today Ulrich and I visited a special clinic to get our cardiovascular systems preventively checked, something we had both been wanting to do for a long time although for different reasons. in my case i was worried/curious after my father’s aortic dissection, wherein the cardiologist mentioned that my father’s aneurysm had likely begun to form anywhere between 15-20 years before the fatal event. and in ulrich’s case, a history of chronic atrial fibrillation and on-and-off bouts of chest pain had led him to worry that his heart and arteries were falling apart.
I have not spent much time looking at images of my insides, so it was a treat to watch the black-and-white recordings from a TV screen fixed to the ceiling while i reclined on the patient’s chair. i’ve been making an effort in recent months to experience life a little less inside my head, and part of my exercise has involved being more aware of the rest of my body below the neck. but in no context have i visualized my innards in the cartoony, fuzzy grayscale way in which they appeared on-screen today. it reminded me of computer games i’ve played in which the goal is to merge blobs together before time runs out. i couldn’t help but giggle as the doctor tried to chase a small, jiggly black globule across the screen with his ultrasound probe, poking and sticking me with the cold, gel-covered plastic. once he finally had it squarely within the image frame, he zoomed in a few times, clicking frantically with a mouse in order to position the elusive blob within reach of his cursor. the dotted lines flashed orange once he aligned them over the blob: it measured exactly 1.5 centimeters. i was still giggling when the doctor interrupted my fun by asking if i was aware of the cyst in my kidney. the thought had never even occurred to me that the little cartoony thing could be dangerous, but he quickly assured me that it was benign.
thankfully both Ulrich’s and my checks turned out to be fine! (although the doctor did mention that i should work out more, given my weak showing on the stationary bike during the stress test). i am glad for the extra peace of mind from having done the check, but most of all i am grateful for the rare, cheery peek i got of my insides.
This reminds me. I probably should book a full body check up some time this year. Glad the kidney cyst was benign!