Looking inside without a scalpel

Modern technology has provided many ways to see what is going on inside of the body without the use of a scalpel. I'm all for that! The last time a doctor used a scalpel on my body I ended up being held a prisoner in our local hospital for two weeks.

I am actually pretty healthy for a person of my age as I  look around and compare what I know with what I see. Even the specialist I saw yesterday pointed that out to me. Since I will soon be 80 and feel like 60 I just need to keep on top of things that come up. This month is going to be an "electronic" test month with a couple of experiences that are brand new to me.

Because my blood pressure and pulse readings have been up and down lately I was sent to a cardiologist to see if my heart was working right. Since I had never been to one in my life I was a bit nervous, which I am sure made my BP higher than it should have been when the nurse took it.

When I heard a knock on the door a doctor entered. I was surprised to note that he was African American, which was also a new experience for me. As it turned out he seemed very knowledgeable about his chosen field and answered all of my questions. He did seem a bit nervous as he kept clipping and unclipping my papers on his clipboard and looking down instead of at me when he was talking. Oh well, I decided he just wasn't a people person and he focused more on his surgery skills. He discussed the findings of the EKG that had been done and noted it showed my heart has an extra beat now and then. I've known that for a couple of years. He said the beat is not coming from a normal place in the heart.

Admitting I was nervous, he stated that when a person first sees a cardiologist he/she is either admitted to the hospital or further tests are done. I'm writing my blog from my home computer! If he gets insurance approval I will be having a stress echo cardiogram soon to determine if my heart is healthy. If it is I will probably need to take a more appropriate blood pressure medication to keep things balanced. I'm voting for that approach. Everyone with me? Thank you!

Before I leave Dr. Woods I would like to pass on something he told me."The number one killer of older people is not cancer it is a heart attack. We need more cardiologists. It's easier to treat heart problems than to treat a person who has had a heart attack."

Now on to my next electronic no scalpel test. I am scheduled for a routine mammagraham next week with a technician who has been doing mine for twenty years. I do not expect anything unusual to show up.

Next Saturday I am also scheduled for an upright spinal MRI.. This one is also a new test that I am grateful is being offered. I have no desire to be encased in a closed machine for 45 minutes thank you. I had a CT scan about a year ago that showed I have spinal stenosis and the MRI will be a better diagnostic tool to pinpoint exactly where the problem is for future treatment. So far it is just something I know I have and is not causing too many problems. Apparently we all have to have something wrong as we get older!

I know this seems like a lot to deal with in a short time, but I am trying really hard to be positive and not worry about it. At least nobody is going to use a scalpel on my body. Been there done that and don't want to do it again. These are all non-invasive tests. I need to keep that in mind. I also found a great reminder on Facebook this morning. "When I'm worried It's usually because I'm trying to do everything myself. When I'm at peace, it's usually because I remember that God is in control."