My Inner Hypochondriac is Showing

First, let me say ... I'm a nurse and and a grown-ass woman ... this is extra embarrassing.  I thought the word was HYPERchondriac.  I'm dumbstruck.  I've been saying it wrong MY WHOLE LIFE.  I had to look it up because spell check wasn't getting me and I couldn't figure out why.  On that note ...

You're welcome, just in case this is news.
Lay and lie -- education for me.

But back to the hypochondriac business.  

I was convinced something was wrong with me -- two somethings for the last few months.

First, I found a big dent (crater) on my skull which I swear wasn't there before.  I googled and nothing good if your skull is disintegrating.  The area is hard, but how could I not notice it before?  Months go by (actual months) and every day I push and press and exam my skull.  I had no other symptoms, but I promise -- it's a big dent.  

Then I remembered.  I used to joke that I have a soft spot on my head like babies do because I had a padded area on my head.  That's gone and a crater is left.  I bet aging took away the "fat pad" and that's what I'm feeling.  (I know we're thinking the same ... if only it took away other fat pads.)

I never went to the doctor because what would the doctor say?  I had a CT scan with my head injury a few year ago and nothing showed up.  I have no other symptoms.  I asked my hairdresser if my head looked okay in that area -- for sun reasons LOL.  It was normal looking.

It was such a worry -- I'm a fool.  (Or if I'm not, and this is deadly, I was right -- but a fool not to go to the doctor.)

Second fit of hypochondriac panic.  Heartburn.  Never had it.  I've had some acid reflux, but never burning point that radiated across my chest.  Various times.  Worse at night.  Left side, right side, upper back.  Felt like someone put a hot coal and left it there -- then it would stop.

Heart attack?  Warning sign?  I've also had a cardiac workup when I had the passing out problems and everything was perfect.  What could possibly be wrong now?

Cold brew coffee.

It gives me heartburn.  Not the caffeine (I'm fine with nitro from the heartburn perspective).  It's something about Starbucks cold brew that gives me The Burn.  I started the correlation and then tested it -- yep.  The heartburn was so much worse on Whole30 because I was "treating" myself to a cold brew a few times a week.  I had a moment when I remembered a friend told me certain coffee beans don't agree with her stomach.  Cue the lightbulb.  I was having cold brew rather than nitro to watch my caffeine intake.  No good deed ... haha.

I'm a big fan of figuring out stuff myself AND I have education on things medical AND I have google.  But, funny how I worried and worried and never saw a doctor.  There have been times when I don't shit around -- to the doctor I go, but I'm glad neither of these ended up being a long, costly workup.  Especially since neither was anything but a case of the HYPOs.  

If I hadn't had a full workup with my passing out problem and subsequent head injury, I probably would have gone to the doctor -- especially the heartburn.  I wanted to take OTC anti-acid, but I never could remember to buy it.  Now I know ... cold brew with consequences.  

I haven't wanted to talk about either because I was worried.  Put it in writing and it's REAL.  I'm glad I finally did because I learned how to spell a dang 5th grade word -- or more correctly, I learned I had the word completely WRONG.  Goodness.  Always a student.  That makes it sound better than always a dunce.

Thoughts are powerful.  Worry is powerful.  Both are often wrong.  Big lesson for me for all the other "worries" and thoughts that I act as a truth.

Reminder for future me because this is something I forget all too often.

Later gators.