I find it interesting when your doctor has his nurse call and ask you to come in immediately for an appointment. This is especially true when you have just undergone several tests of your heart and circulatory system. When you ask why, you are then told that there is a stenosis problem. I immediately close the book I’m working on and look up the term, stenosis.
Stenosis is generally a problem with a malfunctioning heart valve. Most often it isn’t something that sends you running to the emergency room, but it can cause a host of medical problems, such as stroke, heart attack, fainting or dizzy spells. It can kill you and the cure is open heart surgery with a valve replacement.
So, you go. In the exam room the deadly serious nurse takes your pulse and blood pressure, and then reviews your entire medical history, lifestyle, and medications. She solemnly asks you to wait for the doctor, like you worried over this appointment for days and you were about to bolt out of there.
Then the doctor walks in, all smiles. “Hi, remember that procedure I did for you a couple of years ago? The one where I put a stent into your leg because of a clogged artery?”
“Yes.”
“Well, how is that working out?
“Great, I’m hiking a couple of miles a day and have full use of the leg.”
“I never got around to scheduling the follow up visit we talked about, the one right after the procedure. So, after looking at those tests you took, I wanted to follow up on the earlier surgery.”
“What about the tests?”
“Nothing there to worry about.”
“What about stenosis?”
“Probably a poor choice in terms of the appointment call. Anyway, I’m happy the procedure is working out so well. Come back in a year or so and we can talk again.”
Anyway, I find it interesting. Am I relieved, or just pissed? I’ll take relieved.