by Sr. Sheila Campbell MMM                                 Ireland                              22.03.2025

I am sure you are like me – you do not like going to the doctor. Yes, I am a nurse, and I know the value of the medical profession, but when it comes to oneself – keep me far away! So recently I have been having a few symptoms that need to be checked out.

“Nothing serious”, I say to myself. “Don’t waste the doctor’s time.”  I”t will sort itself out.”   You know how the first phase of denial goes. So, you keep talking to yourself, and the guilt feelings begin to creep in.  What if it is something that could be treated and I have neglected God’s gift of medicine to correct the issue?  Will I be causing a worse problem if I don’t get it looked at?  And then the denial comes back, and I circle around the question for another couple of weeks.

So today I bit the bullet and saw the doctor. I thought my appointment was for 10am but I was bustled in early so didn’t really have time to chicken out. When I was ushered into the doctor’s room I sat down quickly, took a deep breath and began my story.  After a careful examination, “nothing serious to worry about” was the verdict.  Was there relief?  Yes, somewhat, but them the guilt comes back – why did I make so much of it? Am I a hypochondriac?

I really need to learn to laugh at myself and not take life so seriously!

I do believe that my life and my health is a gift from God that the I should cherish and protect, but one day it will all be gone and I will be called to a different sort of life in Christ.  So, yes, look after my health but not so much that I am focused on it.  That is my life’s lesson for today.  I share it with you as many will be going through the same range of emotions as they sit in the doctor’s waiting room.  Take a deep breath and thank God that I am truly alive to recount the experience!