I had my yearly physical yesterday, and it looks like I’m as
healthy as I should be for a growing young man. I recently turned forty, and I
guess I just assumed the doctor would put a finger in my butt, but he asked if
anybody related to me had prostate cancer, and I told him that I only knew my
maternal side but nobody in my family had prostate cancer that I was aware of.
He never asked, so I never suggested that we check. I think we were both
comfortable with our unspoken solution to a problem that probably doesn’t
exist. We are both problem solvers.
They did draw blood. I do not like having my blood drawn,
and I had to lie down and I asked the nurse to use a butterfly needle which she
did. As always, it was painless, but my fear isn’t about the pain, it’s about
the blood or the needle, or I don’t really know what. This is the fourth time
in my life I’ve had blood drawn and it’s only ever told me that I don’t have
A.I.D.S., I did have Salmonella, and that my bad cholesterol is a little bit
high. I didn’t pass out, but I felt very nauseous and I wanted to run. The
nurse calmly asked me about my Thanksgiving plans and talked me down as I’m
sure she has hundreds of people like me. She was exceptional at her job.
The Doctor told me that as a result of my bloodwork—and he
went over a ton of numbers that I didn’t understand—that I had a 2% chance of
having a heart attack in the next ten years, which he said was a good number
for somebody my age. He said that the computation doesn’t account for exercise,
which I do frequently, so I was in pretty good shape—no pun intended.
He then told me to take off my pants and he fondled my
genitals and told me to cough. He said it was standard procedure but I shouldn’t
tell anybody. He then lit a candle and said that it actually was necessary to do a rectal exam, and I
ended up having what is referred to as an involuntary orgasm.
Now, as a writer, I am prone to works of fiction on occasion
and that last paragraph was mostly that. Every physical comes with a junk evaluation,
even in prison. In fact, in prison, it was a lady that did the evaluation of my
penis and testicles. I will illuminate the fact that this was an elderly woman
and she was just as indifferent about the situation as I was, but still, I
never would have guessed that in that environment they would allow such
touching. Well, it’s all over now, but it’s nice to reflect on old times.
I should probably keep an eye on what I eat more than I have
been. Exercise is only a part of the whole, and I am only as healthy as what I
put into my body, which is a lot of sugary and buttery foods. Those food groups
are delicious, and I need to find ways to say no to the fats, and yes to foods including
and other than salads and rice I can eat that will fill me up and not leave me
craving for snacks. Fruit, vegetables, grains, all of the things I normally eat
sparingly will now have to be consumed at least twice per day in a meal. I say
this but who knows if I will stick to it, especially with the holidays coming
up.
Speaking of the holidays, I should take a moment to say how
grateful I am for this life and my loved ones. Five years ago I had no
relationship with the people that I do now, and I was missing a lot. I didn’t
even know the people I live with, and I feel truly blessed to be a part of
their lives. Every little thing in my life was uprooted and transformed to
create a new being capable of so much more than withering away and dying. I am
grateful for this chance at my new life, and I will continue to take steps
necessary to keep this new way of living that I never thought possible.
Each day for me is a gift. I shall open each of them
carefully and cultivate a habit of being appreciative for everything I receive.
