Yesterday, I did something I haven't done in most of my adult life: I went to the doctor because I wasn't feeling well.
You see, since I graduated university, um, 15 years ago, I have either had no health insurance, or I've had an awful individual policy with a ridiculously high deductible (translation: excess) that didn't cover a lot of things anyway (off the top of my head, no maternity, birth control, or mental health).
Politics aside, one big effect of having a policy like that is: I just never went to the doctor. I know that's bad. I even have had friends, well, die because they didn't go to the doctor for random pains before the cancers had spread too far. Morose, no?
On the plus side, I've read countless books on holistic medicine, preventative health, yoga, and eating right, all in attempts to avoid the doctor. Sometimes one just has to give in and go with Western medicine though.
My back has been bothering me for years. Having a baby exacerbated it -- the awkward nursing positions, the babywearing, the bending over to pick him up, etc. It's getting to the point where I feel like I'd make a good hunchback. Yoga isn't helping, as the positions that are supposed to help me are incredibly painful or impossible.
I finally went to the doctor yesterday, who promptly ordered some tests that cost more than that trip to Europe last month, and I'm kind of regretting going. The bright side: I did have a really good experience with her. Her office found me a same-day appointment. She spent more time with me than any US doctor ever has -- 15 minutes! -- and she was incredibly kind, empathetic, and really nice to talk to.
So now we wait for fun test results to come back, and we'll see if I am permanently a hunchback (should I blame the accordion? or bad genes?) .
Anyway, I do wish I'd gone years ago when this first started bothering me. I don't have any solutions to the American health care problem, but I do know that preventive care is cheaper and easier than waiting until it's too late.
Excuse me while I attempt to limp away from the computer now.
You see, since I graduated university, um, 15 years ago, I have either had no health insurance, or I've had an awful individual policy with a ridiculously high deductible (translation: excess) that didn't cover a lot of things anyway (off the top of my head, no maternity, birth control, or mental health).
Politics aside, one big effect of having a policy like that is: I just never went to the doctor. I know that's bad. I even have had friends, well, die because they didn't go to the doctor for random pains before the cancers had spread too far. Morose, no?
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| what i feel like. |
My back has been bothering me for years. Having a baby exacerbated it -- the awkward nursing positions, the babywearing, the bending over to pick him up, etc. It's getting to the point where I feel like I'd make a good hunchback. Yoga isn't helping, as the positions that are supposed to help me are incredibly painful or impossible.
I finally went to the doctor yesterday, who promptly ordered some tests that cost more than that trip to Europe last month, and I'm kind of regretting going. The bright side: I did have a really good experience with her. Her office found me a same-day appointment. She spent more time with me than any US doctor ever has -- 15 minutes! -- and she was incredibly kind, empathetic, and really nice to talk to.
So now we wait for fun test results to come back, and we'll see if I am permanently a hunchback (should I blame the accordion? or bad genes?) .
Anyway, I do wish I'd gone years ago when this first started bothering me. I don't have any solutions to the American health care problem, but I do know that preventive care is cheaper and easier than waiting until it's too late.
Excuse me while I attempt to limp away from the computer now.
1 comments
Reason number 5,432,897 why you need to move here. ;-) We were storming castles in the Loire today and thought of you.
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