a lil blog about crohns

since, dearest readers, i know that you're all chomping at the bit to know how my first crohn's doctor's appointment went (wait, you did actually know that i saw my new crohns doctor for the first time yesterday, right? you didn't? what kind of friend are you? screw you!) yesterday, i'll write a lil' blog entry about it.

first of all, doctors offices are never quick. at anything. even though i got to my appointment fifteen minutes early, i wasn't seen until forty-five minutes after it was to have started. now, had the nurse not profusely apologized for making me wait so long (i know, i was shocked, too), i would've been amazingly pissed off. but, since i had my book with me and, let's face it, i don't have a lot of choice when it comes to rescheduling a crohns visit, the wait wasn't terrible.

the good news is that my doctor seems to be really on top of his shit, no pun intended. and he has the bedside manner of a hollywood actor. as he was talking to me about his favorite operas, the study i'm working on, blah blah blah, i was like, do you think i'm access hollywood? but it's better that than my recent experience with the horrible dr. constantine anagnostopolis, the insane greek doctor i saw literally twice during my entire recent hospitalization. basically, the doctor reiterated what my doctor at hopkins had said: that my current therapy clearly isn't working (two hospitalizations in as many months? that's not normal?) and that we're going to step up my medication.

unlike my last doctor, though, he took a long time explaining exactly how the drug works, what the alternatives are, how they're going to determine dosage. basically giving me a hand in my own treatment, which is refreshing after two years of taking sixteen pills a day and achieving mixed results.

so, bottom line with the crohns: surgeries: 0; unfortunate (or smelly) accidents on the subway: 0; new drugs to try: 1; spirits: high but cautious.