If you’ve read the guest post that I wrote
for the lovely Maria of Frills n Spills, you’ll know that recently I had to
face up to a less than comfortable appointment with my doctor about some
unusual bleeding, and face a fear I didn’t realise I had- the unknown.
Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t quite as
simple as ‘you’ll be fine, off you go’ and this week I had to attend a hospital
appointment for adult gynaecology, and I’m not going to mask the truth- I was
pretty terrified. Not of having to have someone poking around where I’d prefer
only one other person to be, or of what they might do, but more a fear of what ifs and I’m sorry.
My GP referred me because she felt it would
be better for someone more expert to check that my bleeding didn’t indicate
anything more serious, and I’m grateful that she did, but it hasn’t stopped me
spending the days running up to my appointment wondering what the hell to do if
actually, I didn’t want to hear what the consultant would have to say.
Fortunately for me, all I needed was some
relatively simple outpatient treatment, which was able to be carried out on the
same day whilst I was there. I’ll be brutally honest and say having my cervix
frozen with gas at -60 degrees isn’t the nicest or most comfortable thing in
the world, but it’s nothing major in the grand scheme of things.
But by far the best element of my
appointment was the consultant, and something I’m beginning to recognise as the
greater part of good medical treatment. I had to attend my appointment alone,
in a hospital I’d never been to, with little indication of what was going to
happen. I was nervous. Having a doctor who not only realised very quickly that
I was quite nervous, but also didn’t
treat me like I was stupid made a big difference to my experience.
My consultant was very reassuring-
explaining what the problem was most likely to be, how it could be dealt with,
and any implications. He was also very sensitive to being male, asking if I’d
be more comfortable being treated with a nurse present, and if I was happy for
him to perform the procedure that day or if I’d prefer to return another time.
Hospitals can be scary and infuriating
places and I’ve had medical care that ranges from mediocre to slow to appalling
before now, so I was sincerely grateful to have left the hospital feeling that
I had been listened to, treated properly and that my needs and views had also
been respected.
Being unwell or injured is tough, but this
week I learned that it doesn’t have to be scary. If you are brave enough to
take the first step, there are people- not just your own loved ones, who can
and will reassure you, listen to you and respect you as both a patient and a
person. And more than that, it’s ok to be a bit nervous, or even to be
frightened, but be honest about that, allow your nerves to be settled, your
fears to be allayed, and yourself to be reassured.
Lastly, something I have to reiterate from
The Fear. Don’t stick your head in the sand. There are lots of big bad nasty
diseases that can cause unusual bleeding, pain or other symptoms in women young
and old, the sooner you make and attend a GP appointment about your symptoms,
the sooner you can be treated, or referred to a consultant or reassured that
there’s nothing to worry about. Whatever the case, it is not only far better
for your stress levels to know, but it’s also far better to catch anything and
everything early on.
Be Brave. Face The Fear. You might just surprise yourself.
