There’s been a lot going on in my life lately. Some things have been ironed out – yay! – and are back on track. But some medical issues are just going on… and on… and on…
I’m a good patient usually. I come in with all the needed information; I am always on time for my appointments; I follow up appropriately; and I’m really, really, really nice to the staff. But recently, the colossal incompetence of a particular radiology department has sent me over the edge. Back story: after a check-up, my doctor advised me to see a neurologist. In order to rule out some very scary things – like, oh, cancer or a brain tumor – I then had an MRI. So far, so good. No cancer. No brain tumor. But not normal. Okay…time for further MRIs. Sure, I’ll go. To make this long story short, I never had the tests. I tried. Twice.
So now what? Well, it took several years for me to get a correct diagnosis for my Sjogren’s, given poor diagnostic skills at the major teaching hospital where I went to grad school. It took a full year and every test known (it seemed) for the best gastroenterologist in New York to diagnose the cause of a severe abdominal pain. Clearly, I’m stubborn enough to do the work that it will apparently take to find out what is going on now.
But in the meantime…I’m scared. I don’t like uncertainty. I am not bothered so much by change, but not knowing makes me crazy. I just want to curl up under the covers with the cats and not come out until I have answers. But we all know life is not like that. There’s work to be done, cats to be entertained, yoga classes to attend, and drinks to drink. Plus I’m just far too stubborn (yes, I said it again) to allow fear to immobilize me. And stubborn will beat incompetent every. damn. time.