did I say how much I hate it, but I went and I survived….

I hate stethoscopes too…

Ok, anyone who knows me also knows how much I hate going to the doctor. In fact, I don’t go, never, nada, zip… But with my cataract surgery coming up I had to have an exam and be checked out so I wouldn’t die while they were doing the surgery. I thought about going to one of those walk in clinics but I checked to see what was close by and there was an office right down the street. I called to see if they could do this exam and they said sure but they would need to first add me as a patient. I thought about hanging up and just going to the walk in clinic and then I thought, “you are getting older..ugh.. and maybe just maybe you should have a doctor”.

I know right? I even scared myself with this thought. But I had to have the exam and this place was close by so I scheduled the appointment. After scheduling it I got anxious and scared and considered calling and cancelling the appointment. I mean really anxious. But I went because my daughter assured me I would be fine. But would I?

The reason I hate doctors so much is this…all of my family members that went to the doctor for some little thing all the sudden were diagnosed with some big thing….and then they died. My Dad, My Mom, and my sister… so I am not a big fan of them. In fact I’m not a fan at all. I told the person on the phone, I told the assistant who came in to take my info and vitals and I told the doctor. I was pleasantly surprised when they all understood how I felt and even talked to me about my feelings. They all agreed they would feel the same if this had happened to them.

“Doctors and nurses are people who give you medicine until you die.” ~ Deborah Martin

See I even found this quote above…I don’t know who Deborah is but I think she is my twin. So the visit all in all went pretty well I guess… I have listed just a few things that happened while I was there. and I was there for a long time…an hour and a half to be exact.

1. First of all they took my weight – I was astounded what I weighed since I never weigh myself and… don’t go to the doctors. I turned around to see if someone had their foot on the scale and asked if I could take all my clothes off and do it again. The assistant just smiled…
2. Medical History – I have no medical history since I don’t go to the doctors. I had 3 kids, a tubal ligation(look it up) and a partial hysterectomy…all in the 60’s and 70’s…nothing since then and no doctor. I did have one while the kids were little, it was a family practice and he made me come once in awhile too. But when we moved to Maryland I stopped going there.
3. Blood Pressure – My blood pressure was thru the roof. She knew I was anxious and said we’ll take it again before you leave. I told them I took it in the morning and it was fine. Just believe me…
4. Having an EKG – I never had an EKG, I knew it had something to do with the heart and honestly this is what scared me the most. I have been having these feelings like my chest was tight and my heart was heavy and so I thought I was having symptoms of a heart attack. I got hooked up to the machine by all the little sticky things and the assistant had to go get something. So I lay there thinking this is it. I am going to be told I need to be on some medication and I have a bad heart. At that exact moment my gum almost went down my throat and I started choking. Thank goodness I got it back up before she came back in and thought I was dying before I even had the EKG. (the EKG was fine)
5. The Questions- They asked for all the medications I was taking to which I of course said..none! But I explained I do take a lot of vitamins and other stuff. I had to list all the vitamins and how many mgs. of each, which of course I guessed at cause who knows that when you take like 10. And then my apple side vinegar and coconut oil! The best question was when the doctor finally looked at me and said, “exactly when was your last doctor visit?  I honestly didn’t know but guessing when I broke my arm in the 80’s..but that doesn’t even count cause I went to the hospital. So I said I guess the 70’s. Amy(that’s my doctors name, that sounds funny me even saying that) said OMG! She did follow it up with, “well you look good have no problems that I can see or feel so keep doing what you are doing.

Amy did ask that maybe, just maybe if I thought I could manage it, that I could come back for a wellness visit and some blood work…I told her I would think about it. I have given it some thought and I don’t think I will. I am having cataract surgery. That’s more than enough to worry about for a person who hates doctors. I have to have both eyes done and they won’t do them both at the same time. Believe me I asked and even begged… And I’m thinking if doing the one makes a lot of difference I may not even go back for the second one. I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all. I have managed for just about 40 some years to take care of myself by doing natural and alternative things for my body. I am very healthy and I don’t get sick.  I think I will just keep doing that. Its worked well for me so far…

A final note, as I left the office I stopped at the desk and knocked on the window…and when she opened it I told all of the girls that I really didn’t want to come there and again reiterated how much I hate doctors and doctors offices but that they made this visit so much easier for me and were all super sweet. They all said thanks and got big smiles on their faces…even the one who was a tad grumpy smiled. So there’s that!

Here’s my question…Do you hate going to the doctor?

“Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.” ~ Erma Bombeck (note: their plants were all flourishing.