I have outlived my mother.
Something most people do, but not something anyone wants to achieve before forty. I did not have my mother for so many milestones: graduations, wedding, and babies. She died of a preventable disease she would have survived had she been seeing a doctor regularly. She was only thirty-seven. My thirty-seventh birthday was a little harder than most. Honestly, I can’t remember her ever going to the doctor for routine or preventative care. I am the first to tell other mothers that they need to put their health at the front of the to do list. It is something we should all be doing FOR our children. We deserve to be there for all the amazing moments in their future.
As good as I am at talking the talk, I need to be better at walking the walk. I have not been on top of things health wise and I am overdue for my physical and bloodwork. I have those things scheduled and are working to be better in the future, but for the last few years I have only gone in for illnesses.
Why is it easy to ignore my health?
It is very on brand for me to overanalyze things. So here is one of the truths I uncovered for myself: Ignorance is Bliss. If I don’t go to the doctor, I won’t hear any possible bad news. I won’t have to make any life changes. My life will carry on as normal and I can continue with worrying about everyone and everything around me. I won’t have to spend more money.
Another truth is that I feel fine. I’m not scared of anything tangible. I don’t have any concerning symptoms, so it’s easy to truck on and not even give my health a thought. But when I look back on my childhood, I’m sure my mom felt “fine” as well. All the loved ones who I have seen battle health issues felt “fine” until they didn’t.
So, going forward I promise not to settle for “fine.”
I’m going to schedule ahead appointments and lab work and calendar reminders for anything my primary care doctor recommends. I’m going to spend time thinking about my health and making it a priority. I’m going to check in with friends and encourage them in putting their health first.
This is a “put your own oxygen mask on before helping others” moment. Let’s encourage our friends and ourselves and be there in every way for ourselves and our kids.