so i stop by my local advanced urgent care for some medical care. i’ve taken the hubby there a few times and we’ve had adequate care in the past. i personally liked it because all the doctors we’ve seen there were women. except this time.

like many trans people, i don’t particularly like visiting doctors that don’t know me. the nurses, aides, and doctor ask questions of me that require information i don’t like to talk about with strangers. like when my last menstrual cycle was. or if i’m pregnant. or any major surgeries i’ve had in the past 10 years. especially when it comes to my current gastrointestinal issue, i don’t see how that relates. though i suppose the doctor simply wants a complete profile.

but then again, he didn’t even look in my mouth, eyes, or ears. he listened to my heart and lungs, and tapped on my belly, and prodded a little in my lower abdomen. of course, he had his nurse come in to take my temp, blood pressure, and weigh me. the good news is that i’ve lost a few pounds from not eating anything for the past two days.

the bad news is, all he did was prescribe loperamide (that’s right, i paid $1.89 for 3 capsules of imodium A-D) and is having me drop off a urine and stool sample at the lab. which doesn’t open until monday.

and apparently, he doesn’t think i have salmonella, or he wouldn’t have prescribed imodium, which is more risky as a treatment, according to the wikipedia entry.

perhaps he might have waited for the lab results to confirm that, as we have an outbreak, my symptoms fit, i ate possibly tainted tomatoes, and i advised him of my lifelong food sensitivities. but who am i to question the doctor. then again, the pepto hasn’t been working, and imodium would have been my next self treatment.

i’m also on a “BRAT” diet (how fitting for me, no?) for today (and yesterday, apparently), which stands for bananas, rice, apple sauce, and toast, and i can also drink clear liquids. which apparently, includes jello, so i have a batch of strawberry cooling in the fridge. no coffee, tobacco, or alcohol though (yeah, right).

funny thing is, other than the imodium, this is the exact treatment i was self administering, based on my research on the internet. i should have been a doctor.

anyway, i do seem to be getting a littler better. the cramps are less frequent, along with my trips to the bathroom. i should be back to my usual disgruntled self in a day or two. and thanks to you all for your well wishes

update @ 8:22 PM
i feel a lot better. i guess that doctor knew what he was doing. so i’ll continue to follow his advise. i took a drink of clear liquid (vodka) with my cranberry juice.