Oh dear. Just saw my last post was entitled traumatic day or something like that. Suffice to say, between the two postings have been ok. Today was plain kak.
Well, not all of it. Somehow January/February and September are my big test months and it is now clear to me that I don't cope with trauma, tension and pain of tests.
Today was the painful one.
Had three medical appointments today. Started off seeing The Lymph Lady and my arm was ok-ish - up 0.5cm in two places if I remember correctly. She said as long as it doesn't creep up continually, I am fine. Haven't had to wear the compression sleeve for about a year, since I last went overseas and did a long-haul flight, so generally it's been much better.
Then went straight to the opthamologist (across the road in fact but such a busy one, that I spent five minutes driving there instead!).
Have a stigmatism in one eye, and had HUGE problems when I had thyroid problems as had thryoid eye disease too and ended up having an op to remove excess skin but even today my own eye protrudes and I don't look anything like I used to look, but got over that long ago.
Anyway, I wear glasses for driving at night and increasingly for movies, theatre, all shows... after much much deliberation today with different lenses, it was decided to keep my glasses as they are. And don't need for reading.
All well and good.
Then had to go for Z-sampler test. This, along with an MRI scan, is my worst. It is a scraping of the endometrial lining to check for endometrial cancer, which the Tamoxifen anti-breast cancer pills can cause. For some people it is excruciating. I am one of them. Now I use a Voltaren suppository beforehand but when phoned today to check how long before the appointment was told 30 minutes. I took it 45 minutes in advance but when I asked the gyncaecologist today when is the right time to take it, he said 90 minutes to two hours....
It was so sore that I think I kinda pulled his hand as I told him to stop it. Was less sore afterwards - that was the Voltaren working, he said - but bled so much - this is expected and they give you a panty-liner - that had to get a pad. Haven't checked since to see if I am ok.
Look, I am grateful - said between clenched teeth - to have access to top medical care and to be able to have such a test regularly. But it did cost me R1700 which is a f..fortune and the medical aid hasn't been paying for it (had discussion with doctor's receptionists this time and gonna fight it big time when it happens again now) but I felt so sorry for myself afterwards to have to endure such agony and spend so much money that I have been eating non-stop ever since (a few hours now) and spent just a little more than that on two pairs of exorbitant but fab shoes.
Deranged.
I know I will be fine tomorrow but sometimes it is all a little bit too much to bear.
Well, not all of it. Somehow January/February and September are my big test months and it is now clear to me that I don't cope with trauma, tension and pain of tests.
Today was the painful one.
Had three medical appointments today. Started off seeing The Lymph Lady and my arm was ok-ish - up 0.5cm in two places if I remember correctly. She said as long as it doesn't creep up continually, I am fine. Haven't had to wear the compression sleeve for about a year, since I last went overseas and did a long-haul flight, so generally it's been much better.
Then went straight to the opthamologist (across the road in fact but such a busy one, that I spent five minutes driving there instead!).
Have a stigmatism in one eye, and had HUGE problems when I had thyroid problems as had thryoid eye disease too and ended up having an op to remove excess skin but even today my own eye protrudes and I don't look anything like I used to look, but got over that long ago.
Anyway, I wear glasses for driving at night and increasingly for movies, theatre, all shows... after much much deliberation today with different lenses, it was decided to keep my glasses as they are. And don't need for reading.
All well and good.
Then had to go for Z-sampler test. This, along with an MRI scan, is my worst. It is a scraping of the endometrial lining to check for endometrial cancer, which the Tamoxifen anti-breast cancer pills can cause. For some people it is excruciating. I am one of them. Now I use a Voltaren suppository beforehand but when phoned today to check how long before the appointment was told 30 minutes. I took it 45 minutes in advance but when I asked the gyncaecologist today when is the right time to take it, he said 90 minutes to two hours....
It was so sore that I think I kinda pulled his hand as I told him to stop it. Was less sore afterwards - that was the Voltaren working, he said - but bled so much - this is expected and they give you a panty-liner - that had to get a pad. Haven't checked since to see if I am ok.
Look, I am grateful - said between clenched teeth - to have access to top medical care and to be able to have such a test regularly. But it did cost me R1700 which is a f..fortune and the medical aid hasn't been paying for it (had discussion with doctor's receptionists this time and gonna fight it big time when it happens again now) but I felt so sorry for myself afterwards to have to endure such agony and spend so much money that I have been eating non-stop ever since (a few hours now) and spent just a little more than that on two pairs of exorbitant but fab shoes.
Deranged.
I know I will be fine tomorrow but sometimes it is all a little bit too much to bear.
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