It was almost a year ago that I had my encounter with Nazi wacko doctor Mengele who screwed me up big time. I lost two weeks of work and all my vacation pay trying and failing to get my med card renewed. My blood pressure just would not come down despite numerous medications. I went to one doctor after the Nazi who had no clue what he was doing and made my whole screwed up dilemma worse. My primary care physician wanted no part of a DOT physical and let me hang swinging in the wind.
In shear desperation I went to a walk-in clinic across the street from a large mall and received excellent medical attention. Although my blood pressure was 200/180, the doc knew I was at the end of my rope. I also had made a record of my BP weeks before when it was in the acceptable range. She issued me a med card for 1 year. Funny that it was where my wife told me to go in the first place, but of course, I didn’t listen. I told her and she has accepted it that her truck husband is getting a “little” retarded in his “later” years.
But it has been one hell of a year. Despite trying to lose weight, I have put on about 30 lbs. I am eating no differently than a year ago. The difference is that I sit in truck twice as much as I used to. I’m not climbing on top of loads, not tarping or chaining or strapping. I’m sitting on my fat ass wondering when I’m going to get the next load. I’m worrying about how bad the next paycheck is going to be.
This sucks. The DOT & FMCSA should issue me a “free-pass” med card for all the shit I’ve had to put with the last year. I secretly hope that my company goes out of business so I can stay home, lose weight and well, very frankly, not die. That’s another one of my recent worries – dying. I just don’t feel “right” – not like I used – and well, I have started to think I’m just gonna die in this damn truck on the road waiting on load.
This is my Achilles heel – the one of many monkey’s on my back.
I asked one of the docs at the walk-in clinic if they would take me on as a patient. But that’s not their “bag.” Their strictly a doc in the box. So the 6/13 date is looming ahead of me just like I have an appointment with the grim reaper.
I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do. Maybe some new meds would work to lower my blood pressure. I tried that last year, but my anxiety over getting my blood pressure taken for the DOT terrifies me to the point that no meds work to get my blood pressure down to the required 140/90. Even tranquilizers don’t work. Many BP meds put you to sleep. That’s great for a truck driver – NOT.
If you tell me I had a year to correct all this, I’ll punch your lights out.
Losing 100 or so lbs. would be the perfect answer. BUT MY HEALTH INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY FOR A GASTRIC BYPASS OPERATION. But funny enough, THEY WILL PAY FOR HOSPITALIZATION WHEN I HAVE A STROKE OR HEART ATTACK.
Maybe I should have my mouth sewn up. Do they do that at the Petro here in Hammond LA?
The picture credit is: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Mort.jpg/300px-Mort.jpg
