I’ve been busy the last several months getting caught up in preventive maintenance of the medical variety. Over the last few years I kept up with a few of these to-dos, but I also put some off.

I started off with an eye exam this spring and got new glasses for my new prescription. When the glasses came in they didn’t feel quite right, even after giving my eyes a few days to adjust. I went back for a re-check and they redid the lenses after a very slight adjustment to the prescription, but I’m still not 100% convinced they’re right. I feel like my vision should be a little sharper, but I got tired of going back and forth to Lenscrafters so I’m going to wait a little bit and maybe go back when I’m eligible for another eye exam and go elsewhere.

Then I got a physical to establish a new primary physician and got all my bloodwork done for my work’s “know your numbers” health program and premium deductions. All my bloodwork was normal and my weight is still under control, but when I mentioned some tingling and numbness in my legs my doctor referred me to a neurologist for a nerve conduction study. When I mentioned to that doctor that I have a history of toxoplasmosis, he decided to skip that study for now and get an MRI instead, starting with the brain, and then when that was normal he ordered one of the cervical spine. I haven’t talked to him since but based on what I can see on MyChart it looks like the only problem with me is that I’m getting old. I have a follow-up with him at the end of the week so we’ll see what he has to say.

After the first MRI I was reluctant to get the second one, only because of the expense. I didn’t want to go down a road of expensive tests that wouldn’t lead anywhere and would only drain my health savings account. But the doctors convinced me that they needed to make sure there wasn’t anything going on that could get worse. I’m still not sure they were completely necessary, but better safe than sorry, I suppose.

A couple of months ago I got a colonoscopy and this past week I also got my annual mammogram and started the scariest journey: catching up on dental appointments. I got my teeth cleaned and I have an appointment with a periodontist for an evaluation before my dentist can proceed with the other work that needs to be done. I’d been nervous about going back to the dentist because I knew I’d been putting off some work too long and I was afraid of the pain. Not just the pain in my mouth, but the pain in my wallet.

I also got my COVID booster shot this past week and have plans for a flu shot next, and then I also have Rx for the shingles vaccine and the tetanus booster.

Whew. I think that’s a lot in a year!

I hope things settle down a bit so my HSA has a little time to grow again. I’m grateful I have insurance and that I have that savings account. It’s incredible how expensive health care is. I’m trying to decide if I want to stick with my high-deductible plan for the lower premiums or go back to the standard plan. I will need to make that decision over the next couple of weeks.

Overall I’m in good health and I am grateful for that, but with my family’s medical history of cancer and heart disease, I want to make sure that I do what I can to stay that way.