As I was working on my outline for this series, I found out that one of the employees at my hair salon died the night previously. It was a shock to everyone to learn that their colleague who had battled cancer two years previously apparently never followed up on a warning about her kidneys not working efficiently. Instead of seeing a doctor, she was treating herself using over the counter medications.
I get it – life gets busy and sometimes you just go to Dr. Google to see if you can figure out what you can do for something that seems like a minor health matter. However, we need to be in the habit of seeing and following up with at least our Primary Care Physicians. Let a Doctor be the arbiter to decide if we can manage it with over the counter medicines or if we need to see a specialist because it could be a serious issue if ignored.
The health care landscape has changed. Many doctors will tell you they feel like they don’t get enough time with many patients so it is important to see your Physician regularly so they are better able to help you stay in front of any health issues. Whether it’s just to get a simple blood test, or to stay on top of inoculations for Pneumonia or Shingles, I hope you plan on taking the time to invest in your health. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Reminded.