Wednesday, January 2, 2008

A visit to the doctor

This morning I started the new year off right with a visit to the doctor to follow up on that blood pressure question from my last visit. Nothing like starting the new year with a clean bill of health. Which I almost got. My blood pressure is back down to normal, but my pulse was a bit high, so he did an EKG, which was normal. Then he drew blood to check cholesterol, blood count, kidneys and liver, and thyroid. So my bill of health, clean or dirty, should be back in a couple of days.

I used to be scared of the doctor. Well, not exactly scared--more like too private to want to go. I never wanted to have anything wrong with me because I felt like any health problem would be my own fault, for not taking better care of myself or for being overweight, and I didn't want to hear about it or have the doctor judge me.

But I don't feel like that anymore. I'm still overweight and even though I've lost over 50 pounds (yay for meeting my first Weight Watchers goal of losing 50 pounds in 2007), I still have more to lose. But I've taken control of my own health by eating right and trying to move around more. I feel healthy and I want the doctor's agreement on that count.

And if I'm not healthy, I want to know. If there's something wrong with me, it won't feel shameful. It will feel like a problem that needs to be resolved, whether the resolution would come through continued healthy habits or some sort of medical intervention, and that I am ready and willing to resolve.

I hope I don't have any medical problems. So far, knock on wood, it seems that I don't. But if I do, I will face them and I will deal with them and I will not be embarrassed or ashamed of them. How's that for a quasi New Year's resolution?

20 comments:

  1. Keeping healthy is the most important New Years resolution you can make. So congratulations and I'm sure you will be healthy.

    Also, let's meet soon. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. meeting your weight loss goal is an awesome achievement jess, good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fifty pounds is so amazing. Yay for a healthy you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is a great attitude to have! I hope everything comes back just fine.

    Look forward to reading more about your healthy efforts in the new year! You know I love a good health kick!

    ReplyDelete
  5. 50 lbs is INCREDIBLE. i'm so in awe that you did that.

    ooooh i hope you like the bare escentuals! i feel responsible now :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congratulations on meeting your weight loss goal! Keeping healthy is important and I know that you will. You should determined and positive about it.

    I understand about hesitation about going to the Doctor. I still have that problem and I have a chronic illness! I am always afraid that they are going to tell me that they have no idea, their usual response, or that is all in my head, my paranoid interpretation. I love your quasi-resolution.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are such an inspiration, lady. I'm so proud of you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, congrats on the weight loss, but more importantly, on being healthier and proactive!

    ReplyDelete
  9. You are way ahead of me, because I am TOTALLY afraid of the doctor. I prefer, instead, to google all of my symptoms and convince myself I have a terrible disease. It's great fun!
    :)

    Happy '08!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good for you! Being proactive is a great step in remaining healthy!

    ReplyDelete
  11. and also, WOW!! 50lbs!! That is great. Perhaps you can be my motivator come August.

    ReplyDelete
  12. such a great attitude, jess.

    I felt similar when I was a smoker - it feels so much better to know that you're not doing the best you can, doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Here's hoping your health is improved! :) Also, congrats on the weight loss...any amount that makes you feel healthier and better about yourself is worth celebrating!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I can certainly understand the trepidation involved with going to the doctor's. I was an army brat and those docs are NO joke - plus, I was quite overweight to boot and they really did get on my case about it.

    I lost 60lbs after that and haven't looked back. Kudos to you for meeting your goal! It's not an easy road, so you should be extremely proud of yourself!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I know what you mean about being scared of the doctor. Being overweight is terrifying, when you have to face up to it. 50lbs is incredible, I hope to achieve that one day too -- congrats, and I hope your health results come back great.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Good for you for keeping up on your health! It's important. My friend let an obvious problem go far too long without getting checked out and it literally turned into cancer. Totally preventable cancer. :(

    Also I admire you so much for the weight loss!

    ReplyDelete
  17. It takes an act of God to get me to the doctor, not because I have any issues with going, but because there is SO MUCH to have to schedule around an appointment. When you know the appointment-making conversation will go like the following, you tend not to bother:

    Receptionist: How about [a date and time]?

    Me: No, baby's naptime, do you have anything earlier?

    Receptionist: Not that day. How about [a date and time]?

    Me: Sorry, something at so-and-so's school.

    That goes on for about 4 or 5 iterations or so, then:

    Receptionist (irritated): Well, when WILL work for you?

    Me: 10:30PM, July 18, 2012.

    That said, I actually DO have a couple of appointments coming up, one with an allergist (I seem to have developed a food allergy to something, not sure what, in Wegman's grilled marinated vegetables) and one to have a 24-hour Holter monitor strapped on me to make sure my PVCs aren't anything more serious than PVCs.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Here's hoping for a clean bill of health. :)

    Of course there's nothing shameful about an illness...It's just something with which to deal. Such is life.

    ReplyDelete
  19. good for you girl!! being healthy for our wedding year (and always) is the best way to be :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Good for you and taking care of yourself. What's that saying? An ounce of prevention is worth...whatever it is. I hope everything comes back normal!

    ReplyDelete