For heaven's sake, just go for a checkup
Here's why pesky routine doctor appointments should be a habit
Meet my friend Max. His chef coats for Johnson & Wales University came the same day his tumor was found.
At a routine eye check-up a few weeks before he was to begin his freshman year, his doctor saw a shadow on his retinas. She recommended that he see an eye specialist. An MRI and a CAT scan revealed a tumor on the base of Max’s brain stem.
Less than 24 hours later, doctors operated for 12 hours to remove a tennis ball-sized mass from Max’s brain.
Max spent two weeks in the ICU and four grueling weeks in rehab. He had to delay his entry to JWU a semester. But by December, he was walking, talking, and celebrating his recovery with his friends on his first-ever trip to Disney World.
Max urges everyone he knows to see their eye doctor for an annual checkup. As he knows from personal experience, it could save your life.
Once you’re an adult and your mom is no longer in your ear nagging you to keep up with routine eye doctor and dentist appointments, it can be tempting to blow them off, especially when you’re busy with other things. You might rationalize it away by saying that you’re not having any troubling symptoms. Or you might believe nobody under 40 needs to see a doctor unless they’re sick.
But the reality is that routine checkups sometimes catch something before it develops into a more serious issue. They’re part of the self-care you owe yourself and everyone who loves you. (You take your car in for inspection and service at least once a year, right? So why wouldn’t you do the same for yourself?)
The American Optometric Association recommends annual eye exams for people aged 18 to 64.
The American Dental Association recommends regular dental visits every six months.
Opinions vary on how often you should see your primary care physician if you are under age 50 and in good health, but most recommend you see your doctor for a checkup at least every two to three years.
Most medical insurance plans cover wellness visits without even a copay.
So just make the appointments and go. You won’t be sorry.
Dr. Jody Foster helps us understand schmucks––the stupid, foolish, or unlikeable persons we may encounter in the workplace. She explains why they act as they do and suggests practical tips for dealing with them and the problems they create. This month we continue to sample Foster’s book, profiling types of workplace schmuck. This week–The Suspicious:
In the olden days, moms used to clip articles from newspapers for their kids if they thought it was something they needed to know. I’m keeping an eye out for things that you might have missed that may be helpful to you.
This week’s clips:
What’s the backstory of the situation in Syria? Shit You Should Care About (short version) and Letters from an American (longer version) explain.
Is ignorance truly bliss? Author Mark Lilla ponders why we often don’t want to know the truth.
If you’re craving a little “me time” but not sure what to do with yourself, GenTwenty suggests 25 winter solo date ideas.
Well done to your friend Max x
It’s pretty shocking how many of us who’ve been on our own (and raised kids now on their own), also avoid checkups and investigating lumps, bumps and pains. I do agree- get checkups and routine maintenance! It’s often life-saving.