doctor, doctor, gimme the news!

I had been putting off most of my routine and less serious medical needs for the last several years, because I was dealing with the most severe conditions on that list.   And then I had shitty medical insurance, so I used that as another way to procrastinate.

Now that I have most of my serious stuff under control (fuck off, migraines!) and relatively good insurance, I have no more excuses.  

Except.... a global pandemic, which maybe isn't the best time to avail myself of the healthcare system.

That excuse lasted a couple of months, until I realized there was no end in sight for this.  And one of my less serious medical conditions became more serious.  One of my teeth started hurting nonstop, and I couldn't eat without pain, which caused me endless anxiety.  I started losing weight, which I couldn't afford to lose.  It had been an ongoing pain, which I had attributed to related migraine pain.  Migraines can and do trigger tooth pain in me.

Four dentists, a CT scan, various x-rays, and several appointments later, I mostly have a handle on this.  I can eat on one side pain-free, and the other side is getting preventative care BEFORE it goes nuclear.  What a fucking concept.  Apparently I had a perplexing issue that wasn't simple to solve.  After so many appointments, I no longer immediately cry when walking into the dentist's office.  So that's a bonus.

And now that my dental issues are almost resolved, I made an appointment for a first visit with a primary doctor.  I haven't had one of those in a couple of decades.  I suppose it's time to get a physical and some routine blood-work.  I was getting my blood tested regularly during the years of the migraine clinical trial, so I knew that was in normal ranges.  Yes, I realize I'm making excuses., but I feel like I wasn't totally irresponsible about my health.  It was hard to think of getting a general physical when half of my month was spent in agony from a migraine. 

Of course, the first available appointment isn't for a few weeks.  I hope I don't weasel out of it when the time comes...