Do something about that, soon.

I got so wrapped up as a caregiver for two consecutive elderly family members that I neglected my own health for most of the past 20 years. Other than treatment for injuries (hit by cars in 2001 and again this year), and an ER visit for pneumonia after I'd apparently become unresponsive at home, I didn't get any regular medical attention. I exercised, rode my bike, ate properly, and figured it would be good enough.

It all caught up with me this year, now that I'm 60. After I was hit by a car this spring the ER discovered my thyroid problem was much worse than expected, when they did a neck X-ray. It's so swollen and distorted it's shoved my trachea and esophagus an inch or two sideways and constricted both to the extent I can barely swallow, and it's hard to get enough air during hard exertions. I hadn't taken thyroid meds for years and it suddenly failed over the summer. For the past couple of weeks I can barely walk some days due to exhaustion and dizziness. I'm needing to repeat a biopsy because they can't determine whether it's also cancerous.

Fortunately I'm eligible for VA medical care and they got me registered and set up for medical appointments pronto, including another thyroid ultrasound this weekend. I'd avoided using the VA for years because I'd heard they were so overloaded they couldn't handle disabled combat vets -- I have no combat related disabilities and didn't want to burden the system. But our region is well staffed and equipped and nobody is being turned away or under-served.

But if I'd gotten started with the VA a year or so ago I might have avoided some problems.

And, back to the original topic, I can also get treatment for chronic pain related to a 2001 accident that broke my back and neck. Most of the back pain has eased up but I still have chronic neck and shoulder pain and stiffness.