Practicing what I preach

No life is so hard that you can't make it easier by the way you take it.
Ellen Glasgow

I had an 11:30 appointment with my Primary Care doc this morning, am just returning home at 3:29pm. I never expected it to take so long, but am marking the hours of sitting and waiting in the relaxation column! Not a walk on the beach, or a snooze, but time when I didn't have to do anything other than read cooking magazines. I thought I had left my phone on the hall table so in essence I believed I was incommunicado. I borrowed an office phone to check in with Sweetie and tell him my plan, other than that the boys were left to their own devices and so was I.

Here's what transpired:
1. I got a flu shot
2. Doc gave me some exercises for my arm/shoulder pain.
3. Doc agreed that I have a stress-filled life. Said the human body isn't made to sustain stress over a long period of time. I guess back in the saber-tooth tiger days, the stress was intense then gone - either you ate or got eaten. Not a lot of in between time for adrenaline rushes. Just to make sure everything is OK Doc ordered labs, EKG and chest X-ray.
4. Since I hadn't eaten I went straight to the lab. Hurry up and wait. Finally had my name called. My blood was drawn by a friendly lady who couldn't wait for the day to be over so she could go to church. A date with her Lord, she called it. Her enthusiasm was infectious. I smiled more on my way out than the way in.
5. Went to the place I was directed to go for the other tests. Was re-directed somewhere else.
6. Went to my favorite hot dog stand. It was closed. My blood-pressure began to rise as my blood-sugar continued to drop.
7. Went to the hospital - the Valet parker was nowhere to be seen so I parked my own car - what a concept. I put a check mark in the exercise column because I had to walk to and from the garage to the hospital.
8. I checked in, then waited. And waited. And waited. I'm not sure why waiting can be so hard. I gave myself a little talking to. I decided to take advantage of the time away from home and tried to relax. That little niggling of fear that I carry around with me at all times - what if something happens while I'm gone and no body can contact me - started bubbling up. I reassured myself that my Sweetie can handle anything that comes down the pike. I read yet another magazine and waited some more.
9. Was directed to the registration desk where a woman - perhaps the fastest typist I've ever seen - fed my information into a computer that already has all my information, then checked it twice like Santa trying to determine who's been good or bad. I was not there to have a baby, or surgery, all I needed was a 2 minute EKG. No matter, you get logged in and a plastic bracelet to identify you.
10. I check in at the test desk. My bracelet is checked by both me and the registering nurse. We agree, I'm ME. She calls to make sure there is someone left in X-ray to do the test. I feel the beginnings of a hissy fit at the thought of having to come back because someone left their position early on a Friday afternoon. No problem, the EKG girl took me by the hand told me to lie down, put bits of sticky tape all over my and before I even closed my eyes was pulling the sticky tape off me.
11. I got the X-ray, no problem.
12. I walked back to the car - uphill, no problem.
13. I got myself something to eat, no problem.
14. As I pulled in the driveway my cell phone rang. Hmmm, seems it had been hiding on the bottom of my purse all along.
15. When I got home, Dad was sleeping soundly. Sweetie looking cool, calm and collected. Everything was fine.

So, it wasn't exactly the kind of getaway I might have planned for myself, but I'll take it anyway. It was what I needed and for that I am grateful. I think I'll put an icepack on my arm, sit next to Dad's bed and listen to him breathe.

Thanking the Divine One for interventions,
Merry ME


Comments

Molly said…
oh, my. you are much more sanguine than i am. i got stuck in the fire stairs on Wed and spent 20 minutes walking down 38 flights. my knees felt like rubber at the bottom and i could hardly lift my feet to walk to the elevator to go up and get my stuff to go home. 2 days later i'm so sore that if i sit for very long, i may as well stay put. i finally told someone about it today, when i thought i could laugh about it. walking the dogs has been an exercise in will power these past two days. oh well.
September 17, 2010 at 9:39 PM
paradox said…
I absolutely love it. When taking care of long-put-off responsibilities develops into an unavoidable break. I wish I could go to the DMV right this second.
September 18, 2010 at 7:51 PM
Fire Byrd said…
Procrastination is.... now let me see what was I saying I'll just go and er clean the .... er maybe another coffee... er what was I saying.Oh yes glad you're OK!
xx
September 19, 2010 at 2:46 PM
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