Wasting Time

Image: Openverse

I really don't like going to the doctor.

I have to be pretty sick to see my GP. For example, a couple of years ago, after a camping trip with DW to Killarney Provincial Park, I developed a fever and felt under the weather. I thought I might have caught a bought of COVID—I hadn't caught it yet and even though I was always wearing masks when in public, it wasn't impossible—but several tests came back negative. After almost 10 days, when I seemed to be getting worse and I discovered a red mark on my leg, I finally went to the hospital, suspecting that I had Lyme disease.

Ten days of feeling awful before I had it treated.

I was reluctant when I went to see my doctor, a few weeks ago, because of an acute pain on the lower-right side of my abdomen. DW was concerned that it was my appendix, even though I didn't tick all of the boxes for that diagnosis, but we thought that we were better to be safe than sorry.

Turns out that I had appendicitis. And an abdominal infection.

I didn't have the surgery to remove the appendix because the surgeon said that she'd have to remove more than just my small, unnecessary appendage. She'd have to remove some of my intestines, including about half of my colon.

I didn't like that idea.

So we treated the infection with strong antibiotics and made plans to meet afterward to see what's what.

But I couldn't get an appointment with the surgeon until August 17, and that has me concerned. After a couple of days of having finished my antibiotics, I feel a dull throb in my entire lower abdomen. Indeed, pressing on my gut feels like pressing on the leather headrest of my car seat. There's a bit of give but it's mostly firm, as though I'm clenching my stomach muscles.

If I really push near my appendix, the pain is acute but my appendix doesn't really hurt on it's own.

Because the surgeon had given me her phone number and e-mail address, I wrote to her about what diagnostic scans or tests I should have before our meeting. In her response, she simply said that we would discuss those when we met, in mid-August.

I don't think so.

I don't like going to a doctor unless we have solid plans in place. When I suspected that I might have Lyme disease, we went through the symptoms and I was promptly prescribed the medication to treat it. In fact my doctor sent the prescription straight to the closest pharmacy, and by the time I got there, it was ready to pick up.

I don't want to go to the surgeon empty-handed. To me, it's a waste of both our time, talking about the discomfort I'm in, not knowing if the antibiotics have done their job. I don't want an appointment that will only have me going for new tests and then having to return for another appointment to discuss the test results.

So, I've made an appointment with my GP to let her know how I feel and to get her to order the tests shortly in advance of my appointment with the surgeon. When I meet with the surgeon, she'll know exactly what's going on with my insides. She'll be able to look and we can then book a date for the surgery.

No wasting time.

In a way, I find August 17 to be too far away for someone who was diagnosed with appendicitis on July 5 and who would have had his appendectomy that day, had the CT scan showed the surrounding infection.

If they thought the appendix needed to come out that day, why the delay? And why wouldn't the surgeon want the diagnostics as soon as possible?

I haven't told the surgeon that I'm going through my GP ahead of our appointment. She'll just receive any tests a day or two ahead of our appointment and we'll go forward from there.

In a way, I wish something dramatic would happen sooner, like the abdominal pain becoming acute and chronic, or that I develop a fever, in which case I was told not to wait and to get back to the hospital right away.

The only thing I hate more than doctor's appointments is having an appointment that wastes everybody's time.