The Human NCT
by JInga Mom
Whenever I get an NCT reminder, I’m convinced the Department of Transport are running a highly profitable scam (ahem...) but alas, whenever I check the computer generated dates, it turns out the test is due again but how? I could’ve sworn my car was checked six months ago! So when asked the same about our last medical, the answer is usually: when I started my new job - five years ago...before I got pregnant with my daughter - who just started college...when I applied for my mortgage, which is now paid off... you see where I’m going here? The D.O.T have made the NCT mandatory because they know exactly what us humans are like, left to our own devices, we’d be driving around with half our undercarriage scraping off the ground with sparks trailing behind it, waving a ‘it’s grand’ to flashing motorists. Yet this is exactly what we do with our health, we push it off into the future, along with all those other jobs like cleaning out the attic... until one day the car stalls and the tow truck has to drag us home.
Feeling a bit off and don’t know why? Listen to your body, it could be trying to tell you something. Most illnesses don’t arrive fully flared, there’s usually a period of feeling like rubbish for a while, before it rear’s it’s ugly head. And if you’re lucky enough that the listless feeling turns out to be down to life/work overwhelm, a trip to the doc’s is never a wasted visit, once said out loud and identified, changes can be made which slashes your chances of developing a stress related illness in the future.
Since we’re still in the first quarter of the year and have either broken all resolutions by now or made none in the first place, here’s a little something you can do to make you feel smug as you skip into spring. Get a medical. The only exertion required will be making the appointment and getting yourself there. If you haven’t stepped inside a surgery since you wore bell bottoms the first time around, mention it when making the appointment, as you may need to fast in advance for blood tests.
The appointment should include: Taking a personal and family history. Checks on: Blood Pressure, The Heart, Lungs, Abdomen, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Throat, Height and Weight (including abdominal measurements), Neurological, Dermatogical, ECG and Urine Analysis.
Blood samples can be taken for: blood count, liver, kidneys, bone and thyroid function, lipid (cholesterol) and diabetes - don’t worry, one needle should get the lab everything they need.
And while you’re there... women should have a breast exam and a smear, while men should have their testicles and prostate checked. Don’t take it personally when you are swabbed to rule out sexually transmitted infections, whether it’s been a feast or famine of late, they are routinely included regardless of your relationship status.
All done? You now have permission to skive a half day or go for lunch and arrive back to work with your doctors note clutched in your hand and a breathless ‘you wouldn’t believe the queue’. You are told on a plane: in the event of an emergency, secure your own oxygen mask first, this ensures you function at full capacity before helping everyone else. Sometimes it pays to be selfish and us Jinga’s need reminding to put ourselves first now and again. From one Jinga Mom to another, mind yourself. x
