2009, The Year Nothing Happened

I feel compelled to write a Top Ten list of 2009 stuff or some predictions for 2010. Everybody's doing it! Peer pressure, peer pressure, be your best friend....

The best thing about 2009 was that I made friends with David Farley on Facebook and now I have 10 years worth of Doctor Fun to read. Prediction -- there will be a lot of Doctor Fun in my blog in 2010.

But 2009 is not remarkable for what happened, it's remarkable for what didn't happen. It was an optimistic year for me, optimistic that I had the ability to wait patiently for things to turn around. I am possibly delusional. It remains to be seen.

Top 10 Things That Didn't Happen in 2009

1. I didn't get a job

2. I didn't get a date

3. I didn't get a mammogram

4. I didn't go to the dentist

5. I didn't go to the eye doctor

6. I didn't buy an iPhone

7. I didn't get the flu

8. I didn't get a sunburn

9. I didn't go to any funerals or weddings

10. I wasn't published in any magazines

Number Three turned out to be prophetic. Back in February I refused to get a mammogram since I just had one last year. The idea you go from no mammograms to one every single year at a certain age just seemed stupid to me, especially without insurance. I got a false positive the first year I had one. I'm already skeptical of the things. So I'm gonna do multiple visits again with no insurance to pay for it? I was worried enough when my first mammogram required a follow up visit. That was just because of the disconcerting notion of having a cancerous tumor in my body. But I had insurance so it didn't even cost me anything. Spending all my savings and having no money to pay for DSL would REALLY be upsetting. And what if I ended up with a diagnosis that turns into being refused insurance coverage later for a pre-existing condition? Screw that.

In November the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force came out with new recommendations that basically said officially what I decided for myself earlier in the year. No more yearly mammograms necessary. Unfortunately your doctor can still do whatever she wants, and if she won't write you a prescription unless you get a mammogram, then too bad. Chances are better now that I could find another doctor that agrees with the new guidelines though, now that they're published and there is a basis for the discussion.