Here’s the thing about chronic illness, even one from which you’ve supposedly recovered. It makes you paranoid. Years of feeling like crap, of seemingly endless medical appointments, of ineffective treatments, and of adjusted lifestyle messes with your mind. Ailments once dismissed as being “all in your head” eventually do get there. You become overly cautious, […]
Will I Be Smart or Will I Be Pretty?
Wow! You folks are an optimistic bunch. I lead off my last letter with a sarcastic (I thought) rant about “being cured” of Sarcoidosis despite still feeling like crap and you all respond with joy and congratulations and talk of miracles. If ever there was an example of the limitations of the written word (or […]
Help Me, Doc. I Still Feel Like Crap!
Edited April 2014 from letter dated April 2010 Good Afternoon Doctor. I wanted to take a quick moment to update you on my current health situation. It’s been well over a year since I saw you last and I thought it would be helpful to provide you with some recent news on my situation. On […]
It’s Baaaaaccccckkkkk!
This was edited April 2014 from its original first published as part of my July 2008 letter. Well I’ve been employment-free for 4 months and 5 days now. I have officially completed 1/3 of the first year of my retirement. And what can I say about it other than, wow, what an emotional roller coaster […]
Hey Doc, Here’s My Impression of an Hypochondriac
Edited April 2014 from letter dated September 2007 Good morning Dr. I am writing you this letter to provide a detailed update on my seemingly never-ending medical issues. I find that during appointments, with the limited timeframe, I inevitably forget to mention a certain symptom or cannot fully explain a certain experience. Hopefully this format […]
Doc, These Glasses Aren’t Helping
Edited April 2014 from facsimile transmission dated July 2007 Good afternoon Dr. It’s now been a few months since you examined my eyes and prescribed a new pair of glasses in hopes of correcting the headaches/eye pain issues I’ve been dealing with since March 2006. You contacted me soon after my examination to check up […]