Today I made a few executive health decisions. After visiting the doctor we were assigned to see by our lovely military insurance system, Tricare, I have decided that she doesn't cut the mustard. Dr. SnootyPants is too perfunctory for my tastes and obviously doesn't read charts. I recently asked her for a refill on my blood pressure meds and she had to grill me on the dosage and necessity for such. Then, when I asked for a referral to see the reproductive specialist, she asked "are you sure you really need that?" I felt like saying, "yes, after three IVF's, and after losing five babies, I am sure I really need it."
But, the straw that broke the camel's back was the diagnoses that she wrote on my take-home receipt. Just for fun, I decided to look up the numbers she scribbled on there. She diagnosed me as having Hypertension, NOS (not otherwise specified which is the medical profession's way of saying it's a mystery) and, get this, morbid obesity. Cough, sputter. Excuse me...I'm less than three months post-partum, I've lost forty pounds, and I am about ten pounds away from my ideal weight of 170 (which is well below the cut off for an official diagnosis of obesity for a woman 6'0 tall). So, Dr. SnootyPants is out. And, I have been accepted as a patient by Gabriel's doctor (pediatrician and internist). Dr. Youngun is nice and attentive, takes time to listen, and has a baby about two months older than Gabe. Hopefully, a win-win situation.
On the subject of post-partum niceties or lack thereof, I think I am going to be in need of a wig soon. I have reached the magic mark where my hair is falling out in record numbers. If I had thick, lustrous hair, it would be okay. But, I don't. I have thin, delicate, lifeless hair--every strand is needed to cover vacant space on my head! So, if you see a woman walking briskly down the road, pushing a jogging stroller and looking ten pounds away from her ideal weight, with blaring bald patches on her head, make sure you slow down and say hello.
Meanwhile, Gabriel is changing every day. Sometimes he wakes up and his head looks longer or rounder. And, in contrast to me, his hair is multiplying in volume. Every morning as I burp him at his 4am-5am feeding, I notice how long he is getting--all the way from the curled up baby on my belly to my stretched out toddler-wannabe with his feet dangling below my nether regions. He is simply magnificent and I marvel, even still, that he is mine. Baldness and obesity...it's all worth it!
3 comments:
Morbid obesity?!?! Unreal. I'm glad you changed docs, hopefully the new one will be better for you.
Glad to see that all those years of medical school didn't include a class on 'bedside manner.' Good news that you got away from her; good riddance!
As for losing your hair, I lost tons of it just a few months after J was born. I mean--tons! Apparently, though, it's normal and will slow back down in a few months. Since your hair growth/loss pattern 'hibernates' during pregnancy, it has to make up for lost time afterwards so you'll lose a lot of it and then some. Hope it eases up soon (my did after about 5 months postpartum).
Joy, my hair started growing back at around 5-6 months. I now have lots of spikes sprouting everywhere but it beats those thin patches I was getting. The hair drop finally stopped too. I'm sure in a month or two you'll see a change in the pattern.
As for the *ahem* obesity, I uh, think you look terrific and have no clue what Dr. Snootyhead was talking about. Glad you found a new doc. Gabe is getting more gorgeous everyday.
Post a Comment