Who here likes going to the doctors? Not I! All it takes is one bad experience to turn you off to something good. The last time I found myself in the emergency room I waited for hours on end while in excruciating pain only to eventually get discharged with a poor diagnosis. I vowed that I would never go back to the ER after that experience. Fast forward to a few days ago. I woke up with a dull ache in the side of my right abdominals. This struck me as something unusual because it was a feeling I wasn’t familiar with. I workout regularly so I know what muscle ache feels like and I knew it wasn’t that. It also didn’t feel like a stomach ache or joint pain. It felt deeper like it could be an organ. But aside from that ache, which I would rate a 4 on a scale of 1-10, I felt perfectly normal. I had no other obvious symptoms that would alarm me so I went about business per usual and decided to wait it out a day. The following morning I woke up feeling only slightly worse with the pain, but I knew it was time to find out what this was before things progressed further so much to my reluctance I went to a walk-in clinic hoping for faster service and a quick diagnosis. After some tests they determined I needed to immediately go to the ER for further tests because it was unclear whether it was my appendix, kidney, ovaries or something worse any of which could require surgery. Of course the worse case scenario was what came to mind and I became very concerned and scared. I did as the doctor ordered and went to the nearest hospital, which happened to be NYU. Within twenty minutes of arriving I was already in the nurses care, which was a Godsend and soon after I had a diagnosis– a kidney infection. The first thought that came to mind was “Wow how did this happen?” The answer is I had a UTI infection that went undetected and eventually it travelled up to my kidneys. The crazy thing is I was feeling at my best just a day before this pain broke out and was actually vacationing last week.
My take away in all of this is that you never know what can happen even when you live an active, healthy lifestyle. You are your own best critic when it comes to your body. When you feel slightly unusual take that as a warning and get yourself to a doctor immediately. Unfortunately, many symptoms of major health issues can fly under the radar dismissed as minor aches and pains that we may attribute to aging or stress or just feeling under the weather. The longer we wait, the more at risk we put our health in.
So here’s something I encourage you to try. Everyday you wake up do a quick assessment on how you feel. Do a mental scan from head to toe and make note of the physical, mental and emotional state that you are in. This practice will help bring you more in tune with your body. Anytime you feel something that feels odd to you, tell your doctor and if it persists please insist you get tested. Doctors make mistakes sometimes do with their diagnosis, but your body will never lead you astray. Preventative care is the best way we can lead a healthy life. Learn to be proactive not reactive with your health.
I’m happy to report that just after my first dose of antibiotics the pain was already gone. I am now back to enjoying my life as I know it–at it’s fullest! Had I waited longer before going to the doctor I could have found myself in a life-threatening situation. Kidney infections that are not treated immediately can release toxins into your blood stream, which can then poison your other vital organs. Luckily, I followed my instinct and sought medical attention to get the help I needed, which is aided in a full, quick recovery! Â
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