Your Annual Check-Up Is More Important Than You Think
In the past, I have shared some of my medical “misadventures” for comic effect (my fear at having an ingrown toenail removed comes to mind), but a recent medical scare in the month of August was no laughing matter for me or my family. After falling ill on the last day of a three-day weekend in Wichita, Kansas to see my son Brett perform in the Summer Stock theater there, I was diagnosed with a condition called BPH, or Benign Prostate Hypoplasia. The good news is the condition is relatively common, treatable, and it alerts my doctor to keep a closer eye on me over potentially more serious problems in the future. I bring this up because I am a relatively healthy, active 57 year old who has been getting an annual physical without fail since I turned 50. I’ll admit I was upset when all of this happened…how can I possibly have any medical problems when I’m so conscientious about taking care of myself? I ride my bike 100 miles a week, I eat right, I don’t smoke or drink alcohol excessively…why me? What I realized pretty quickly is EVERYBODY who gets an unexpected medical curveball thrown at them probably feels the same way: “Why Me?” The doctors treating me all said the same thing: thank goodness you have been seen regularly, you have a track record of medical tests and treatments, so we can chart the best course for dealing with this current problem. My message in this blog post is simple: do what you can to take care of your health – both physical and mental – so if you’re faced with an unexpected medical challenge, you’ll have all the tools necessary to meet that challenge.
John Young
