Go to the Doctor Already

Like the rest of the 🌎world, I gained some COVID weight. I knew I was in good company and could work to return to where I was more comfortable. But, the problem didn’t resolve with the usual steps.😳 Gradually, new and different symptoms piled onto the weight change in my gut. Swelling. Pain. Discomfort. Some days, the symptoms were worse than others. But, every day, I wrote them off. I worked hard to ignore them and move on with life. Ever been there?🙋🏻‍♀️

Fast forward a couple of years and many excuses, and I finally fixed the issue.🙌 A visit to my primary physician turned into an ultrasound of my gut, which revealed the problem. My gallbladder had multiple polyps- some concerning and large. Surgery was necessary to get that thing out of my body so I could start feeling better again. 😀Finally.

There were many reasons why I didn’t go to the doctor. Looking back, none of them were valid. 😞I thought I knew what was happening- COVID weight, right? I tried to handle it myself. That’s how I do things.😉 I never fully acknowledged my symptoms. I thought it would take too much time to go to the 👩🏻‍⚕️doctor. It was difficult to get away from work. I didn’t want to 💵pay for the doctor’s visit only to discover that I was overreacting to something normal or no big deal. The list goes on.

My biggest issue was probably ☠️fear. As I rationalized all those excuses, I always feared something was wrong. It was easier to push it aside than to give into the fear and find out. 🙈If I didn’t know what it was, I could go on my merry way ignoring the symptoms. 🙈If I didn’t know, I could let myself believe I was okay. 🙈If I didn’t know, I didn’t have to deal with it.

I was wrong.💥You heard it here! I was wrong! 💥I should have gone to the doctor when I started noticing symptoms. I should have made an appointment to find out what was wrong and the solutions I had in front of me. I should have set aside the excuses and fear and dealt with it head-on. I should have…well, you get the picture.

Sitting on my couch with bandages across my swollen abdomen and fatigue in my body, I’m thankful I finally took steps to safeguard my health. I’m going to be just fine. 🥰 We’ve all read that early diagnosis usually makes things easier, so waiting could have been bad. Waiting almost two years and hoping symptoms would disappear wasn’t smart. I was lucky, overall. It made my situation more complicated. It made my fear more irrational. But I’ll be fine. Don’t do what I did for so long. ➡️If you notice something unusual with your body, go to the doctor already.⬅️ Make the appointment. 📝Write a list of your concerns. Take the time off from work. We are worth it!💖