just do it

Doctor's Day would probably not be my favorite holiday to celebrate. (It was yesterday. I'm behind.) The only doctor I enjoy seeing on a regular basis is the one I live with. Even then, sometimes I have to forgive him his profession. Particularly at 6 o'clock on a Sunday morning or nine at night when he's not home yet. (Yeah, don't even get me started on a doctor's life of wealth and ease. You do not want to go there, especially in today's political climate.)

But the point--I do want to encourage you to celebrate Doctor's Day by getting out to see your doc if it has been a while. Let me tell you a story that happened about ten years ago. For that pesky annual checkup, I went to see my primary care physician, a wonderful lady who has since moved away from us, sadly. In the course of events, she thought she located a tiny lump in my neck. She suggested I get it checked out. I planned to ignore it, because that is how I tend to deal with things I find unpleasant, like visiting doctors or cleaning out my inbox or relocating the giant dust bunnies under my couch.

My husband, however, planned otherwise, which is how I found myself in another office being told it was probably nothing, but we'd check it out. A few months later, that same doctor removed my thyroid, found cancer, was surprised, and left me with a profound appreciation for my primary doctor who did not ignore that tiny thing that was probably nothing.

I didn't go because I thought there was anything wrong with me. I went for a general checkup, like we're all supposed to do in the course of a year. If I hadn't, when would someone have found it? It was barely noticeable, even to her. So the moral of the story is--go, if it's been over a year. I know it's a pain, but so is cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, or any other trouble that could be there unnoticed. Don't wait for National Anti-Procrastination Day. (I promise you there is one.) Just do it.

And, as we finish out National Kidney Month, remember, if you are not yet a donor, just do that, too. Nike would be proud. And I would be glad to hear from you if you do.