I Delayed the Appointment for Eight Months

I was not afraid of the appointment. I told myself that. I was just busy. There was always something more urgent, something that needed doing first, something that felt more real than a screening I had been putting off since my doctor mentioned it the previous year.

The day I finally went, I almost cancelled on the way there. I sat in the car outside the clinic for eleven minutes. I know it was eleven because I counted. I was not ready. I went in anyway.

They found something. It was early. I am here because I finally stopped saying next week.

I do not share this because I want anyone to feel guilty for delaying. I share it because I know how easy it is to put your body last. I did it for eight months. And I know that for some people, eight months is the difference that matters most.

If you have been putting something off, this is not a sign. This is just a story. But maybe it is permission to go.