Greetings!
Each time I come across prompts on health, I always feel pokes on my body—pinching and reminding me of how poorly I have been in considering my health, especially when it comes to going for medical checkups. Whether it is for mere sickness, symptoms, or even just a routine checkup when I am not sick or feeling any symptoms, I have not been very committed to it.
When was the last time I went for a medical checkup?
The last time I visited a hospital for a medical checkup was two years ago, and that happened after a very long period of not visiting the hospital for either treatment or checkups. Yes, it has been so long that I cannot even remember how much time had passed before that visit. And, funny enough, my visit to the hospital was not just for a routine checkup—it was because I had severe stomach pain that persisted even after taking medication, and nothing worked. So, it was not a case of me willingly going for a checkup; rather, it was the sickness that pushed me to do so.
The truth is, I have been living with the 'culture of the old', and I do not think I am far from it. In the olden days, while living in the village, we hardly fell sick. Whenever sickness came, we tackled it with drugs, and it disappeared just like that. We only visited the hospital when the sickness became very critical and paid no attention to medicines. Maybe I should brag—the only time I laid in a hospital bed was two years ago when I went for that medical checkup. I have been living with the mindset of "knowing what sickness or symptom I am feeling." You may call it self-medication, and truthfully, it has been working for me, even though it is not medically recommended.
The Fear of Worse Medical Results
I have a neighbor who, even to this day, brags about never going for a medical checkup. His reason? "What if the result turns out to be something heartbreaking?" This is actually one of the reasons why many people do not like the idea of going for checkups, whether they are not sick or just feeling minor symptoms. What if AIDS or an even deadlier disease is discovered in the result? I remember when I finally agreed to go for a medical checkup—I had already concluded that I was suffering from stomach ulcers because the symptoms were so obvious. Even then, I was hoping not to be diagnosed with something more serious because I knew it would be very hard for me to accept.
Fortunately for me, nothing was found when the results came out, and I was excited because all I needed was just normal treatment with drugs for stomach pain. Even at that, I was greatly vexed at the amount I spent on the checkup. Yes, I regretted it because I could have used that money to buy drugs or, better yet, buy enough food and eat. So, this is another reason that keeps me away from medical checkups. I know it is bad and not advisable, but come on—it feels somehow to spend that amount of money on a monthly checkup. I must say, people who go for regular checkups are really trying.
Thanks for reading
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