Call the Doctor!

Call the Doctor!

Floral Hospital Gown Call the Doctor Post 50

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have me thinking a lot lately about releasing medical records. You know…full disclosure. More to the point, exactly how healthy are you? What do you know and what don’t you want to know?

Speaking of full disclosure, I tend to be “a bury my head in the sand” kind of person when it comes to my health and doctors.

Basically, I hate doctors.

Not doctors themselves…but the process. I hate being left on hold only to make an appointment 12 months from now. I hate the forms, the questions, the waiting in the overly washed floral gown only to be asked more questions. Or more often being asked the same questions but by a different person. Most of the questions I have purposely ignored or simply don’t know the answer.

“Not Applicable” is my usual “go-to” answer.

This is painfully obvious because I realized recently that I have not had a physical in three years (recommendation post-50 is every 2 years). A lot can happen in one year…never mind 3 years. I was shocked to realize the last real physical I had was in 2013!

I must admit this is utterly stupid on my part. Never mind that my family history chart doesn’t look too swell (now do you get the aforementioned difficulty with forms?). My grandmother died at 53 from ovarian cancer— my mom died at 72 from pancreatic cancer.

Of all people, I should go to the doctor. God knows I preach this to my children. But for me…not so much.

Always something more important to do.

 I am getting married in five weeks. I am immersed in cakes and dresses and lists and locations (and that is my pared down 2nd time around version!) But the wedding is only one day.

“Old Spice” deserves to know that I am alive and well and going to be around for this last chapter. More than anything, my four children certainly deserve to know I will be around a while longer. Who is going to schlep their stuff, plan their weddings or watch their own children grow up? I need to be here…present and healthy! (Note to self…no more schlepping.)

I should have listened a few weeks ago.

This might fit into the category of “Too Much Information” (or maybe it’s in the spirit of election season full-disclosure) but here it is: Sometimes the imminent doctor’s appointment is precipitated by your body just screaming for attention.

I had been feeling nauseous, tired and kind of achy and cranky. Basically I had been feeling slightly out of sorts. I chose to ignore it…sort of.

But because I wasn’t fully listening, my body threw a hissy fit. That was my story as I was walking along doing my errands on foot in Chicago about 10 days ago.  At the corner of Chestnut and Dewitt I felt a weird sensation. Seconds later a pool of blood was on the street… It was something out of “Rosemary’s Baby.” It was either one last “Wait, I’m still here!” from my period before menopause…or something was seriously wrong. I leaned toward the latter. (It sort of looked like a crime scene.)

It was indeed time to call the doctor… it was time to wait on indefinite hold—answer the questions…face full-disclosure.

I have had a bunch of tests this week and I am sure I am fine. I am just really glad I called the doctor. Faced full-disclosure. Old Spice is right by my side. My kids are right there too. And I am facing myself and my health.

Don’t Wait!

Wise up—health is really the “stuff” that matters. We get older. We sometimes fall apart. Mostly, we cannot ignore that people need us…we need us.

Simply said, our continued good health is not to be taken for granted. You don’t have to hemorrhage on the city streets of Chicago to call the doctor. Take the time and the patience to make YOU matter!

Think of yourself in the Third Person

Think about it— If, God forbid, your kids or your parents were sick you wouldn’t hesitate to find a doctor. You would wait on hold. You would fill out the necessary unpleasant tedious forms. You would tell the doctor everything.

I suggest we treat ourselves the same.

Act now!

Please call a doctor. Get a physical. Get a mammogram. Get a colonoscopy when you’re supposed to on your 50th birthday. (The sedation drugs are excellent and you’ll lose like five pounds) Get a pap smear. Find out all you need to know.

It’s a long life. Pace yourself. Plan on sticking around. I know I am. And it feels good!

 

Lauren
Chesley@interculturaltalk.com

Unapologetically You Post-50. Reinvention, Lifestyle, Relationships.

2 Comments
  • Shawna Dammeyer
    Posted at 13:37h, 18 September Reply

    Great advice–Ive been delinquent too! Easier to care for others than ourselves.

  • Carol Asimus Hallbauer
    Posted at 20:59h, 04 October Reply

    Good for you Lauren!! Boy that was a long and hard lesson!! I myself have been telling you this for years!! Glad it finally sunk in little Missy…..Mrs!!!! Just can’t get used to it yet!!! But I’m so glad you had your checkup!!! Hope everything turned out ok!! Keep me posted!!

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