"I'll leave it for now", "I'm sure it'll get better in time", "I'll get round to eventually", "yeah, but I have to... first".
Here's a quick list I'd like you to read and consider carefully. Put aside your 'yeah but...' and put yourself first.
1. You are not 'wasting' the doctor's time with a symptom. However minor it might seem, if it is a marker for disease (eg blood in your urine or faeces, unusual persistent pain or anything else which you know is just not right for you), then tell your doctor and get an appointment. Insist if you have to.
2. Attend all your scans and tests, no matter how uncomfortable or unpleasant. A scan or smear etc can detect something that you can't see or feel. You are not wasting time by attending these appointments, in fact you could be saving more than just time.
3. Get on with it. It's very simple - the earlier something is diagnosed and can be treated, the more chance you have of living a longer, healthier life. And remember, early diagnosis may also mean you can sigh with relief that whatever has been bugging you is, in fact, something easily treatable.
4. Have a regular 'feel'. A small lump could be something as simple as a cyst, and if it's anything else, the sooner it is attended to, the better. You know which bits of you to check, I'm just reminding you to do it regularly.
5. Getting a diagnosis can be scary, but it's also vitally important as early diagnosis has such an impact on the outcomes.
6. The shock of diagnosis (for you or a family member) can be huge. This is perhaps the hardest to get your head around, but is very important: take control - work with your clinicians, friends and family, with support groups and charities. Diagnosis is often a 'first step' in your journey, and everyone takes a different path. Your preferences and wishes should be listened to by all involved in your care.
7. Treatment can be challenging, but it may mean the difference between all your friends and family being there for your next birthday, or for your funeral. Treatments for different conditions are highly personalised these days so someone else's experience may not be a good compass for your journey.
8. It's OK to ask stupid questions. And it's OK to ask them more than once.
9. You are not alone. You never know who else may understand what you are going through - share (in the right way, with the right people, in a way that suits you). You will be amazed who comes out to support you.
I was prompted to write today not only because of my own experience, but because I read about a family who has had their child diagnosed with a life limiting condition. The diagnosis (which they did not delay) has shattered the family and they were frozen with fear. Nobody wants a diagnosis that casts such a shadow over their lives, it's out of human control, it's almost mind-bendingly difficult to assimilate. But others stepped in to seek help. In reaching out, their journey is no longer quite so desolate - there will now be someone there with them, with a lamp to help light the difficult path ahead.
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Photo courtesy of https://greatpeopleinside.com/dealing-with-procrastination/
Author's note: after my first draft of this post, I went through and took out all the 'don't' statements. It's too easy to list what not to do - I hope turning it into what we 'can' do reads better.
