WDM, IA - Welcome to Geezerhood

Today is my ‘Welcome to Medicare’ appointment with my doctor. Can’t wait for the official start of Geezerhood.

Actually the appointment went as all doctor appointments do - rather invasive. And, those gowns - well, that’s why there are NO pictures for this blog entry.
(Hey, I have an idea: let’s give the President and Congress hospital gowns to wear in negotiations - I’ll bet we solve our problems in record speed.)

I had my blood pressure checked, I gave a sample for the lab, etc. all pretty standard. Then there was the Medicare part of the exam, designed as a very rough attempt to gauge my mental and physical health. I got questions like:

        if you had 12 nickles, how much money would you have?

        spell ‘world’ backwards

        I’m going to give you a list of 3 items, memorize them and, later in the exam, I’ll ask you what they are

        What day is it? (Now, I’m retired, I had to think a minute about this)

        What is the date? (luckily I had signed and dated a form before I came in for the exam)

        She asked me to touch my toes (remember, I’m in a hospital gown - first I had to bunch it around me)

        She asked me to twist left and right

        She asked me to touch my right eye with my left hand

Luckily, I passed the exam but I was concerned about that list of 3 items. I still remember them: basketball, pencil, dog. Ironically, she forgot to ask me to repeat them back to her but, as she was leaving the room, I reminded her. I was so relieved.

The best part is yet to come: I get a colonoscopy and a mammogram, but, since I had my pap smear last year, I didn’t have to undergo that this year. Made my day!

And, that was my ‘Welcome to Medicare’ exam.