TOPIC: THE POOR HEALTH OF THE HEALTH-ORIENTED
One of the silliest things I've noticed about myself and many of my peers in the (pre) health pathway is our willingness to let our own health slip in our long pursuit to one day care for the health of our patients.
Much of my time in college was spent studying, eating poorly, getting little sleep, being overstressed, etc. Studying, while exercising the brain like crazy, does little for the body--for one thing you're sedentary for long periods, and bad posture can gradually cause neck and lower back problems, you can strain your eyes from all that reading, and if you're like me, you may snack on unhealthy foods. I suppose someone out there is now picturing me as a cross-eyed, obese hunchback. Luckily it's not that bad...my hunch is barely noticeable and my eyes give me 'character.' Really, though, sometimes we get so immersed in school that we even forego basic hygiene...I remember reading a med student's experience of cramming late at the library for an exam with his friends and wondering whether or not to 'reward' himself by going home to shower and brush his teeth. Yeah, I can kind of relate.
But something that happened to me this week prompted me to write this article, about how stupid and stubborn I can be about my health (though hopefully someone out there can relate)...First of all, my part-time job does not provide health insurance. I am one of the statistical 20-somethings who gambles on my health by not purchasing health insurance--though I doubt I could afford it.
So, the other day I went to volunteer at the homeless shelter. I did not eat breakfast (stupid, stupid). I walked about a mile on that sunny, warm morning the to get to public transportation, carrying a heavy bag. After my stop, I walked another mile to get to the soup kitchen. There, I had coffee (which I rarely drink) and nibbles of a donut (I had no appetite but I didn't eat breakfast). Did lots of standing and walking during worktime, noticing lower back and left ankle were really aching. Gradually I was getting more tired. Relieved a server in scooping rice onto plates, and soon felt lightheaded. I called for a reliever, and headed toward the volunteer lounge. Upon walking, I started feeling really weak and developed tunnel vision; my vision was blackening and blurring and I was stumbling to get to the lounge where I took a seat and put my head down on the table. If I didn't sit down soon, I probably would have fainted. Once I sat down, I felt nauseous and dizzy, but thankfully that soon passed. I was still very weak. Someone offered me juice. The volunteer coordinator had a nurse and practitioner from the clinic come examine me--right there at the lounge. Many curious stares from other volunteers but I was too weak to care. They checked my glucose, blood pressure, oxygen level, etc. Everything was within normal range. The healthcare practitioner suspected it was a combination of things (I told her I think I may be getting sick, as I had a sore throat yesterday and muscle aches) but mainly because I didn't eat breakfast. I think it was a combination of low blood sugar and dehydration. She asked about health insurance and recommended that I visit their free clinic since I didn't have health insurance.
This is what got me thinking about how stubborn I can be about my vitality and the warped idea that I'm invincible. I would love to volunteer at a free clinic (in fact, a few weeks before I called to see if there were positions available there) and yet I feel strange about going there as a patient. I think I'm conflicted by my pride and humility--I
feel healthy, and I wouldn't want them to waste their services on me when it can be better spent on
the needy.
The needy? Am I one of the needy? I don't
feel needy.
By the way, this isn't the first time that the above experience happened to me. The same thing happened when I was shadowing a surgeon and observed my first surgery...I came early for morning rounds with nothing but some coffee and crackers in my stomach. Later that morning, maybe 3 hours into standing in place watching surgery, I started to get light-headed and my vision became dark. Some staff guided me to the doctor's lounge to rest.
The worst thing about these experiences for me is the feeling of being a burden to others. I hated that I couldn't finish my volunteering shift and that someone else had to work in my place. I hated that people had to check up on me to make sure I was okay. I hated that this happened because I didn't eat breakfast, TWICE. What it comes down to is that I really need to be more mindful of my health and develop better habits like getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and
eating a good breakfast. Hopefully I've learned my lesson by now. I need to become the doctor who practices what she preaches.
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