I can’t remember the last time Joyce and I were not on a camping trip on Easter Sunday. It may be that we have spent every Easter camping since we were married over twenty years ago. I’m not sure.

What I do know for sure is this year we will be stuck at home. Blame it on our doctors.

This isn’t a rant about our health care providers (doctors and insurance). Our medical insurance is a Medicare Advantage Plan. We’re happy with it. Our preferred physicians accept our insurance. The insurance company is prompt with approvals. They are responsive to inquiries.

So What’s the Problem?

The problem is preventative maintenance (my automotive mechanic’s interpretation of preventative health care). It just takes up too much time and interferes with camping and backpacking trips.

We are never sick. We are active. But we have this preventative maintenance cloud over our heads — or more precisely over my head. Joyce is very good at keeping on schedule all recommendations of her doctors. And these appointments often screw up large blocks of free time that would be better utilized camping — at least in my opinion.

I, on the other hand, am of the school that you go to the doctor only when you are sick. So to maximize my recreational time piggy-bank, I try not to go to the doctor unless I am sick. I know, I know, most people will say this is stupid. Okay, call me stupid. The thing is, over the past few years we have normally spent 4 – 5 months each year camping, traveling and visiting family and friends. To do schedule all of this, I only need to work around Joyce’s doctor appointments, since most years I don’t have any.

The Roadblock

Last year we spent most of September through December away from home. We spent the month of December visiting one of my daughters-in-law, which is why I had so many posts that month on PopUpBackpacker (for my regular visitors who may have noticed the increased posting activity). I had plenty of time.

When we got back home in January, I needed to refill one of my prescriptions from my cardiologist. Well, since he hadn’t seen me in five years, he deemed it necessary to conduct a checkup first. I admit, this was a good idea. In fact, I had wondered previously why I hadn’t been asked to return. However, since we had changed primary physicians, a referral from our new doctor would be necessary first.

Dang! I knew what would happen . . .

So I made an appointment. Our primary doctor agreed that the cardiologist referral was needed. Then she noticed I was past due for a colonoscopy by a couple of years. Another referral that would mean a colonoscopy consultation and then the actual colonoscopy. A third referral for lab work  and a chest cat scan. Finally another visit was scheduled with her to review the lab results. I was about to become a human ping-pong ball bouncing between labs and doctors.

And so it goes. Of course when one gets a referral, the doctor won’t be available right away.  Given all this we have been in a kind of limbo bouncing between appointments. Hopefully I will be done with all this by the end of April. So far everything is A-Okay with all the visits.

Then maybe we can get back to what we enjoy most.

Another Roadblock Brewing

Thank you President Trump! Average gas price for regular in California is $5.89 a gallon! Not to mention that gas prices can be considerably higher in the remote areas we travel to for camping. When towing our trailer we can travel about 400 miles on a tank of gas (48 gallon tank), which right now would cost almost $300 for a fill up. I had planned an extended camping trip into Utah and other destinations this year. Those plans may need modifications. Maybe not. We can afford the gas, but the idea of paying $6 or more for a gallon of gas just feels painful.

In the Meantime

Oh, I have been busy in spite of this temporary pause in camping. Between astrophotography, reading, and working on my stamp collection there doesn’t seem to be enough free time each day. Actually I have enjoyed the extra time at home because it has provided more time to catch up on my stamp collection.

To end the story, hopefully all my tests and doctor visits will turn out well. I am planning on it.