the use of Gabapentin(neurontin). I am starting at the lowest dosage which is one 300mg capsule three times each day. I will try that dosage for one week. If it doesn't work I will take two 300mg capsules three times each day for one week. If that doesn't work I will take three 300mg capsules three times each day for one week. If THAT doesn't work we know it's not GOING to work and I will be done taking it. If it does work, I could be taking it the rest of my life. AND also, nurturing my marriage the rest of my life. so there.
I know the medication is affecting me already (no we didn't try it out you dirty-minded GGG)because about 2 hours or so after I take it, I get WHACK. Like super funny. So funny in fact that I crack myself up. Regularly.

What else? Hmmm What WAS the other thing? I'm trying to think but can't remember so much, and I see that this post is really long already. I guess I will have to wait for another post to write about it.

8 comments:

IdahoAngie said...

I know you are going through some stuff. God will get you through it. But I just have to let you know my Mom and I sat here and read this and we were just cracking up. You sure can turn a stressful situation into something funny.

Gretchen said...

You gotta watch that GGG...

Praying for this to be the magic bullet, S4J. And...praying for the booby thing, too.

Suzanne said...

At this point, I want to WHACK your doctor upside the head! Still praying for ya girl!

His Girl said...

this is hands down the funniest post you have ever, ever written.

hope your hoo-haw and tah-tahs are up and in working order post haste.

Jenster said...

You mean you're not usually whack?? You're not usually funny? You don't usually crack yourself up??

Man, I must be whack 'cause you're alway cracking me up!

I'm praying for you on several levels.

Alana said...

Sometimes doctors can be SO helpful. That is sarcastic if you can't tell. Praying for you...

Unknown said...

I'd like to protest the GGG comments!

And yes, I can picture the Ally McBeal-isms going on...

Too funny!

Jenn said...

I am catching up on your blog. I would have been so frustrated if this was my doctor but I have to admit the way you tell it - it made me laugh.

Praying for you. I hope these new meds are helping ya!!