Why I waited.

Since 2002 I’ve been in 6 different hospitals in 5 different cities, the total number of admissions I cannot remember. I would guess close to 20. In addition, I have had 4 upper GI’s, 2 colonoscopies, 2 endoscopies, 1 trans-esophageal endoscope, 1 MRI, 5+ Echocardiograms, 6+ CT scans, 1 medi-port placement, 1 medi-port removal, 1 IVC filter placement, 1 IVC filter removal, 2 hernia repairs, 1 PFO (hole in my heart) closure, 3 right to left shunt studies, a bazillion tiny bubbles injected into my veins.

I’m sure I’m missing a few things.

Last year was a “healthy” year. I met only $53 of my yearly deductible, spent 0 days in the hospital for the first time since 2002. For the record, I had NEVER been in the hospital prior to 2002.

So when asked “why did you wait so long to seek treatment?” I can honestly say I didn’t want to go back ‘there’.

I’m not normally one to avoid treatment. Given my medical history I often seek treatment for the things most normal people wouldn’t worry about. When the scale started to creep back up in 2007 I attributed it to stopping the Topamax. When the regain exceeded the amount I had lost while on Topamax I was more concerned, but I had had the tests and been told everything was o.k. inside. I tried to get things under control on my own. When that didn’t seem to be working and I read that my heartburn could be related to a surgery complication and my regain I decided to seek treatment. I saw my PCP first hoping she could do something for me without tossing me back on the medical rollercoaster. Sadly, her response was “that’s not my area, go see the surgeon”.

So I go.

And here we go again…my year of good health was nice while it lasted.