For as long as I can remember, I’ve always disliked visiting the hospital for a medical check-up. It wasn’t just about the usual fear of doctors finding something wrong, it went deeper than that. I was scared of the results, and honestly, I didn’t want to face whatever they might say. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way, but for me, it was personal, and I’ll tell you why.
It started with a friend of mine who had a life-changing experience during a medical check-up. She had been dealing with severe headaches for a while, and after much persuasion, she decided to go to the hospital for some tests. The results were shocking. She was told that her genotype was "AS" instead of "AA." This might not seem like a big deal to some people, but for her, it was everything. She had been in a relationship with a man who was also "AS," and they were planning to get married. But after receiving this test result, she made the heartbreaking decision to break up with him. She feared that their children might inherit sickle cell disease, and she thought it was better to end things rather than take that risk.
After a year she moved on with her life, but one day she went to another hospital for a completely unrelated issue. It was there that she received the shock of her life the test results from a year ago were wrong. Her genotype was actually "AA," not "AS" like they had said before. That meant she could have married the man she loved, but because of a simple mistake, she had lost something precious.
Hearing her story made me afraid of getting check-ups. It made me think, "What if I go to the hospital, and they tell me something that changes my life forever? What if I find out something that I wasn’t ready to know?" I know it sounds dramatic, but it was how I felt for a long time. I started avoiding the hospital. I convinced myself that if I didn’t know, it couldn’t hurt me.
But this year, things changed. I found myself in a new chapter of my life. I was planning to get married, and as part of the marriage requirements, my fiance and I were told that we needed to go for a medical check-up before the wedding. At first, I wasn’t too happy about it. I had put off going to the doctor for so long and now I was being forced to do it as part of the marriage process. It wasn’t just a suggestion it was a must.
So, after months of procrastination, my partner and I finally booked an appointment at the hospital. I still had my reservations. I kept wondering, "What if something shows up that we didn’t expect? What if it turns out that one of us has a health issue that we didn’t know about?" I was nervous, and to be honest, I didn’t want to go. But I knew that I had to.
We arrived at the hospital, and I felt a mix of emotions. I was nervous, but I was also trying to stay calm. The process was straightforward tests, blood work, and a quick check-up. I was surprised at how easy it was. The doctors and nurses were friendly, and they didn’t make us feel awkward or uncomfortable. It wasn’t as intimidating as I thought it would be. I kept reminding myself that this wasn’t about finding problems, it was about taking care of ourselves and making sure we were healthy before starting this new chapter in our lives.
The results back and thankfully, everything was normal. Nothing unusual came up, and we both left the hospital feeling relieved. I was honestly surprised by how much lighter I felt. It wasn’t just about being healthy, it was about taking control of our health together as a couple. We knew we were both healthy, and it gave me a sense of peace knowing that we had done what we needed to do to protect ourselves.
Now I realize that avoiding medical check-ups for all those years was a mistake. I was so afraid of the unknown that I let that fear control me. But after this experience, I see things differently. Regular check-ups aren’t about finding problems, they’re about prevention. They’re about staying informed and making sure that even if something is wrong, it’s caught early. They give you the power to take control of your health before things get out of hand.
I also realized that I had been too quick to judge medical tests based on one bad experience. Yes, my friend’s story was heartbreaking, but it wasn’t the norm. It was a rare mistake that shouldn’t define the entire medical profession. Most of the time, doctors are doing their best to help us, not harm us. I’m no longer afraid of medical check-ups. I’ve learned that they are an essential part of staying healthy, and I will make sure to continue going for regular check-ups.
NOTE ALL THE PICTURES ARE MINE
This is my response to this week's episode of #smp-w11
