"you're one of our *elite* patients."

~my ear, nose and throat doctor

goody, goody gumdrops. that is JUST what I like to hear from my doctor--completely makes my day. he also told me that we're going to have to go outside of the textbooks with me, now, and that if the test of the gunk in my sinuses comes back positive we might get me some kind of machine with which to take my antibiotics. apparently it's some kind of special aerator thingie, and it makes it so the antibiotics are ONLY present in your sinuses instead of in your whole body.

which, I think, is kind of awesome because I really, really don't like using antibiotics but when it comes to my nose, I know that if it's bad enough I've gotta. so I REALLY like the idea of concentrating it to just the area that it's actually needed instead of giving my whole body a dose.

today, as I sat in my doctor's office I also couldn't help but think how VERY awesome it is that he is actually quite anti-medicine. I mean, he kept saying things like "we want to keep the drugs out of your system" and "we need to give you as few medicines as possible." I think this is probably because when I was starting my sublingual allergy therapy (aka allergy drops underneath my tongue instead of shots) and he told me it usually took people 3-5 years to complete their therapy I said "um....what happens when/if I get pregnant during this timeframe?"

but back to that elite patient thing--we joked about how maybe I should get a certificate. or a plaque. because I've been seeing him for five and a half years. because I've had two sinus surgeries and I'm a regular enough patient that the people there KNOW me. not as well as my sushi lady, but well enough. and because now we get to play a "guessing game" instead of do the normal treatment.

'cause I'm doing all of the things they've told me to, and all of the things I know, and it just ain't cutting the mustard.

on the plus side, though? I am SO, SO, SOSOSOSOSOSO much better off, sinus wise, than I was 5 years ago. The kind of congestion I have now is a cake walk compared to what used to happen. So I think I am definitely on the right track. And I might get a certificate out of the deal. ;)