In ten years...

I went to a pulmonary specialist the other day as part of my pursuit to figure out what the pain in my chest has been. She told me that it was not pleurisy, that pleurisy lasts no longer than a month.

The Dr. looked at my spine to check out my scoliosis. I have always had scoliosis. My main disability is cerebral palsy. I know that my spine has a 'S' curve, but I have never had pain from it.

She was surprised that I have only recently begun taking a muscle relaxant. I also told her about the nsaid pain releaver I have been taking. She was not knowledgeable about that drug. She said to talk to Dr. Molly about that one.

The dr. thinks that my chest pain stems from a combination of my scoliosis pressing in on my insides and my muscle spasms from my cerebral palsy. She said that if the combination of medicine I am taking works, to keep taking them. I think she called it therapeutic treatment.

She seemed somewhat surprised that I was not in more pain. The Dr. told me that in ten years, with the curvature of my spine, my ribs will be digging into my lungs, that I will be in pain, and that I might require oxygen.

The good Dr. watched me walk, then commented how they way I hold my body, leaning to the right, is bad for me. I will try to posture myself better. She mentioned using braces. I used them as a kid. They were so restricting, and not corrective. A day may come when I need them, but until then I like my freedom.

Sobering words. Hard to know if it will happen that way. Is it statistically possible or probable that it will happen, based on information from a medical website, or is it really going to happen?

Jodie and I went to the car. I said, "You know, we ought to raise H for the next ten years before our disabilities get worse and we can't." She reminded me that doctors never thought we would make it as far as we have. She also agreed that we should do all we can before we lose the abilities that we have.

I suppose a doctor's duty is to tell us the truth as they see it. On the surface it seems like poor bedside manner. Ten minutes is not enough time for that.

I'm not going to worry about ten years from now.