Oh Virus My Virus

Today is day two of being ill.  I'm much better than yesterday.  I am so not used to being sick.  I could count on one hand the times I'd been sick in the last decade.  Really!  Now that I'm smober and sober I guess I'm more susceptible.  Laugh if you like, but it's true.  I had the worse ever cold last January - February.  So bad I had to go to the doctor and get antibiotics... that NEVER happens.  I'd almost rather die than go see a doctor.  I have no patience for Western medicine.  The condescending attitude gets me immediately.  The fact that it's OK to waste my time in an office, being late for appointments (EVERY TIME...) My time is worth money too!  The fact that I don't need or deserve to hear the whole truth.  That I'm too much of an idiot to understand complex biological or technical terminology.  That you, the doctor, if you're lucky or the nurse practitioner, after making you wait and being late don't seem to have the time to take a few moments to get to know you.  They don't seem to realize that I live with my body day and night and for 50 plus years... I think I know it better.  Whew... some anger issues there chickie?  

I am a cancer survivor.  I would not be alive today if I hadn't taken responsibility for my own health.  True story.  I noticed that a mole on my mid lower back was bigger than I remembered.  I went in to have it checked out.  The doctor looked at it, quickly and said it was fine.  I requested that he take a sample and have it checked out.  I didn't hear back for about a month so I called them to ask what the lab results showed.  The person on the other end of the phone sounded like they were about to have heart failure once they pulled up my records.  "We've been trying to get a hold of you, we have a bad phone number (I was in the Fucking phone book this was 199?).  You need to see a surgeon IMMEDIATELY!  You have melanoma."  I didn't even know what melanoma was.  My mother did.  A friend of hers had died of it just a month before.  Mom freaked out!  I scheduled the surger(ies). I'm fine, but REALLY!!?? I would not be alive today if I hadn't been stabbed by a stray wire in our fence when gardening and checked out the wound in the mirror... then stuck up for myself with doctors all along the way.  Take care of yourself so you don't have to go near doctors or clinics or hospitals!     I am sure that there are personable, responsible, respectful doctors on the planet.  If you are one, THANK YOU!  

Honestly, I believe that you create your experience so I only meet nice, fabulous, awesome doctors at this point!  However, I am a bit demanding as patient unless you respect my wishes and take a few minutes to understand my point of view.  I do take the time to explain to a doctor if they're listening.  If not, I walk and look for another one.

So there you have it.  Be well!  Really for sure!!  And be Grateful!  Back to the virus at hand.  I don't believe in anti bacterial hand soap or the like.  I guess I need to build up my immunity now that I don't have alcohol or smoke to kill off the viruses for me.  =)  I also don't take any over the counter drugs except aspirin.  Contact makes my nose run and NyQuil keeps me up at night.  Go figure... so 

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