Kate Pickle this week on Twitter said
I have been to the Drs for myself for the first time in 6 years (not counting pregnancy related stuff)…
And this got me thinking to a a post I wrote on my other Mum’s Word blog titled “Why Don’t Mums Visit The Doctor More Often?” in May 2007. Here it is below.
Yesterday I visited my GP for the first time in months. Her practice is in the area I used to live in 3 years ago. Why haven’t I changed GP’s? Well simply because I don’t go that often so a 25 minute drive out to see her once every six months (if I’m lucky) doesn’t bother me too much.
But yesterday my list was long…ridiculously long; small little niggly things that just build up over time. I had to corner Mr M so I could go to see the doctor alone.
Why don’t I see the doctor more often? Well it is difficult to discuss medical matters with kids around. Why don’t I leave the kids with Mr M? Well he works hard and sometimes finding a couple of hours during the week can be difficult. Even yesterday Mr M almost cancelled at the 11th hour but instead worked his little fingers to the bone to make it home in time. He looked frazzled.
So off the doctor I went and discussed my various ailments. A couple of those ailments need to be referred to a specialist and another couple need follow up with my GP.
The thought alone of now having to make appointments with specialists is tiring. Getting a suitable time for the appointment is often difficult and the costs involved in seeing a specialist is a concern. But I can’t ignore my GP’s advice.
I’m not the only one who avoids or just doesn’t get the time to see a GP. Quite a few mums I know are guilty of this too.
Mother’s would move heaven and earth to get their sick child to a doctor…why don’t we have the same concern for ourselves?
Well I’ve been to enough Drs this week to make up for my 6 years of not going! LOL
I am generally a pretty healthy person, so I’ really don’t need to go to the Dr that often. Plus now that I am not working outside of the home, when I do get sick with the regular colds etc I don’t need to go to a Dr for a certificate etc.
But you are right… the thought of trying to get an appointment that fits around kinder drop offs and school pick ups is scary to say the least! I have a shift working husband so it is either don’t go or drag all the kids with you and fit in around everything else… and it’s not easy to get an appointment these days either, let alone one at a time that works, then you sit in the waiting room for hours… it’s not easy is it!
I actually got my husband’s niece to babysit one day so I could arrange back to back appointments. Doctor, chiro, dentist because that was the only way it was going to happen for me.
And I agree, if appointments were kept to time maybe it would be so bad. I completely understand why they’re not but it does make it hard.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
I’m not the same 🙂 In the Philippines, you don’t go to the doctor till you’re dying so when I found out about bulk billing here, I made the most of it — for my daughter, my husband, and for me! Borderline hypochondriac hehehe
I completely appreciate the Medicare system we have here. It’s why I never hesitate when it comes to the kids.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Funny that I read this today. I was just thinking I should book myself in for a general checkup as it is the first time in a while I’m not pregnant, breastfeeding etc. I have been good at getting my husband for a yearly check and spend a lot of time with kids at the doctors and specialists, but it is very true that we sometimes neglect ourselves. Thanks for the reminder! 🙂
Glad to be of assistance Martine Last time I went for a check up my doctor found 4 suspect moles/freckles that needed to be cut out. Turns out there were no cancerous cells but I still have to go back every 6 months to make sure none of the others begin to change. On top of pap smears, breast checks etc. We really do need to be vigilant.
Hope you get a clean bill of health.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Ever since my friend got diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer I’ve been going to get ultrasounds and mammograms and making time for the GP. But boy is it SO hard to find the time and before the shock of that I was definitely in the put it off forever camp too. Now tho whenever I think I won’t bother I think of Jim Stynes not getting the lump on his back checked because he was too busy. So everyone goes to the doctor now a lot! Even hubby gets packed off more often than he’d like! It is always worth checking – because I so want to see my gorgeous boys grow up and become adults. It’s ironic being parents gives you so much more to live for and so little time to look after yourself! Thanks for sharing. Nx
You have hit the nail on the head with this “It’s ironic being parents gives you so much more to live for and so little time to look after yourself!”
So very very true.
Love & stuff
Mrs M