Who's heard the saying ”an apple a day keeps the doctor away?" Or better yet, who actually eats an apple a day and believes it keeps the doctor away?
For me, as much as I've heard the saying and don't believe it, the truth is, I'm just not good at getting myself to the doctors. It's really a combination of the facts that I don't like doctors and I simply don't have, or at least haven’t prioritized the time. Add in all the stress and potential exposure that COVID brings the doctors office is literally the last place I want to be.
So this week's act of self care was dedicated to four regular check-ups: Ob-Gyn, Dentist, Dermatologist, and Primary Care. To my surprise I was only able to get one appointment fully completed, but at least the other three are now scheduled; one of which the first availability wasn’t until March of next year! Eight months to schedule an annual physical! By the way, I did take the appointment because when I asked, the receptionist kindly confirmed my last one was four years ago, so clearly what's another eight months? At least it's now on the calendar and for anyone that knows me, the best way to get to me is always through my calendar. I did also ask to be put on the wait-list because she indicated quite a few people were cancelling due to COVID and it might be possible to get in earlier.
For anyone wondering, the one appointment I was able to get to turned out great; it was at the dentist for a regular cleaning. The office was spotless and everyone not only had to sign a waiver but also had to have their temperature taken upon arrival. Additionally, all doors were one-way to minimize any potential interactions with other patients. If you’re putting off going to the doctor because of COVID, it might be worth giving your doctor a call to discuss your fears and understand the mitigating controls they’ve put in place; you may even come to the realization that the long-term benefits of routine health care may actually outweigh the short-term risk of exposure.
The more important focus now is how do I establish sustainability so that it's not another four years before the next physical? Anyone have any thoughts? I'm thinking that maybe I need to schedule before I leave each doctors office as that seems to work well with my kids. Or maybe I need to put an entry into my calendar for six months time to remind me to schedule the appointments? Maybe there's an app I can download? Please share in the comments how you folks stay on top of scheduling and attending your doctor's appointments.
