"Charlemagne" wrote in message ...


Poor woman across the street got it and it lasted for weeks. After a
week or so she was so bad they put her on Oxycontin and it didn't
work so after another week or so she just quit cold turkey, almost
killed her the withdrawls... She thought she was having a heart
attack and went off in the Ambulance... Be careful. Don't live in
misery.. That's just dumb in this day and age but talk to your
doctor a lot about the pain control meds, especially if you are bad
enough to need dope.... Know what to expect, and more importantly,
have an exit strategy worked out well in advance with him... or
her....



The doc asked me if I wanted something for pain. I said no. He said
if I change my mind, just give him or his office a call.
I don't like pain but I can tolerate it. My wife says I have a
"high" pain threshold. I am not sure there is such a thing, but I
don't like strong painkillers either.

I am somewhat of an old fashioned curmudgeon about medical related
things I think. It's probably because I've been very fortunate to
have been very healthy throughout my life without over doing the
doctor thing, so why take chances that may screw it up? I don't go
to the doctor nearly enough as is recommended, sometimes for many
years at a time. The receptionist at my doctor's office claims that I
have the skinniest medical file of any of their long term clients. I
know it's stupid but old habits die hard.

When I went to the eye clinic today, it was the first time I've seen
an eye doctor since I left the Navy in 1978. Part of the exam
included a standard eye chart test with equipment that looked out of
Star Wars to me. My right eye was 20/25. The eye affected by
shingles, being all swollen and inflamed was 20/30 but the doc said
it would be better again, once the inflammation and swelling is gone.
That's not too shabby for a 64 year old. I could probably still
qualify (sight wise) for F-18 fighter training, except I'd probably
throw up on take off.

The eye doctor nurse had to take my medical history, since I was a
"new" patient. Here's how it went. Kinda funny:

Nurse: Any major surgeries?
Me: Tonsils when I was 12, appendix when I was 22 and a hernia
repair in my 40’s.
Nurse: That’s it? Nothing more recent?
Me: That’s it.
Nurse: Any history of diabetes, heart disease, cancer or pneumonia?
Me: Nope.
Nurse: High blood pressure?
Me: Used to be a little high but it’s fine now.

(I don’t think she believed me, so she took my blood pressure. It was
122/80 she said was excellent for my age.

Nurse: What kind of medications to you take regularly?

(They must assume anyone over 60 *must* be walking around with a pill
box in their pocket)

Me: None.
Nurse: You don’t take any kind of medication?
Me: Oh, well, yeah ... aspirin.
Nurse: Ok ... do you take the baby aspirin, the 350 milligram or the
500 milligram?
Me: I guess the regular 500 milligram. Usually take two.
Nurse: (looking up at me) You take *two* 500 milligram aspirins a
day?
Me: Hell no. I take two once in a while if I have a headache.
Nurse: So you aren’t on a daily aspirin regiment?
Me: What’s that?

Hey, it's worked so far.