Version 2.026

It is strange to wake up and read about riots on the news, when one is mostly locked up in the house. Today, I did take Julian to the vet for a follow up visit and we also went to Fletcher Creek Park for a few minutes. The week started with me not feeling well. Many mornings, I wake up and my right arm is numb, especially the hand. My back is tight, I feel the muscles contract around my bones and it hurts. I also feel a tightness around my throat and the whole thing just freaks me out. I am not a hypochondriac, but I definitely know when something looks off.

On Wednesday, I sent a message via the medical center app to the nurse practitioner that does my check ups to see if I could schedule a visit. Within a couple of hours, I got a reply and a phone call scheduling an appointment for the following day, which was yesterday. I had to see a doctor, since my nurse practitioner is out on maternity leave.

This doctor seemed thorough and I liked her honesty. She thinks the numbness in my arm might be due to carpal tunnel, which makes sense, since my desk at home is not the best for my wrist. The tightness in the throat might be due to anxiety or acid reflux, but she also wanted to check that my thyroid was normal. I told her that I did not have any reasons to be stressed out, but she replied that the relationship between the mind and the body is something that is still not fully understood -- I really liked that she said that; it shows humbleness and honesty --, so she suggested that I talk to a counselor, who could teach me relaxation techniques to see if that would make a difference.

Until today, I had not felt acid reflux, so I don't know if that is the power of suggestion or merely a coincidence. The doctor did mention that I could have silent acid reflux, which would not be noticeable in a normal way. Today, someone called to schedule an appointment for the counselor, but I missed the call, so I still need to work that out. We shall see... Well, I also need to go to the ophthalmologist.