I Feel Good. So good, so good . . . .



James Brown, 2003. Wikipedia

           

            James Brown sang it: “I feel good.  So good, so good. . . .”

            I feel good, too.  I really do.

            Until I go to the doctor’s office.

            It’s like this: I go to the doctor for a regular check-up or a follow-up, and I’m feeling somewhere between pretty good and great.  Then, I’m handed one of those lengthy forms to fill out.

            The basic question starts with something like this: “Do you now have or have you ever had or suffered with symptoms of . . . .?”

            Following that opening line is a list of every possible disease, illness and ailment known to mankind – and/or womankind, since some of ‘em are known to women only or to men only.

            And, see, the thing is that by this age – 63 this month – there’s a doggone long list of ailments I’ve had or at least experienced symptoms of by now. 

            Dry cough?  Yep.  I had a dry cough for a few months a couple of decades ago.

            Shortness of breath?  Sure.  Haven’t we all experienced a little shortness of breath at some point in the past?   

            Ever had ringing in the ears?  No, I don’t think so, but, now that’s it mentioned, there really is or might be some sort of ringing in my ears that I’d never noticed before. Maybe.  Ah, the power of suggestion.

            Vision problems?  Of course.  Anyone would be squinting trying to read all of this little tiny print on these several pages of questions. 

            Any numbness?  Well, yeah, sitting here in this chair, gripping the pencil, my bottom and my fingers are feeling a little numb indeed.  

            By this time, I’m pretty much hurting all over.

            But I felt good, so good, until I got to the doctor’s office.