The Diagnosis

Another day of traveling to a medical facility.  Seems that Dr. Shriv (Shreev) is in the Halls office, about 8 miles away, on Tuesdays. The appointment is for 12:30 p.m., on a bright, sunshiny day.

I've never had to get off the beaten path in Halls, one of four incorporated jurisdictions in Lauderdale County, TN, as I'm usually traveling modern Hwy 51 or State Rte. 209, a twisting, curving, two-lane road, straight through to D'burg.  The town has a population of approximately 2,000 and the railroad runs smack through the middle.  Well, it might veer here and there but the police and fire stations, and the doctor's office, are just a few steps from the tracks, a block away from Rte. 209.

Parked and walked into a crowded waiting room of predominately geriatric patients. Walkers, canes, electric wheelchairs, oxygen apparatus, and more.  Gee, I feel better already. There's a cute little girl, somewhere between 2 and 3 years-of-age, who is busily cooking and feeding those around her. She and her mother were the youngest things in the room. Turns out they were waiting for the grandmother.

Oops, a small delay. The Ripley office hadn't sent my records over for the Halls office.  "Just take a seat."  Can I sit outside?  Thank goodness for the trusty book because that scene was depressing. So, Dr. Shriv has degrees in cardiology, licenses, and more from India, Florida, Tennessee. Comforting.

An hour later, I get the call to come back. "Wait a minute, these are the same questions previously asked--aren't they in your file?" Yeah, I'm a little testy at this point.  Horrors...I gained one pound in two weeks?  Good grief! Asked the nurse about the weight management program.  Pills?  No thank you.

Here comes the good doctor.  Oops, one of the test results is missing.  "Are you sure that you had that test?" Ah, it had been separated from the others.  "Well, everything checks out fine.  No blockage; cholesterol a little high but not enough for medication."  Just an abnormal reading. The peaks on my chart are inverted, as opposed to the peaks and valleys normally seen. Hence the concern.  And, of course, the results of the EKG from D.C., haven't arrived. No surprise there.

So, we know that the heart is good.  A huge sigh of relief.  I'm blessed and mighty thankful. Won't be using the Celebrex unless absolutely necessary; i.e., tears are flowing from the pain. Back to the yard; it's time to plant bulbs.

Be Safe. Be Blessed.