Friday, February 27, 2009

Get Checked!

No pretty pictures in this post.

I hate public service announcements and lectures. so don't take this the wrong way. I'm writing this because I'm the worst culprit! So the lecture's to me! Breast cancer has struck again in my family -- two times in one year. In fact -- twice since last summer. It's a plague. But both of my loved ones have been vigilant about getting yearly mammograms, so it was caught early. Stage 0. So they'll have a total cure and a long healthy life.

As I said, I've been the worst about being regular with mammograms and health care. I give myself every excuse in the book and procrastinate, procrastinate, procrastinate. I have an irrational dread of not only doctors, but bad news. I'm a real chicken. I was feeling like crap in June and finally went to the doctor. I found out I had REALLY high blood pressure. Duh! It runs in my family, yet I couldn't even bother to keep track of it by checking it at the drugstore. I'm on meds now for everything that ails me and hopefully caught it soon enough before any damage was done. And I'm also now caught up on mammograms. All I have left is the colonoscopy.

Anyway, buck up and go get smashed and prodded! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Think of it this way -- you're missing a possible opportunity to extend the quality and longevity of your life.

Okay -- enough already! :)

3 comments:

Ann said...

The colonoscopy--the prep is worst than the actual test! I'm lax about alot of things, but I do go for my mammogram & other tests ever year. The only thing there's a history of in my family is diabetes & so far no one in my generation has it!One place I have been lax about going is the eye doctor--I always need new glasses & mine are very expensive so I put it off. I went a week ago ( 1st time in 2 1/2 yrs.) and for the
1st ime in 50 years he sai my prescription hadn't changed enough to warrant getting new glasses! Yay!

Vee said...

Good advice, Beck. And Ann is exactly right about the colonoscopy. Now many doctors recommend getting the anesthesia that puts you completely under during the procedure, but then you wake up right after. Most insurance won't cover it, so I paid for it myself, around $100 and well worth it!

Life's a Beach! said...

Vee and Ann, Craig had his colonoscopy last year. I've been waiting until our insurance company paid for it as preventative, so now I need to get 'er done. I've been a procrastinator about the annual checkups, only going every 2 to 3 years at times. But those days are over. I'm plenty scared now!
Ann, I graduated to expensive glasses last year. I try to go every year now because of my cataracts. Can't wait until I qualify to have the new lens put in!