Doctor, my schedule hurts

Warmsocks had an interesting post this weekend that really hit home with me. In Three More, she discusses all of the time she has devotes to doctor's appointments and hospital visits with her invisible illness. She has even tallied up the number of visits over the past 5 years.

I think many of us can relate to the frustration of constantly arranging our schedules to fit our medical appointments. I've always had three or four appointments with a rheumatologist every year, but while being diagnosed with HCM and super high blood pressure in early 2007, that number shot upwards at a rate that made my head spin. I also had ovarian cysts (one of which later ruptured) and kidney stones, which also required lots of appointments. I was in my first year of grad school and spending two or three days a week at Toronto's various hospitals - for a while, I spent more time in hospitals than I did on campus. And, since I was new to the city and a three-hour drive away from family, I went to all of the appointments alone. I think what made it all do-able was the simple fact that I was so busy I just had to keep my head down and get through it.

A few months ago, a potential date (which never turned into anything) announced to me that he hadn't been to the doctor in 5 years. I had no idea what to say to that. "Oh, I go all the time!" would have required some kind of explanation, which I really didn't feel like giving. I think I just kind of made a noise at him. (I am so smooth.)

I kept the date-book I had while I lived in Toronto, and I've opened it up once or twice to remind myself what that time was like. Since May (which is when I bought my current date-book), I've had 5 appointments, have another coming up next week, and should find out soon when they want to repeat my procainamide challenge. Too bad they don't make house-calls.