Every 4 months I go in for a thorough blood and urine work up as I have many ‘problems’ ranging from Periphery Artery Disease (PAD) affecting my legs, Arterial Fibration  (AFib), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, an aorta valve replacement, pre-diabetic, etc., etc., along with the fact that I take 15 meds and 2 vitamin supplements.

Now, with all that, I consider myself pretty healthy, though walking can be a problem, as I get around, do things, enjoy life and very seldom if ever, feel sick!

On July 20^th I went to have my blood taken and on July 26^th I went to a meeting with my doctor. He is a good doctor and I never feel as if I am being rushed and I usually come in with a list of questions and ‘problems’ that I have noted the past 3 months.

He started by asking me how many carrot cakes I had eaten the previous months and I asked him, “Why?” He responded by saying that while ALL my numbers were fine some were a bit up from the last tests so he knows I was up to something! I blamed it on the 40 years of drinking diet sodas and eating sweeteners, as that latest report came out about both being ‘bad’ for you! With a little pressure from him (and the fact that I know he reads my restaurant reviews) I admitted to 2 carrot cakes and a box of carrot cookies plus 3 buffets!!

All in all he was pleased with the results such as total cholesterol 135, blood pressure 110/65, glucose 87, INR 2.1, sodium serum 140, just to mention 5 of the about 70 numbers on the report. Oh, and I must mention the 5-pound weight loss!

He answered all the questions I had and said he would follow up on the prosthetic finger that I was denied and that he wanted me to see my Vascular Surgeon. I told him I was in the process of changing that doctor and I would let him know when I did so he could/would give me a referral.

After setting up our dates for November—before Thanksgiving and December celebrations! He is a good doctor!—he asked where I was going to eat and what I was going to eat? I told him about Nabu and he said, “Are you going to gain weight from carrot cake or sweeteners?” I told him I only drink water these days!

As we stood at the receptionist’s desk he said, “You are one of my favorite patients because you always make me laugh and, looking at your charts, I see carrot cake is good for you, even though my wife doesn’t believe me!”

How often do you leave your doctor’s office with a smile? Oh, and I forgot, if you make an appointment for 1 PM you see HIM at 1 P.M. How often does that happen?

P.S. I got the bag in the picture for being a good patient—oh, okay, everyone gets one and it is great for shopping—holds a lot.