Is There a Doctor in the House?

Last Friday, I was diagnosed with “swimmer’s ear” before we headed to the woods, and I’ve been using antibiotic ear drops since then. This, of course, was after I had been laid low with my very own middle ear infection and pinkeye.

I went to MedExpress for all these diagnoses. When my other ear started hurting last night, I turned to Dr. Twitter, wondering if I should waste another hour or so at MedExpress or just go ahead and start using the drops in that ear too. I went with using drops in both ears.

I realize, as a nominal adult, that I should have an actual Primary Care Physician (PCP) to phone up for these types of things, but here I am at 43 with no regular doctor. For that matter, I don’t have a regular dentist (I did, for a brief time there, have a dentist. He redid my front tooth. Two years ago. I think I went back once after that… maybe twice. But he’s out of the way, so I stopped going), and, er, I should find a lady-parts doctor sometime in the very near future too.

I don’t get regular physicals. In my 30s, I went to the Midwife Center for my gynecological care, and my annual exams with the midwives stood in for annual physicals. As I am not having babies any more, I figure I can switch to another midwife practice or a traditional gynecologist closer to hand. But I haven’t yet.

I haven’t had a pap smear since after M was born. I have yet to have a mammogram. And, as I mentioned, I haven’t seen a dentist in well over a year. The only health care provider I see on the regular is my chiropractor.

I am better about regularly getting my bikini line waxed than getting my teeth cleaned. My priorities may be askew.

While going to the doctor is never fun, I don’t dislike it. Except for the dentist. I do hate going to the dentist. I would accept a prescription for Xanax just to get me through regular dental visits. The poking, the scraping, the bleeding. The pain. No, thank you.

And yet, again, as a nominal adult, I realize I should be caring for myself better than this. It’s pure laziness on my part. Laziness and resentment. I don’t want to take the time out of my schedule to find a doctor/dentist, call a doctor/dentist to make an appointment, and keep said appointment with a doctor/dentist. It would have to be during the weekday. I’d have to take personal (paid) time! Bah.

My chiropractor, aside from being absolutely fab, is about 10 minutes away from my office. I can go on my lunch half-hour. And I never, ever feel the desire to pop a Xanax before an appointment with her. She’s like a combination massage therapist and psychologist.

Oh, the other health care provider I see regularly is my eye doctor. I go annually, as required. The office I go to has evening and Saturday hours… and is at a mall. So. I’m not all terrible.

However, I am aware that this reluctance and resentment to see other types of health care providers borders on the irresponsible. I have no problem taking time for my children’s doctors and dentist appointments. I don’t even mind the prospect of unpaid time off for post-surgery recovery for Kate and Michael.

But take an hour at the beginning of the day to see a physical for an annual check up? Go get my teeth polished? I’d just rather not bother.

I’m sure this will be problematic at some point.

Am I alone? How do I make myself engage in some self care that’s not of the spa variety? Oh, if only my aesthetician could check my vitals while she gave me a pedicure!