Two Sore Arms, Medicare Screen, and More Appointments

It’s a week for doctor appointments. Monday was the eye doctor, and today was my annual check up. Both visits were in DC because we haven’t switched up our doctors yet since we moved to Virginia two months ago. And it’s a pain to get there - you need to leave at least an hour beforehand just in case of traffic or other disasters. We took our usual route down Independence Avenue, passed by our old house and went to Eastern Market to the office. Then we wandered through the streets we walked about for so many years. Because this was my first official Medicare visit, it took FOREVER going through another full interview process. Today I needed a pneumonia vaccine, was given a script for shingles - which requires two injections at a pharmacy, needed another new prescription while trying to eliminate another, thinking about routine screenings - colonoscopies, mammograms, maybe surgery, cardiology checks, and other visits... then on to a cursory physical exam while still fully clothed, then blood work. This time she had to stick me in each arm because she forget she needed a second tube. I wasn’t happy. After two hours I was glad to get out of there. Now I need to take a deep breath and search for doctors closer to home. When we walked back to the car we thought it was stolen - but then realized we were on the wrong street. The neighborhood just isn’t what it used to be in more ways than one.