Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Medical Update

Y'know, this is really starting to get on my nerves.

I've made the rounds, these past two weeks, of Team Actor212's medical advisors: the most comprehensively qualified and trained medical staff in the world! (that my HMO will pay for)

I've seen my GP, cardiologist, who referred me to a world-famous pulmonologist. I've seen my ENT and had allergy tests done.

All I have to show for it is the following: I have four new prescriptions to take, one of which, prednisolone, I overdosed on last night through my own stupidity, and found out that the most severe allergy I have is to....feathers.

That showed up on a level 2 diagnostic. Other allergies which showed up on a level 3 diagnostic included grass, weeds, molds, pollen, dust and dust mites....and cats

Now, I've worn goose down clothing all my life, and spent much of my teen years in sleeping bags, hiking the Adirondacks, or backpacking across Kenya...no, wait, sorry, that was in a story I read. But I did climb mountains and ski and have down quilts in the fine hotels I stayed in while watching all this on the Travel Channel.

Too, I've had cats all my life and the only reaction I ever had was when one fell into a bath with me, and something in its fur created a case of hives. She was a feral cat frm the Catskills (natch), so it was likely poison ivy.

Dust? I live in NYC, fercrissake! How did no one spot this one before??? Mold? Hello? No one cleans anything around this city, ever! Pollens? My goodness, I live in the pollen capital of the state, what with all the crap that drifts eastward from all those farms and stuff in Jersey and Pennsylvania. Not to mention the mansion in upstate New York I own!

This is all showing up NOW????

Sheesh. Second opinion time and I have to review the qualifications of Team Actor212's medical staff, clearly.

The good news is:

1) My blood pressure and cholesterol is under control and I should be off those meds in the next six months.

2) I don't have asthma. In fact, my lung performance scores are mostly off the chart, which I chalk up to my amazing athletic career as a young man (state record holder in swimming, scouted professionally in three other sports, ran 100 in under ten seconds, 4:50 mile). Turns out I have what they call a "hyperreactive respiratory system" meaning a good gag reflex, I guess.

Anyway, I was cleared to go back to scuba once this outbreak is contained, so I'll be ready for dive season this summer.

*whew* Cuz that damned video housing cost a fortune! And at least I don't have any unexplained moles!