Time to See a Doctor

By Monday, Jan. 6/20, I knew something was seriously wrong.  I'm a Registered Nurse - I have been one since 2003 - and I couldn't ignore my symptoms any longer.  I was at work that day - sitting in my office at the Hodgson Renal Health Centre - phoning and meeting with clients.  My work as a Chronic Disease Nurse was fulfilling.  I loved meeting with my patients one-on-one and getting to spend that extra time with them - building relationships, listening, and trying to meet them where they were at.  My work was  primarily diabetes education and then follow-up as people tried to learn to live with diabetes.  I had been in this job since Sept. 2018 and although it had been a very steep learning curve for me I was starting to feel comfortable in my role and starting to really enjoy it.

But that day I was in agony.  As I met with clients I tried to hide the fact that I could hardly get out of my chair.  The ones I talked to on the phone had no idea that I was feeling sicker than most of them.

I wondered what to do.  I knew I would advise anyone else to go see a doctor.  What were my options? Do I walk down the hallway to the Percy E. Moore hospital ER and get assessed?  I knew all those nurses and doctors - it was kind of embarrassing.  My appointment with my family doctor wasn't until Jan. 23 and I couldn't wait that long.  I called my family doctor's clinic.  "Was there any cancellation or chance of me getting in sooner?" - the answer was a flat no.

Okay - I picked up the phone and called the Percy E. Moore clinic - or Ongomiizwin Clinic - to be more accurate.  They were also in the attached building next door.  I knew everyone there.  Luckily they had an opening for me that afternoon - so, at the end of my clinic day I hobbled down the long hallway, through the hospital, and over to the clinic waiting room.  Wouldn't you know, one of my patients I had just been speaking to on the phone was also in the waiting room waiting for an appointment.  I couldn't hide my discomfort as I slowly sat down.  We smiled and nodded to each other in sympathy.

Dr. K., who I saw, was one of my favourites to work with.  She's a young doctor, but so brilliant and was someone who often referred her diabetic clients to me.  It was kind of awkward for us to suddenly have a doctor-client relationship but she listened well, did a thorough assessment, and then sent me for a bunch of blood work.

I thanked her and went home after getting my blood work done.  I hoped and prayed that this was all just a passing thing.  Maybe a weird virus?  Some kind of allergy?  I didn't want to believe it could be anything too serious.