I needed to see this today.

COVID+ for the 3rd time in less than 12 months, even though I take every precaution possible and rarely leave my own home anymore. I had early vaccination (I was "essential" to my employer at that time), and a third booster later that year. I wear a mask. I wash my hands. I stay home when I'm sick. I wish most people would do just that very last thing, if nothing else.

I had to take a family member to the emergency room about a week ago. I'm guessing that's where I picked up the virus this time. Again.

I had a procedure scheduled for today (biopsy, basically) that should have been done last fall. It was so, so hard to schedule - I had to have someone drive me to the GI's office to even be acknowledged 4 weeks ago, let alone be seen and scheduled for surgery. This was 3 months after their physician saw me as an attending in the hospital and instructed me to follow up outpatient, and after my hematologist scolded me for it not being done yet (never you mind that I had covid in between the hospital and that visit too). Recent imaging shows even more reason to be seen asap. What are the odds that they'll call me to reschedule? Likely not good enough for me.

This, too, will get resolved, but how much sicker will I be? Is covid just delaying things, or is it making it worse? Evidently I'm a medical mystery and my ten specialists who never speak to each other just can't seem to figure it out. They all say "you should go to Mayo!". Umm - okay? I can be there tomorrow.

I had 2 other appointments this week with 2 other specialists - one follow-up that can likely be telehealth, the other as a new patient with the doctor who would have been my new neurologist except now he can't see me until April 25 (which is indeed the ideal date but not going to work for me or the lesion in my brain). So, looking for another new neurologist - luckily, I know a few. But thanks, covid.

I just "retired" (trying that word on) from healthcare. After over a decade of working in the system, at least I know how to navigate this ridiculousness that is the US healthcare system and eventually get to a provider and/or diagnosis and/or treatment (well, maybe - this video game life of mine just threw another flaming donkey or frog or something at me and I'm still mastering this level).

I can't fathom how the average patient can ever get anything done. We, as a society, can and should do much, much better than this. I, as one person, will use my voice as much as I can to continue advocating for this. I just need to call out sick today.

So yes, I do deserve to be known, and so does everyone reading this (if you're reading this, thanks!). Sharing this in this forum has helped me feel a little better today, and definitely less alone. Now I'll dry my eyes and pick up my phone and fight for myself - because that's what we do.

#Undiagnosed #ChronicIllness #Anxiety #RheumatoidArthritis #ChronicPain #MightyTogether #multipleautoimmune