Sitting in a waiting room at the Arthritis Center of Texas. It is an older facility in downtown Dallas and reminds me of the Dr’s offices I had been to as a child before the bright and shiny million dollar facilities. Norman Rockwell paintings on the wall surrounded by framed stamp collections. I am the youngest patient by 20 years at least. Probably not that they see but in this waiting room. Decorations are fitting for the season. Typical witch smashed against the wall with the end of the broom sticking out. The obligatory spider webbing in the corners, some of it stretched out properly, some in clumps. And plastic pumpkin pails with candy corn.

The interesting thing to me about waiting rooms is that it seems people think that is all they can do, as if the name of the room has imposed a cosmic law that says just wait, don’t smile, don’t chat don’t make eye contact just wait.

Same magazines as most Dr’s Forbes, Good Housekeeping, People. Expected too see Field and Stream since this is TX, but maybe not in downtown.

Finally was called back and met the Dr. This was a visit for a second opinion. I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondilitis last march. It is an arthritis that attacks the spine. Similar to rheumatoid, but more focus on the back. The long and the short of it is that left unchecked it will fuse my spine together from the bottom. On the last x ray there was fusing of the sachrial joints and squaring of the lower vertebrae. Anyway, this apt was to get a second opinion before I started on the biological medications. These are drugs that I will have to inject every other week, but they should stop the progression of the disease. Pretty scary side effect are possible, but a fused back is all but guaranteed if I don’t. Always a decision to be made…

The Dr came in with a resident that is learning about rheumatism, that used to bother me but not anymore. He put me through the tests checking for flexibility, range of motion, joint swelling etc. After that and a run through the medical history he explained why he also thought I should start taking the drugs and started the process to pre approve with the insurance.

So waiting now to hear about that, waiting to hear more about Triann, waiting for the next paycheck to pay some more bills, waiting on winter to see some snow. Not much different than sitting in a waiting room, its just that I choose to smile.

Eric