I had to learn the hard way, as nobody tells
you, that when you retire you will spend most of your time going to
doctors and waiting in their offices, getting cat scans, MRIs,
ultra sounds and a lot of meaningless tests and exams and then you will
get referrals to other doctors and prescriptions. It almost becomes 
a way of life unless you put a stop to it.

After going through congestive heart failure
in 2000 I found myself going to doctors like every 6 weeks and taking 14
prescriptions. It wasn't until I had an aorta valve replacement
operation, in 2008, that I said enough is enough. I sat down with my
primary doctor, a man I have confidence in, and after going over all the
prescriptions we eliminated 6 prescriptions and am working on a couple
of more.

After it was found that I had arterial
debilitation, COPD and PAD there are
certain medicines I will have to take for the rest of my life but I
certainly don't have to see doctors every 4-5 weeks and take so many
tests. I made the decision that I would see my specialists, that's 8 of
them, only twice a year, once in January and once in July. Now, for a
few reasons, I am really thinking of knocking that down to once a year
unless otherwise needed. I saw two last week and 2 today and have the
next three Mondays and three Tuesdays already booked, though due to
incompetence on the part of my cardiologist's receptionist, who
scheduled me for a treadmill stress test instead of a chemical stress
test, next Tuesday's appointment was cancelled and, unless necessary, he
won't see me until next July but he will be first on the list.

Today I hit a double as my optometrist and
urologist share the same office. The latter lives upstairs and,
ironically, was suffering a bad back today but came down to take care of
me. No, that did not make me feel special!

The pictures above are of the two doctors
office which has a very soothing waiting room including a 'meditation'
patio. The only bad part of today's exam are those drops they put in
your eye that keep you blind/blurry all afternoon and evening.

I can say a lot more about doctors, tests,
lackadaisical service shown by receptionists, office managers and, yes, even by some doctors. I could write a whole
blog about medical waste
and how many patients send medical costs sky high but that's not the
purpose of this post. Mainly I want to 'warn' you 'younger folks' taht once you are over 60 or when
you retire be prepared to spend a lot of time going to and waiting on
doctors. Now I may be paying for all the bad habits of my first 60 years
but I have a feeling all you thin, exercising, nonsmoking. low fat, no
salt eating people will be going through the same thing!