diagnosis

Sometimes a cough is just a cough. And sometimes it is something more.

There have been plenty of times in life when I've misdiagnosed my symptoms and situations. Either out of ignorance, wishful thinking, or due to look-alike symptoms. And not just when it comes to my health.

How often has a situation made me explode with anger, when my anger actually has nothing at all to do with today's situation but something that happened last week, last month, last year.

How often have I justified someone's actions because I didn't want to see the truth. That he was violent. Or manipulative. An addict. Or simply not meant to be in my life.

How often do I judge others, not because they are wrong or different but simply because I'm afraid of being judged myself.

How often have I felt sick and in need of a doctor, when really I just needed to eat better, exercise more, get enough sleep, and reduce the stress I've put on myself.

And how often have I said I wasn't sick, said it wasn't broken, said it didn't hurt, because I was afraid I'd have to slow down, rely on others, and miss out on all the fun.

Diagnosis means getting to the root cause of your symptoms, be they anger, frustration, exhaustion, or a cough. And only after a proper diagnosis can you treat -- perhaps even cure -- whatever ails you.

EMBRACE DIAGNOSIS.

(Please forgive me if this post seems a bit drug induced. A diagnosis of bronchitis means I -- woman with nothing in her medicine cabinet -- now have antibiotics, steroids, and codeine running concurrently through my veins. Yee haw!)