Much time has passed since my last entry.  I said I'd post again when I had time. That was almost two months ago. Now that I consider myself retired (mostly) I'm busier than before.  Go figure.  

Some people collect coins. Some collect stamps.  I seem to collect diagnoses. Usually something minor and always something treatable. I'm actually quite fortunate, and I thank God that I still am basically in good health.  But I will run through the latest:

1. Surgeries from last year, kidney and shoulder replacement, good as new.  I've had my year visit with the PA who works with the kidney surgeon and I will have my year visit with the shoulder surgeon in a week.  Both appear to be trouble free. No further specialist follow up needed. 
2. Dizzy spells: It seems there have been two causes. One is an inner ear issue which, strangely enough has been treated successfully by my physical therapist. I say successfully, but I may need to continue exercises targeting inner ear issue, at least intermittently. The other issue with dizzy spells appears to be a circulation problem where blood vessels sometimes dilate at mostly un-opportune times. When that happens, my heart has a tendency to slow down. It should speed up. Blood pressure drops. Blood does not get to my alleged brain in adequate quantities. (OK, despite the skepticism of some, medical science has proved I do have a brain.  Remember that brain MRI I told you about?) Dr. Arora prescribed Midodrine 2.5 mg, twice daily, as I reported on a previous entry. He said that would probably take 4-6 weeks to show itself as truly effective. First time he was wrong. I have not had dizzy spell related to this the blood pressure issues since the FIRST DAY I took that  medicine. He wants to see me again in April. Warned me to call for appointment in early February, since he tends to "book up" two months ahead. He won't pronounce me clear of this until he sees me in April, but I am symptom free, and strongly suspect it is "all over but the shouting," as my late mother was fond of saying. 
3. Dr. Arora did tell me he was suspicious of Sleep Apnea. Actually in social conversation several years ago, Helen's cousin, Kathy Dively, an NP cardiac specialist with the Veteran's Administration expressed a concern that I might have Sleep Apnea. I did not take the warning seriously at the time, but I took it seriously enough to tell my PCP at my next routine visit. He was not persuaded this needed follow up. Dr. Arora was very specific about the indicators he saw and referred me to a sleep specialist. I was in to see the "Sleep Doc" last week. He said my indicators of Sleep Apnea are borderline but he has referred me for a sleep study.  That will occur overnight on February 14. Happy Valentines Day. I hope this is negative as I do not want to need a C-PAP but if it is needed it is simply an annoyance, not a major problem.  
4. At what was to be my final post-op visit regarding my kidney removal, the PA had ordered a PSA test (screening for prostate cancer) The results of that went sky high.  This had never been even close to elevated before. So they ordered a re-test for two weeks ago to see if this was an outlier or if there was a trend toward rising. As it turns out the re-test showed one of my lowest PSA results ever. My understanding is that with the PSA, an occasional outlier result is not unusual, so this appears to put me in the clear. However I have a routine appointment with my PCP next week. This topic will be up for discussion.  I will add that I was concerned that the doctor's (Urology specialist's) office would not give me results of this test for over a week. That should not be.  
5. I finally had the root canal that required a specialist. Usual dentist could not do it -- Endodontist required. That was expensive, as a special device that provides microscopic level image enhancement is necessary. That drives the cost up to over $1K. Ouch. I have never understood why people get so exercised over root canals. I have had several and never any significant discomfort with any of them. This is not about an unusually high tolerance for pain. I'm a wimp.  But except for the cost, they seem to me to be no big deal.    

So. My collection of diagnoses expands. Maybe that makes me some kind of freak. Should I see if I can get into the Guiness Book of World Record for most benign diagnoses in a single human being?  Maybe I should try that. I do thank God for what is basically good health.

Thanks for listening.  Truly nothing really exciting here.