If You Go...They Will Treat You

Have you ever been to a mechanic, told them your engine was making a knocking noise and had them send you home? Of course not. That’s not what mechanics do when you tell them your engine isn’t working right. They take it for the day, or two, test it and try to fix it. Sometimes they will do lots of tests, tighten bolts, change belts and there will still be a knocking noise. Sometimes, they will discover there was a loose marble in your trunk making all that noise. Sometimes, they will discover that your engine would have fallen out on the highway had you driven one more mile.

Doctors are the mechanics of the body. If you go to them with a symptom or two, they will treat you the way and to the degree they see fit. I may think I have only a cold worthy of some sympathy and an acknowledgement but they see a potential lung infection on the horizon and prescribe IV antibiotics through a PIC line! Ouch! I could argue and bargain (‘if I get worse I’ll do IV’s’ etc.) but that is usually futile. If I go to the doctor for my cold, I can expect for them to treat me and HOW they treat me is not in my hands. I can’t get upset with their solution when I’m the one that asked for them to check the engine!

Because of this, I am cautious to have clear, responsible definitions for myself of when I am in trouble (i.e. "I will go to the doctor if I get a fever with this runny nose) and only reach out at those times. Otherwise, I keep my cold to myself.