It is so easy to put off going to the doctor. Trust me. I'm the queen of "too busy." My kids get there. I make my husband go for aches, pains, illness. And when I'm really sick, I'll go mainly because I need to get over whatever it is as fast as possible because I'm too busy to be sick! It's the preventative maintenance that us chicks usually aren't so good at. Our OBGYNs make us come in once a year otherwise we can't get our birth control filled. We typically go to the dentist because our teeth are something we can see. Same with the dermatologist. It is our regular PCP that we struggle with. It's so easy to put off. We feel fine, so we are fine. And while that is typically the case, it is still good to check in, get annual blood work and set a baseline.
I starts to get scary the older you get. Though I'm not terribly older than the other Working Wives & Bachelorettes, I am starting to see friends get sick with cancer. It's scary. I don't remember my parents friends getting sick or seriously ill when I was growing up. A few friends lost their parents, but I never gave it much thought. The older I get, the more it is in my face, especially when you see people your own age struggling with their health.
In our teens and twenties, we are invincible. Nothing can harm us. We can stay up all night and still function during the day. As we climb into our thirties, our bodies start to slow. I read once that the human body was never meant to live past 40. Through modern medicine, better food and better living conditions, clearly that number has raised, almost doubled. We are lucky, but you have to do your part.
Go to the doctor. Get your annual physical. If you don't have regular health insurance, check out a walk-in clinic, such as MedExpress or Minute Clinic. The prices are reasonable and well worth it. If you need to see a dentist and don't have dental insurance, find a dental school. Many times, they offer free dental exams from students. Visit your OBGYN. Any Planned Parenthood offers services on a sliding scale or, if you live in a city like Pittsburgh, UPMC is forever doing studies. I have a friend who is in grad school full-time and over 26 so insurance is a real issue for her. She participates in a study for birth control and, with minimal participation, she gets free birth control.
There are no excuses. Too busy. No money. Make the time. Find the solution. Stay healthy. We want you around...not just for the next 20 years, but at least 60 or more!
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There is also a program in the state of PA for women to get free OBGYN care, which does include low cost to even free birth control (depending on the kind you use).
ReplyDeleteGreat post Kelly! I stay away from my PCP unless I really need to go there, sometimes I go a couple years without seeing him - hate to admit it!
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