Saturday, June 17, 2006

Signs, Signs Everywhere Signs

So I was planning to blog yesterday, and I had all kinds of neat things to say. Unfortunately, I fell asleep instead, and all that goodness went flowing out of my head. So instead, I shall write random things until I decide I need to actually get off the couch and do stuff today.

I do have a reason to be so tired, though. It's that time of the every-other-month. Took me by surprise this time. Didn't have any of the usual symptoms. I'm glad, though, that my cycles are slowly getting more normal. It must have been my thyroid that had me so messed up.

I've decided that I am going to pattern my life after what I read in various places. Bear with me as I explain.

I mentioned the the little prayer TG left in my comments earlier this week. Well, later on that same day, I read the same prayer on Amy's blog. I realized then that the Big Guy was trying to tell me something, and I knew I would be OK.

Well, on Thursday I was running an errand. I drove by a new electronic billboard when it had an ad for an OB/GYN group announcing three new associates. Well, I'm sorta kinda five years overdue for my annual exam (yes, yes, I know. I've been yelled at by everyone I know already). So knowing I may not have insurance in July, I decided to take a chance and call them to see if they had any appointments in June. They did. Next week in fact. Now all of you ladies out there know how rare it is to get an appointment that quickly with that kind of doctor unless you suspect you are pregnant. Of course, since I turned 35 this year, it also means it's time for My First Mammogram (tm). Yee Haw.

On that same drive on Thursday, I drove by my church and saw that they had changed the sign message (they put a little message on the signboard outside the church every other week or so. Sometimes it's really profound, other's it's really cliche). This time it said, "Change is inevitable - growth is an option." I rolled my eyes and said aloud, "OK, Big Guy. I get it already."

So I am now basing my life around things I read on signs. Though I'm not really sure about what the sign board for the Caterie Bar is trying to tell me when it says, "$3 Daquairies Sat Annisette." That's a little too cryptic for me.

2 comments:

tomzgrrl said...

Hey -- I had My First Mammogram (tm) in the fall. (Well, I had one in '01 because of really bad concerns that were benign thank God!) but my first, non-bawling, non-6-months pregnant one, anyway.

It's SOOOOO not that bad! A few seconds of "hold your breath THAT really kind of hurts OH, you're done" kind of quick pain thing. As long as you can get over the "hey, there is a strange woman fondling me" it's all good. Well, at least, it's all not bad!!!! Less than a minute of the really tight pressing and the rest is just the awkward (but highly survivable) naked breast issues! Make jokes and it's fine. Close your eyes and think of the Queen!

I feel that it does a HUGE disservice to women that other women make a mammogram sound like the worst pain or worst experience in the world. It perpetuates fear that ends up keeping women away from a necessary medical evaluation. Okay, wow, bet you didn't expect feminist rhetoric from ME! Guess raising daughters has changed my perspective a bit!

Anyway, you can do it!!!!!!

Sheryl said...

LOL on several fronts, TG!

I'm not scared or worried. More annoyed than anything else. It's just another in a long line of medical procedures I've endured this year. I've had tubes up my nose, down my throat, I've been ultrasounded, x-rayed, CT'd and MRI'd. I've had shots, IV's and breathing treatments. Cavities filled and abscesses drained. And more blood drawn than I care to think about. What's a little boob squashing in the grand scheme of things?

And feminism has gotten a bad rap thanks to a few people who take it to scary extremes. You are absolutely right that there are far too many things that are keeping women from needed healthcare. Fear should not be one of those things.

Now if only we can tackle the equal pay for equal work issue...The law and the reality are two different things.