No one likes going to the doctor and I'm no exception. There are times, however, where it's absolutely necessary. If something in or on your body hurts, and you don't know what it is, please see a doctor as soon as possible. Getting the proper treatment when it can make a difference can literally mean the difference between life and death.

My Father Died Yesterday

According to my mother, my father had been complaining of back pain originating in his ribcage in an area on his back. This had been going on for at least two years, maybe longer. My father didn't like going to doctors anymore than I do.

Around four months ago, he was being examined to find out what was bothering him. It wasn't until about three weeks ago that he was taken to a hospital and admitted. It was then that the multiple myeloma was discovered.

It's quite possible that if the cancer was detected early enough, it could have been treated and he could have died peacefully instead of spending weeks in pain as a terminally ill patient.

My Mother's Health

In March of last year (2008) when my wife and I visited my parents, we found out that my mother was spending a lot of time in bed. Her gall bladder was bothering her and she didn't know that was what it was. She was having trouble urinating and didn't know what was causing it.

My wife told my younger sister, who lives there, that she needed to take my mother to a doctor because something was wrong. My sister took her a day or two later. It was then that she found out she had gallstones.

The gallstones were pressing against her pancreas, which caused her to develop pancreatitis. In the initial days of her stay in the hospital, it was discovered that my mother had one kidney that didn't work and the other wasn't working well. I don't remember what caused the second kidney to start having problems, but I think it was the pancreatitis.

My mother spent around four months in either a hospital or a nursing home, recovering from the worst of the condition. She now requires dialysis treatments three times a week and will continue to do so for the rest of her life.

The early detection of the gallstones may have made a difference.

Doctors and Hospitals

I, like my parents, dislike going to a doctor for anything. It isn't about the money. It's about the fact that it takes so many visits for them to determine what, if anything, is actually wrong. Some symptoms are caused by the effects of age and not always because something's out of place.

I inherited my stubbornness when it comes to doctors and hospitals and I now know that I need to change my point of view before something bad happens. I know what ails me right now so if anything changes, I plan to make a beeline to a local doctor's office as soon as possible. I'm not young anymore and I really can't afford to take chances.

• My Father is Dying from Multiple Myeloma, a Form of Cancer
• Treating My Wife's Myoma with Progesterone
• I'm All Out Of Time!
• My Wife's Health Update
• My Wife's Continuing Health Problems