Catching Up with Appointments

Covid has put a wedge into nearly every single plan of the vast majority of people over the past year. Only a very select few (and some of the disgustingly wealthy) seem to be unaffected by this worldwide pandemic. 

So what does this mean for chronic illness patients? 

In a nutshell, it meant surgery postponements, appointment postponements or altogether cancellations, a change in the method of appointments, reduced monitoring and screening capabilities, and a general sense that we were (to a degree) on our own for a while. 

Now, I have been one of the very lucky ones in regards to the pandemic. Our household has been able to safely socially isolate without severely disrupting our home. That doesn't mean we have come out unscathed, but more that we have not suffered severe damages from all of the changes. I have also been lucky in that I have incredible physicians and I have not felt abandoned in ANY way. It was made clear that, yes, my long-standing appointments would have to be postponed, but that if there IS something emergent that comes up, not to hesitate to call. 

The greatest understanding was that healthcare professionals of all ranks would have their hands full with Covid, but that any uncontrolled or severely symptomatic patients would not be ignored. 

This has been vital. 

I have also been lucky in that I had no urgent surgeries that had to be postponed. 

Now, a year later, specialist offices are just beginning to catch up with those postponed appointments. (I know this because I have received those phone calls this week). 

The story is different for many. 

Patients who have been in severe flare-ups, awfully symptomatic, or who have truly suffered from postponed procedures and being left to their own devices have had a tremendously difficult year. 

As a chronic illness patient, there is this triage format that we come to understand. Our symptoms can vary from needing emergency care to just hanging on for a few days until a flare-up settles down. Our urgent importance ranks lower than terminal illnesses, life-threatening injuries, hemorrhaging, urgent mental illness, and so on and so forth.... and now, of course, Covid.  So I knew, at the beginning of this pandemic, that my chronic illnesses - because they are in a relatively predictable state (even though I am not in remission) - that I would not be seen unless I got into some major medical distress. 

Again, luckily for me, I also knew that if something emergent did come up, I would not be turned away, and my family physician would get me in asap. 

It has been a whirlwind. 

It is always difficult to know when to call, when to schedule an appointment, when to make a stink, and when go to to the ER. It is a blind-folded balancing act - we have no clue when/if things will improve or worsen and what the 'worst' might even be. We don't always know where one symptom is leading, and we definitely don't always know how to get out of a flare or how long it may last.  

So we make our best guesses. 

Doing that during a pandemic, without using up any additional resources, is actually a tough burden to hold sometimes. 

In the next few months doctors will be catching up with postponed/cancelled appointments. Time to get all of these chronically ill patients back on track. That means resuming regular bloodwork (which has slowed during the past year), and being able to pay closer attention to symptoms, flares, medications, and warning signs. I applaud all of my fellow spoonies for hanging in there and hanging on while this pandemic rages - knowing things will eventually be put back into place. 

With this all happening and with the vaccines being rolled out, I hope we can all enjoy a modicum of normalcy over the next few months. 

I know that I am looking forward to my specialist checkups.