Decided to take it easy and forgo the gym tonight. Watched the second half of the NBC show on Obama's White House. Not much to it, if you ask me. Didn't see the first half, however.
Was over at Starbucks earlier for a turkey and Swiss and a tea. My digestion is just getting back to normal. Made the appointment to see the gastroenterologist in two weeks or so.
I still haven't heard back from Home Depot or the plumbing contractor about fixing the problem with the water line to the fridge. I was supposed to hear something at the end of last week or Monday. Meanwhile the ice-maker and water-dispenser are still out of commission. I can live with that, but it needs to be fixed. (I really miss the ice-maker.) I guess I'll call Home Depot back tomorrow.
Thinking back on the gastroscopy which I can't remember. I'll bet I didn't like that. I can't wait to ask the doctor about my reactions. I don't like the idea of not having control over myself and having my memory blacked out by some chemical substance (including alcohol) ("Been there, done that," as my recently deceased friend used to say). Also, if the anesthesia acts like a "truth serum" (as I've read), I shudder over what I might have said while I was under. We'll see what the doctor says, since I'm going to ask him. As you can tell, I'm bothered by this, especially since I value my privacy. ("The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated . . . .") (U.S. Constitution.)
On a lighter note, I watched a new "Renovation Realities" tonight. Pretty good, but I've seen better. The best ones are when the husband and wife are going at each other. (This is a set-up drama, but entertaining nonetheless. Just too much repetition.)
Every day, Lucky makes me laugh (always good). Tonight there's been some kind of flying insect in the house (like a flying Daddy Long-legs). Lucky's been on it for hours. I just tried to catch it and release it outside but failed.
On a heavier note, I firmly believe that the government should aggressively crack down on rising health care costs. (Read the article by Atul Gawande mentioned earlier.) (Obama talked about this on the show tonight.) When doctors' practices turn into "profit centers" and patients are subjected to being over-treated, it not only raises costs but also is ultimately bad for the patients' health. All these unnecessary procedures have risks and side effects that put the patients in harm's way. And as the Hippocratic Oath says, "First, do no harm." (But see this.)
Meanwhile, the government, through Medicare and Medicaid, is paying for a lot of this stuff. If we're going to have a national health care system, this mentality on the part of doctors has change. I personally think my gastroscopy was unnecessary and that I was possibly subjected to potentially harmful, brain-damaging anesthesia in order for the procedure to be done so that I wouldn't remember it. (Seriously--I've been mentally fuzzy.) I've had no stomach complaints for years. But the minute I told this doctor I was taking Prilosec, he ordered the gastroscopy--after I'd told him my stomach was fine.
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