To the Doctor's again!

I said I wouldn't do it. We have spent too much at the doctors office already. Our finances aren't exactly providing a surplus - if you get my hint. My problem usually gets really bad for only a couple of weeks at a time and then the rest of the year is bearable.

Usually.

I was just telling my mom that I wasn't going in for the tests and then getting the "new" shot that is available for my allergies. It is a bit of a hassle and we have been at the doctor's a lot lately and we really, really can't afford it. Only, I went from bad to worse. I haven't had a more than four hours of sleep at a time in over a week. The night before last was really the pits. None of the normal meds I've been on were helping. Yesterday morning I woke the kids (and the wife) for school at 5am. I had been up since 2am. After getting everyone awake, it hit me hard and I collapsed into my recliner and didn't move for another 4 hours. Not than I slept for more than 20 minutes at a time. After 20 minutes my head and nasal passages are so full I have to spend the next ten minutes trying to convince them to drain. I'll spare you the details.
Anyway, Dea calls me around 10am from work and proclaims:
"Your appointment is at 3:30 this afternoon." It's amazing how sniffling and sneezing can take all your authority away. Her tone suggested I shouldn't argue and I didn't have the strength anyway.

So, as we walked into the doctors office again, I was surprised that there wasn't a plaque on the wall proudly proclaiming just which wing we had paid for. I was even more surprised that we had a different receptionist, again. All these trips in such a short time, and I think there was a different receptionist each time. I only noticed because by now, I would expect to have been greeted by name and not have to go over our "info" yet again. No love.

Speaking of "no love"; There's more. Bad news: I had to get on a scale just to discover I have actually gained weight. I had hoped that perhaps I had lost some. Nope! I now weigh 228 pounds! Keeping in mind that I'm 6ft 1inch. That isn't too terrible. If only more of that was muscle and less of it was just plain fat...

There was some good news. My doctor, who really is a pretty good guy and even better physician informs me that I don't need to do all the tests now. Perhaps later but for now, if I want the shot it would be okay. Then came the even worse news:

See, Deanna has been teasing me by telling anyone who'll listen that I didn't want to do this because I'm afraid of the shot. That's just silly. I get a flu shot every year by my own choice with no problems and no drama.

However, I was under the impression that this would just be a shot in the arm. (please insert the buzzing noise for a wrong answer here)

The nurse comes to get me and takes me to a room and closes the door.

It's just a shot, so that is weird, but I'm not really paying attention.
I'm busy telling the nurse about Deanna's teasing me and how it's just a stab in the arm when the nurse surprises me with: "except this is the kind you get in the butt."

That stopped me cold. Uh, oh... really... THAT I did not know! I could feel the blush starting. For me that is a big thing. I think I have blushed maybe 3 times in the last ten years. All of three of those have been in just the last two years. I guess I really am getting soft. (in more "weighs" than one.)

The nurse is quick but not completely painless. Still, it wasn't that bad.

At first.

I walk out with Deanna, grinning when I tell her about the shot and start to notice I'm limping. Then it starts to feel like there is a tennis ball shoved under the one cheek (so to speak). It starts this slow, slow building then after a couple more minutes it peaks and I proclaim to the world: OW! Then is starts to subside. Only to repeat every half hour for the rest of the day. I will be just walking along and then will have to stop to announce OW! and then continue on like some kind of mad man.

As we are leaving the doctors office, I inform Deanna of another part of my conversation with the nurse:

"...Seeing as how my wife is the one making me get this shot; I can honestly say she really is a big pain in my butt! I have witnesses!"

The final indignity came this morning when I got out of the shower. I didn't realize the nurse had bothered to put a band-aid on me; a cartoon band aid. Like the kind you give little kids to keep them from crying.

Yeah, I don't think pride is much of an issue for me anymore...

How's your day?
Will.