I’m here, in Maitland, at Dr. Adcock’s office. The staff has this funky video contraption with a computer monitor that takes your temperature as you walk in-and simultaneously reminds you that you still need to workout more. Yay! Mine was 98. That’s high for me. I brought coffee with me. The receptionist said that it could have been getting heat off my metal Panera Bread mug.

About that mug, I bought it when I worked at the Panera in Tuskawilla (part of Winter Springs) cause it was this cool shade of green, which is difficult to describe. I just loved the color and, that’s saying something for someone who is addicted to purple and blue. In fitting Panera fashion, the green coating is peeling and chipping off. Kind of crappy, like their salads.

On my journey here, just as I’d made the left hand turn onto US 17/92, Motley Crue came on the radio: “Girls, Girls, Girls,” which cracked me up. I think of it as my knee surgery song ever since my orthopedic surgeon told me his favorite band was Motley Crue. I was kind of stunned cause he’s such a sweetie. I had him pegged as more of a Rush guy. Inwardly, I was laughing my ass off because my fertile imagination instantly constructed a cartoon music video of him in the OR slicing into my left knee with, “Girls, Girls, Girls,” blasting. He had big 80’s band hair (normally he has a shaved head so, it was a stretch) and I think a nurse was on a stripper pole. Now, whenever I hear that tune, I bust out laughing-and roll my eyes.

Hmm, it’s 11:51. My appointment was for 11:30. I’m not happy; I can be an impatient patient. I think I’m up next, though. I guess I could watch the fish in the tank. I know they are there to make people relax. Since I know it’s manipulation I won’t succumb. I WON’T WATCH THE BLEEPING FISH. Lol.

It is now 6:03 pm. I’ve been home for hours. After leaving the doctor’s office I drove to Walmart to get a couple of shirts for a new pair of britches I acquired. Also, I wanted to talk to one of my managers about the time off I would need. It’s only about 3-4 days but, I wanted them to know that the request wasn’t for anything frivolous. It might not happen for a month or so. We aren’t even sure that my insurance will cover it. A staff member is going to call Florida Blue to find out if the procedure is covered. Someone from Dr. Adcock’s office will call me. I’m trying to stay positive that it will be covered. I still need to get that dental work done. I know I seriously need to attract some cashola-more than the $24 I won on Fantasy 5 a few days ago. I also won two free Cash 4 Life tickets. I love winning stuff off of tickets I won. Driving to Walmart I saw many polling places surrounded by many signs asking voters to vote for this or that candidate. I’d completely forgotten that today was Election Day. I detoured on my way home and voted. The races were all local-judges and school board members and state representatives. Change starts locally; It’s important to vote.

When Dr. Adcock entered the exam room I asked, “So, what’s the word? Is it serious?” “Yes,” he replied, unsettling me. Then he said, “Let me first say that your circulation is 100 percent excellent. What you have is superficial venous reflux disease.” “Ok, what the hell is that? And, when you say, ‘serious,’ are we talking life or death?” “No, no, not that serious but, we need to take care of it.” Then he proceeded to explain what it was but, I was kind of zoning out on the, “serious,” concept. I’ll be googling. I told him that and he warned me to be careful about misinformation. I explained my educational background and that I am capable of wading through the crap.

Apparently, I have varicose veins-buried varicose veins-cause they are not visible. Gee, I wonder if my thirty-plus years working in restaurants and coffee houses has anything to do with that. Well, duh. I remember my Aunt Boots (her real first name is Aurelia) was a waitress for decades. She worked in a fancy country club in Pittsburgh. She had varicose veins that were visible. When I was about five I asked my mom about them and she explained that the difficult work of constantly being being on her feet contributed to the state of her veins. Years later, when I embarked on my own waitressing employment, I used to wonder if I would get veins like Aunt Boots. She was an absolute fun loving whack job who birthed six crazy kids, including a daughter born five days before I was. She shared her crazy, fun genes with my mother.

Dr. Adcock said that on a “seriousness scale,” of 1-10, 10 being the most serious, the state of my veins is about an 8 or 9. It’s kind of worrisome. He wants to treat them with a non-thermal closure procedure called, VernalSeal Closure System. This aims to improve blood flow by closing off the unhealthy vein. Basically, the bad vein(s) are sealed with an adhesive. At least the procedure is done in the office and not in a hospital but, I have to have someone chauffeur me. It will have to happen on a Thursday. Now, I’m praying Florida Blue will cover the cost.