Going to the Doctor for My Semi-Annual Blood-work.

Well, I am doing mostly well I guess. Lost 12 pounds since my last appointment--but I'm sure they're still around here someplace! And my bp comes in at 114/70 with 60 bpm resting heart rate. Still working on closing the door on this persistent, low-grade gout in my left foot...started back on March 28. A month is long enough, thank you.

My Doctor of 22 years, Richard DiGioia.

Doctor's Appointment, part 1

Among the other issues that I discussed with my doctor was my current ED situation. I know I have spoken on the topic with a couple others of you here privately (men of a certain age...) about your frustrations and processes in dealing with this sort of thing, and now I find myself sharing your boat. For me it's really just a major inconvenience that has very little actual impact on the rest of my life (as opposed to a life altering crisis with social, emotional and familial implications) as I am and have for nearly a decade now committed myself to celibacy. I have had my committed relationship, and I have flung my flings to the far ends of the world. And in all of this I have proven to myself all that I feel a need to regarding my sexual life. But be that as it may, I still would like the plumbing to work! So as I discussed this with my doctor I was very frank and very descriptive of the "situation". He listened very politely and then said, "That's weird."

Then I suppose the look on my face must have triggered in him a sense of shock that he, perhaps given my nonchalant candor had blurted out such a frank and frankly non-medical opinion. And then I laughed, and asked, "So what are we going to do about it?" He proceeded to return to his role as a diagnostician in possession of a Internal Medicine Degree from Georgetown University and ran me through a series of the usual sort of questions in such circumstances.

Finally, returning my earlier question, he said, "I'm going to refer you to a urologist, but first I'm going to consult with a couple of them in order to decide which one is the best one to work with you." Hmmm.... better answer. smile emoticon He also added half-dozen other tests to my semi-annual blood work before sending me off to the phlebotomist.

Doctor's Appointment, part 2

The phlebotomy clinic is in the same building, four floors up. After a delay of 45 minutes in seeing my doctor, it was now 12:20. I thought that getting my simple blood letting done was going to be another trial given 1) It always takes the people who work there FOREVER to do their job, and 2) Wouldn't everybody be at lunch?

To my first surprise, the place was empty. I know the routine, so I stepped up and signed in. Usually one of two women greet me, both are African American; one is sort of prison guard tough and the other is obese and our conversation always turns to the fact that she has diabetes, her sugar level is low and she can't find her Snickers Bar. The first woman or a slightly built perky Hispanic women then usually ends up taking my blood--(for some reason the heavier lady only does the front desk and insurance check in stuff).

So imagine my surprise with Reggie walked around the corner from the back and asked me how I was doing? Reggie was a young, doe-eyed, African American man with a runners build and forearms covered in navy blue tattoos. He was sweet, courteous and focused on actually doing his job. We joked a little. He took me from front desk to insurance check station to drawing my blood in record time. AND when I mentioned that the tape that they use to hold the cotton ball secure over the needle hole causes my skin to react in a rash, he immediately said, "No problem. I'll use a band aide."

Now lest you think that I had some carnal thoughts toward young Reggie, I can promise you my admiration was completely, professional, artistic and perhaps just a little familial.