I've never really gone to doctors. Not that I've never been to one, but the visits have been few and far between. My mom is a fiercely independent person, and a nurse, so in her eyes, doctor visits are only for extreme circumstances.

I married a man who is something of a germophobe with hypochondriacal tendencies and his own share of inherited medical quirks, as well as job-related neck and back problems (he works at a computer all day). So my medical "problems," in relation to his and considering my background, seem very small, if not nonexistent.

And here I am going to a chiropractor for carpal tunnel syndrome treatment.

I don't like it.

Stephen and I arranged an appointment for me two weeks ago when my carpal tunnel had gotten truly painful. My chiropractor, the wife and business partner of Stephen's chiropractor, performed all manner of treatments on my arm to break up all the...whatevers that need breaking up (I can't remember what they're called), and then asked me to come in once a week for a couple more weeks for follow-up appointments and procedures.

I arranged an appointment last week but spaced it, as it was first thing in the morning the day after we got back from a VERY long, VERY full weekend traveling cross-state to visit our families. So I called, apologized, and arranged today's appointment.

Heather (the doctor) is nice enough, but she was not very happy with my missing last week's appointment. The general message I got was that going two weeks after getting my arm first worked on without any kind of follow-up procedure is a Bad Thing. I don't know why.

Anyway, she massaged my arm and also my right shoulder, neck and back, since they are all connected and something amiss in one part might affect others. While she was massaging me and talking, I was thinking, Why am I here? Do I really need to be doing this? How do you know if you really need to be seeing a doctor or not? Is $20 co-pay a week for however long the doctor says you need it really worth it if you have considered the relative discomfort you feel and are not really concerned about it?

It's a true dilemma for me. :/ On the one hand, I respect authority. On the other hand, I don't feel like I need it and it's costing us $20 a week.

It's reminding me of counseling. When I first started counseling, I was of the mind that I was going because I was broken and needed to be fixed. It turned out that counseling was really just like talking life out with a very wise friend. I feel now that I might need to revolutionize my ideas about doctors like I need to do with counselors. But that isn't exactly something you can snap your fingers and have happen. Ideas that have gotten settled into your brain can't be revolutionized in a day.

I feel myself getting old lately. Only old people resist revolutionizing their ideas about stuff. :P

-Stephanie

previous || next

Miss Something?

Social Anxiety with Guys - February 07, 2024

Education Expo with an ADHD Kid - February 03, 2024

Lovely Church Experience - October 22, 2023

Seek Out Community in Christ - August 29, 2023

Grieving Lost Friendships - May 08, 2023