Lupus and Doctors: When one appointment equals four more!

Anyone out there have a strategy for making annual doctor appointments? You know the ones - the once-a-year gynecologist, dentist, dermatologist, etc. appointments that sneak up on you year after year? You blink, and it's time to schedule another one. And before you know it, you're three (make that six) months overdue, and the doctor is booking another three months out. 

I've heard of people scheduling  appointments for the same day each year, like on their birthday, so they always know that they're scheduled. Or they make a point to call the first business day of the new year to book them all.  I'll try anything - suggestions are welcome! 

I don't think I struggled to remember the "annuals" until the pandemic.  I think we all fell out of habits and routines during that time! But I was also overwhelmed with scheduling pressing medical needs for my parents that I let my maintenance appointments fall by the wayside. 

But now I'm back in the habit, and I remember another reason why I may have unintentionally overlooked the annuals- because every appointment seems to yield three more! 

I finally found time for my annual gynecologist appointment recently. I walked in, excited to mark this big annual off my list. But I failed to remember that I'd be assigned homework - in the form of booking a follow-up mammogram appointment.  Right. Forgot about that one. Okay, that's one. 

But I'd also forgotten that due to my complex tissue, I always have to book a second mammogram with a specialist three months after the first mammogram. That's two.

But this year, due to my age, my doctor ordered a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy!! How am I old enough to be talking colonoscopies??!! I was just helping my parents weigh the pros and cons of their colonoscopies not too long ago - and they were old! 

When I started this blog years ago, discussing the details of life in my mid-twenties - I definitely did not see talk of colonoscopies in my future. 

But here we are. 

And here I go, off to three more appointments. 

Update: I had the mammogram, and the plan to get a colonoscopy took a surprising turn. Will share all in an upcoming post!