Early in the past week, I went to a vascular surgeon. I don’t have varicose veins, but I have a related ailment in my left leg. So I’m getting compression stockings.
Meanwhile, there was a little lump in my belly, near my navel, a month or two ago. I wondered what it was, then promptly forgot about it. Then it got bigger, and I couldn’t ignore it, so I went to my PCP (primary care physician), or actually, her partner, a couple of days ago.
Naturally, I started fearing the worst, stomach cancer, or another dreaded disease. As some now-disreputable comic once noted, doctors are wonderful people, but they’re always touching things. “Does that hurt?” “DOES THAT HURT! DOES THAT HURT!” Same with this guy. Before the visit, I had minimal discomfort. But now – ow, ow ow, ow.
Still, he believes I have an umbilical hernia, which is rather reassuring. I am seeing a specialist later this week, and I hope that, whatever it is, it’ll be addressed soon.
Meanwhile, I have a Weird Al song stuck in my head. As SamuraiFrog wrote: “This is a song that benefits enormously from having a funny video (which was shot on the same set as the James Brown video). It’s pretty funny, and it’s a good re-creation of a Brown song.”
It’s also very informative, about the different types of hernias. And it ends with, “I feel bad!” I would rank it much higher than Mr. Frog did.
Here’s Living with a Hernia.