O Say, Can You See?

This morning I accompanied my son to the Doctor for his first ever physical. He's been seeing this doctor for years, but they were only "sick visits" and he had never had just a regular check up. So after the Doctor's urging and a few teachers telling me that Zack wasn't looking "too good", I decided to make him an appointment. I was very anemic as a child and teenager and thought he might be experiencing some of the same issues too. He was looking pale and had dark circles under his eyes, his hands were cold all the time, and he was dizzy and shakey. Not to mention, he's not eating right nor getting enough sleep!

So, first thing was for him to step on the scale. We knew he had been losing weight, that was obvious to anyone who knows him...but 41 pounds in a year? WOW! We didn't realize it was that much. In January of '06, he decided to cut out sodas and junk food and started working out. He wasn't fat by any means, and now 41 pounds lighter, he is very, very skinny. The Doc was a wee bit alarmed at this and said he was under-weight by about 10-15 pounds and needed to gain a few. (Hmmm, what does that feel like? Your doctor telling you to gain weight! Excuse me just a moment while I drift off in fairy-tale land and dream of my doctor telling me those words!)


Okay, that was nice--more like "never NEVER land!"

Next thing was for him to read the eye chart. The nurse told him to read the smallest line he could see. Zack rattled off a sequence of letters and then looked at her. She frowned, looked at him and said, "do it again". So, he rattled off some more letters, not sounding anything like the first set of letters he read and looked back at the nurse. [Sidenote: I have perfect vision, so by this time, I'm getting the giggles because I know what he's saying isn't even close to being correct!]. She very sweetly says, "why don't you try line 5". Hmmmm...that was not so good either. "Okay, Zack, try line 4" Yes! That's my boy! He finally gets those 5" letters correct! Now the nurse turns to him and says, "tell me the colors of the two lines on the chart", which Zack very confidently says "blue and pink". By this time, I'm doubled over laughing with tears streaming down my cheeks as she drops her clipboard down by her side and in a half-flustered, half-joking way says, "WHAT eye chart are YOU looking at?"

Then as she directed us to a room, she went on this 10 minute rant about how he should not be driving, "he has 20/50 vision and that is not a passing grade to get your license. Did they pass you? Do you have a license? Cause, you really shouldn't have a license! You really can't see! You should not be behind the wheel." At which point, my son turns to her with a smirkish grin and says, "well, I took my driver's test over 7 months ago and passed the eye part then, maybe it's just gotten worse. But I can see the BIG things. I can see other cars and trucks on the road. Sometimes at night though, I have trouble with traffic lights until I'm right up on them." HELLO? Stop talking please!!! This is all news to me.....can you please stop talking and let's just quietly tip-toe out of here and run to the Optometrist before DEFAX comes and picks me up?!

So, after another lecture by the Doctor, not only on his weight, but his vision, they took a "ton" of blood (according to Zack), a chest x-ray, ran an EKG and we were out the door.

"Hey Mom, can I drive?" Uhhh, let me think about that for a minute, "No!"

6 sweet friends had to say...:

Jean said...

I surely hope your son can easily be back on the way to better health. That does sound a bit unsettling to me. (And yes, that would be a dream to imagine a doctor telling me to eat more in order to gain weight!!)

I am not very familiar with Charles Billingsley, although his name seems familiar to me. I subscribe to Rhapsody online, so I looked him up. They don't have his albums, but one of his songs is on a compilation album called American Worship Gathering. His song is "Only a God Like You", and it is an awesome song. I'm sure it must have been a heavenly treat to be led in worship by him.

Justabeachkat said...

Wow...that's alot of weight to lose! I was anemic as a pre-teen too. When my son was young, I swear he only ate to live. One of his daughters (5 year old) hardly eats a thing. We struggle to get her to eat. I, on the other hand, live to eat! HA! Sure hope the doctor can find out what's going on. Keep us posted. I'll send up a prayer right now.

Cherdecor said...

It amazes me that cutting out sodas and junk food causes men to lose weight. When I cut them out, I don't lose a thing. Evidently, your son was losing weight before he decided to do this. I surely hope they get to the bottom of his problem. I am sure you are concerned as well. I am with K.D., I will send a prayer up for him also.

Dianne said...

That's a funny story, even if it is alarming in spots. Keep us posted!

Anonymous said...

Keep us posted on how he is doing! I prayed for you this morning even before I read this..If it makes you feel any better, my 9 year old has 20/50 and just got glasses. He is quite the lady killer so he isn't very happy about them. My alarm is that it happened over a year's time. Doc says he's fine though! Hopefully yours is nothing a little TLC won't cure.

Melody said...

Okay, now you HAVE to post again with the results of the tests...it's driving me crazy over here. My son is also quite thin, but he hasn't lost weight, he's just never gained much. His weight passed his height for the first time this year!

And your husband sounds very much like mine...except for the helping with everything part...but the drumming, and the laughing and jokes, but not being able to tell one...they could be brothers!

I just found you through the Preacher's Wife, but I'll be back to check in on your son!!!

By the way, we have matching blogs! AND if you are an American Idol fan, Chris Sligh has a blog, and he uses our template too!!!

 
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