It's All in the Attitude

I went to the doctor yesterday. It was just a routine physical. Funny word....routine, because physicals aren't routine at all for me. My internist asked when the last time she saw me was. I hedged and said, "I don't know, a couple of years maybe." She had my chart, of course, and informed me it had been three years. She said they ususally put you in as a new patient by that amount of time. I squeaked by that one because I had come in at the end of 2007 when I had been having heart palpitations fairly regularly. They did an EKG. She asked what happened with that. I told her that as soon as I came in I stopped having them. See, that is just the thing. I knew that was going to happen, so there was no point of going really.

Anyway, she told me she'd really like to see me every year. I confessed that I just wasn't very good at this going to the doctor thing. She also told me I was very healthy (minus the blood work report, which she doesn't expect to have any major issues.) So if I'm healthy, why do I need to go every year?

So what is behind my less than routine visits to the physician? Well, there are several things really. Some I already knew about myself, but I made a new discovery yesterday. Here are my reasons:
I hate making phone calls. I like to call people I know and chat with them, but have to force myself to make any other type of call. I even have a hard time calling my dentist office, and my brother-in-law is my dentist and a great guy, I might add. The second reason is this, I just hate taking the time to go. I could be using my time in much better ways, doing something I enjoy. It is just such a bother. I'd be much better at it if I could just go spontaneously. I could go when I was in the mood that way. It's the way I do my mammograms. One just has to be in the right frame of mind for that one, so I go to the walk-in clinic, no appointment setting for that one. (Sorry, guys, but it doesn't hurt you to be informed on what women have to go through.)

I'm not fearful of discovering something bad, because the truth is other than normal colds and flus I've had very little sick time or hospital time. I had my tonsils removed when I was 7. I had my first child at the hospital. I had a miscarriage for which I needed a procedure and therefore hospitalization. After my third child was born at home, I had a complication for which I needed a brief stay in the hospital. I had two other kids, born at home, so no hospital there either. See, it's just this, "It's such a bother attitude!"

So what was my new revelation about why I don't like to go to the doctor? I realized yesterday that I really need to like my doctor. There is that relationship thing again. I hadn't seen my internist in awhile and I coudn't remember if I really liked her. By like, I mean that I have to feel like I could have a friendship with this person. Most of my doctors are women, except for the chiropractor and dentist. My chiropractor is a friend, too. He golfs with my husband, and remember my dentist is my brother-in-law, both friend and family. I was reminded yesterday that I do like my internist, so maybe I really will make an appointment to see her for the "routine" check-up in one year.