Affliction with many illnesses tends to catch us by surprise. You never really get a chance to choose what you may wish to suffer from. Some will get ill with common and mundane diseases.
Others will get whatever everybody else would never wish to suffer from. Yet, some will get afflicted with pretty embarrassing illnesses, leaving them too embarrassed to even seek help.
You know the lot of those embarrassing illnesses. You may have an itch or a swelling down there, I’m sure you know where. It may be something that came up out of the blue, or you got it out of an unguarded sexual spree. It may be that you cannot hold your pee or pooh, otherwise known as incontinence. You may end up soiling yourself unexpectedly, and having to plan your day around bathrooms.
You might be the gaseous type, the sweaty one, or even the only one lacking libido. The list is endless. I am sure you know of some more.
Embarrassing illnesses tend not to be deadly, only too embarrassing to talk about. Most of them have a remedy, sometimes very simplistic and leaving you wondering why you lived that way for so long. But you are only human, and may find it difficult to bring up matters you consider too intimate to talk about. Keeping it to yourself, and finding some coping mechanisms may work for a while. The best solution is to put yourself together and get it sorted once and for all.
For starters, you may get some comfort just knowing that others may also suffer from a similar illness. Gather some courage and talk to somebody about it. Healthcare workers are used to discussing all sorts of things, you’ll hardly find them making any ill judgments about your affliction.
See your regular doctor, or select one randomly. If you have a close friend you can confide in, bring them along to the appointment. Or just come alone if that works better. Be completely open to your doctor. If it becomes too much to talk about, write it down and pass the note over. Or arrange a phone consult, which you can always complement with a physical visit once the ice is broken.
Get your life back by seeking help with all those embarrassing and irritating ailments. No one deserves to live in seclusion just because they can’t gather enough courage to speak up about what they consider embarrassing.
So much help is out there. True, you may encounter the judgemental type who might make a mockery of your affliction. But such are in the minority.
The vast majority of healthcare providers will go out of their way to help out, and keep it confidential. No illness is ever too embarrassing to just ignore, or wish away.
mrgalfred@aol.com
