I'm sure glad for your "no cancer" report. Your calendar sounds a lot like ours. To us "going out" means going to a doctor. Oh the joys of aging. I wish you well on your other upcoming doctor visits. One of my artificial hips is wearing out and that worries me and worries my orthopedic surgeon. I keep praying that God holds me together until He calls me home.

Don't delay on getting the flashes of light seen, it can indicate retinal problems.

Hope everything calms down for you.

You aren't alone on this, Chisue. I compare it to that game, "Whack-a-Mole." Good for you and DH too for taking care of yourselves, even though it's a nuisance to go to all the appointments. I guess we should be grateful that we have access to all the wonderful medical advancements (not scolding you, OK?!).

A bit of financial advice: IF you itemize on your federal taxes, you can deduct mileage for any and all medical appointments (not the mileage to and from the hospital though - don't know why, but you can deduct any parking fees while at a hospital) and claim that on the medical portion of your itemized form.

A few years ago, the missus and I both had lots of appointments and I kept track of the miles on a calendar. I was amazed at the high number at the end of the year. At the time, it was something like $0.19/mile. I don't know what it is now.

Talk with someone who is smarter that me and get confirmation on that.

Gosh, and I was feeling sorry for myself this morning because my hair-dryer stopped working mid-dry.

Good for you for staying on top of everything though. I do believe in taking care of the little aches and pains and doing maintenance check-ups to prevent big stuff from happening or heading it off before it becomes big stuff..

Best wishes for quick and trouble-free treatments and speedy recoveries.

It is great that you and your husband are taking care of yourselves. Hope you have a speedy recovery once you're able to have the surgery.

Lisa

Wishing you the best and to everyone else with health issues. I am fortunate at my age, 81, other than pain all the time, not to have major problems at least for the moment. I go back one year from the last time I saw my doctor, that is when she said she wanted to see me, so I shall go.

Sue

So what are you doing with all your extra time? :) Congrats on the good news and good luck on the lesser than good.

The silver lining is that everything appears to be fixable, so take comfort in that. Plus, this too shall pass and your calendar will return to normal soon enough. :)

Thanks for being my 'ear' and for the good wishes.

blfenton -- Glad to be reminded that at least my hair dryer hasn't quit on me yet. LOL

petra_gw -- The thing is, this is becoming my 'normal' calendar! My Golden Years are gold for the medical profession, but I am glad they can (sometimes) 'fix' me.

I am grateful for our Medicare, but aghast that someone without insurance could be billed $10K for an office procedure like the Moh's. The MD had two 'goes' at DH's forehead to get clean margins; actual work may have taken 20 minutes, but DH was stuck there for five hours because there were so many (too many) patients scheduled.

Jim -- We deduct the insurance premiums and the OOP for medicine, medical and dental, but I haven't added up the mileage. It's not a lot, as there is one hospital a mile from our home -- improving after a take-over. The one we use more is in the suburb 'next door'. (One reason we built here.) With all this back and forth, it may be worthwhile. Thanks for the tip, and you are plenty smart enough!

Came back to add how grateful I am for my dear DH, who has been putting up with me for 52 years this month.

Going to the doctor and medical tests is definitely not a favorite thing to do for anyone.

Hope you come through with flying colors.

Husband and I say Dr's appointments are our social calendar...recently he went in to have a revision on his left knee replacement...he thought he had twisted his right ankle but they found he had broken his tibia near his ankle so he had a second surgery 5 days later...he's home now but can't walk yet, just stand briefly.....just glad he's home after 3 weeks, it was supposed to be 2 days.

Sucks to get old, but it beats the alternative , I guess. I've really had a hard time this year. I lost two very close friends, one to breast cancer, and the other to medical malpractice(IMO. ) Now a very dear friend's husband is in ICU and she is not well at all either. My former DIL's mother is also in the ICU. This is why I obsess with my Fitbit getting in the minimum of five miles a day but shoot for six. I know in my heart that this isn't any guarantee and I could drop dead any minute, but it's all I can do plus eat a vegetarian diet. I have no control over my genes. I sympathize with doctor appointments. I see mine twice a year. I take one RX and that even got screwed up. I called the automated system to refill about five days before I needed it. When I went to pick it up the pharmacist said my insurance wouldn't pay today unless it was 12:01. So I went back the next day and it was only $2.30 for a three-month supply. Heaven knows what it would have been out of pocket.

Sending good wishes for speedy recoveries for both of you.

Hoping your calendar gets filled with fun and relaxing options in the near future.

Thanks, all. I know I could have much more serious ills!

lily316 -- That's too much sickness and sadness. I'm sorry. Thanks for the gentle hint about keeping active. (I heard that! LOL)

Been to Physical Therapy 3 times so far this month, have 1 more scheduled for this month, and a follow up with *Cancer Doctor.

Went to pain Clinic yesterday. Had injection on right shoulder + a total of 5 on my chronic left shoulder.
I received (from the Pain Clinic,) a 5 page print out of all my physical problems. I've never gotten that before and really appreciate it. Note here * "Remember when Computers were supposed to save on paper?"

Here are some of my problems, in no particular order. I had to Google some of those terms. * Another note: When I google medical words, I always use Mayo's site.) Osteoarthritis both knees; (both replaced some twenty years ago.) edema of left lower extremities, Spinal stenosis. Primary osteoarthritis of right shoulder. Chronic anti-coagulation. Neck pain. Pulmonary embolism, cervicalgia, 3 levels; wore a Monitor for 48 hours last week: permanent atrial fibrillation. Occlusion of left eye, glaucoma, some hearing loss, history of Mohs, dyspnea.
*Re the Cancer doctor: two years ago, following a diagnosis of a blood clot in the left leg, I had breast surgery for that. No problem since then. I have had regular mammograms and follow ups. Almost forgot: One of my self- diagnosed problems is Memory Loss. I can't remember even when that happened exactly, or what it is called. It was not a compete Breast Surgery, just a portion of the left side.
About the Mohs, I developed skin cancer from an old, old wart on my leg. Completely healed after the surgery.
To read this makes me sound like a walking PDR. I have always checked carefully any symptoms of anything that might pop up. We have great doctors and an excellent hospital here. My stats as to blood pressure, weight, etc are all normal, but yes, my life has been changed a lot! Life is good, if you let it be.
I have come to the conclusion that The Golden Years, in my case, have turned out to be Brass Plated!!
And PS: Did I mention that two months ago I celebrated my Ninety Second Birthday? With my kids and grands and greats? I live alone. My DH was taken by colon cancer when he was 62 and I was 58.

Second PS: My social calendar has become my DD's also. She retired at about the same time my problems came up. In the meantime I had given up driving because of my vision problems. She lives close by and that helps.

God is Good!

Sue -- Ack! That's a Lot of History! I feel the same way about mine, but am 'only' 75. I don't even want to think what more lies in wait.

I'm very sorry you had to lose your DH so early. Premature death puts our woes in perspective. We wouldn't have these long lists of medical problems and interventions had we not *survived* so long!

Glad your DD is near and able to assist you. My very healthy DH is my 'rock', and I know my DS and DIL would fill in as needed -- only 20-30 minutes from us.

chisue, reading that long list makes it sound insurmountable, but yesterday I had two check ups and knowing that so far the results are positive in the cancer area (BTW that was a lumpectomy) and with the PT, it is a problem with basic balance, which will still take some working on. My cancer doc is one of the dearest docs I have ever had. He not only cares about the medical aspects, but remembers and asks about my family also. Would that they were all like that! We have a new tech in PT, a 27 year old male who is dedicated to his profession and so caring and patient. I am fortunate and grateful to have such good help.

The loss of my DH was and still is, the most significant part of my life. He was a gift to the teaching profession, which was his choice of life work.

I keep on keeping on, and I still have the hope of living to be 100, just because! I wish you well with your list; keep a good attitude and enjoy every bit of every day possible.

Do you feel like you are supporting the medical and dental profession? Join the ranks of "old geezers". You have lived long enough to earn it.

Jem -- At this point I'm hoping NOT to join the profitable bunch going into 'assisted living'. There sure is a full court press going on for that!