Anxiety over Medical Procedures
(photo by CDC on Unsplash)
I have been anxiously waiting for tests for exactly a year on my stomach acid reflux and esophageal motility. I finally got the call a week ago and I’m now in countdown mode, three days out. I am trying to avoid going out in public, so I don’t catch any viruses before my tests. I am not as nervous this time, because I had the same tests five years ago, when they told me I was not a suitable candidate for surgery. I know this test will be fairly uncomfortable, but manageable.
You know how your car stops making that annoying sound right before you get to the auto repair shop? This is what is currently happening to me. For months, I have been scared of this week, knowing that I would have to stop my medication for the tests. Last time I stopped, I was in agony, with the worst heartburn imaginable. It felt like I was having a heart attack all day long and curled up in the fetal position. So, of course, this week I’m only having minor reflux off my meds. Now I have the opposite fear, that nothing significant will show up on testing day and this year of waiting will all have been in vain.
The truth is, I have given up so many foods and lost so much weight from not being able to eat and drink normally that I no longer have such terrible acid reflux. I honestly can’t even drink a glass of water without pain or even vomiting. But will they take any of this into consideration? I seriously doubt it. The doctor doing the tests is a different person than the specialist who sent me there, so he will have zero background knowledge of my issues. The only person who really understands my day to day is my family Nurse-Practitioner. She is so amazing and always listens and cares, but she is hundreds of miles away from these specialists, who don’t know me from Adam.
I often chat with my American friends on social media, and they describe the challenges of navigating the U.S. system. Between Medicare and Medicaid and every possible level of co-payment, it seems expensive and mind-boggling. It makes me feel very lucky to live in Canada. I seriously looked into paying full price to go across the border and get my testing done faster, but it was simply too much money. I was very impressed at what they offered in Washington state and how helpful all the hospital reception staff were over the phone and via email. They really run a tight, and no doubt profitable, ship.
So, if you are waiting for medical services, I would love to hear from you. From your experience, what are some of the pitfalls of the system you live in?
