Tuesday, April 27, 2010

A Cabbage Patch Parade

When I was a kid, I had a really great pediatrician. Well, he had one line of humor, but because I was so young, it totally worked on me! When he checked my ears, he always said "Hey! There's a Cabbage Patch Kids parade walking through here!" Every time. Or Care Bears or Smurfs. He always made me feel safe.

I can't remember when we stopped making regular doctor visits, but I was young enough that I don't remember. Hospitals just aren't a place for people without insurance. Certainly not for a mother with four children! When we got sick, we took Tylenol. Or Dimeatapp... whatever Doctor Mom prescribed. So as an adult, making doctors appointments wasn't really something I knew how to do.

I had insurance at a part time job briefly in 2004. I got really sick that year. In fact, for several years in a row, I got a bad case of bronchitis. That year, I was really sick and I had insurance, but I still didn't really know what to do. Luckily, I was living with a roommate who did. Jenina called her doctors office and asked if they took my insurance, and then she made me an appointment and I went. I was terrified! Shook the whole time I filled out my paperwork. But it was an okay experience and my feet were officially wet. But then I quit that part time job and didn't have insurance for a few years. Never having had it before, I just didn't realize how big a deal having insurance was.

Well now I am married, so I'm on my husband's insurance. We took him to the doctor a month or so ago and I went with him, a) because he was too sick to drive himself, and b) to meet our doctor! I liked her just fine! And she told me I needed to make an appointment. You know. A check up. Is that what it's called when you go to the doctor when you're not sick?

I went yesterday and I just have to say how thankful I am! First of all, the nurse is SO nice! It was the same nurse we saw when Brett was sick. What a sweetie! And the doctor... she is so easy to talk to! I was a little nervous going, but as soon as I was in the room with them, I was comfortable. I know they train very hard to develop their "make people comfortable" skills, but these two ladies have it down! And I'm incredibly thankful for that.

So yesterday I went to my first ever grown up doctors appointment, just because. hehe... I have to go back today though. I didn't really know what all my visit would entail yesterday. Apparently I was supposed to not eat anything yesterday morning so they could do lab work. Oops! I missed that. But she said that you don't need an appointment for labs, and they open at 7 so I am just going on my way to work today. Nice!

Last thing: shout out to my husband. HAPPY STREET FIGHTER DAY!!! Mwaa!

1 comment:

Jennifer said...

I never enjoy going to the doctor, but I think it has to do with always getting lectured about my weight. I am hoping my next visit (my check up!) will be better and she'll be proud of me for being smaller!) Glad you went! It's important to have a physician that knows you and can help document your medical history!