hurry up and wait.

That's the business of an actor, but also apparently of a patient... which seems to be the role I'm playing most these days! Currently I am in the waiting room at admissions at Cedars-Sinai, where I will soon be escorted down the hall to fill out paperwork before being escorted to a whole new building for my actual appointment for an EEG. It's a brain test that is checking for sleep and seizure disorders after I had some semi-suspicious (but most likely totally fine) sleeping spells during a medical test a few months back. This is the last test in a series of them that I have endured over the past month or so-- first an x-ray on my hip (which has been bothering me since the car accident I was involved in on New Year's Eve), showing that I likely will be undergoing (minor, but still warranting a month on crutches) surgery later this year; then an MRI for both my hip and brain (not nearly as terrifying as I'd been told-- thank you, Valium); and today the EEG. It's mesmerizing how one can feel so healthy yet be told that so much is "wrong!"

I'll know my official results for all of these issues next week, but in the meantime I have learned a lot. First, don't ignore symptoms or treat them as minuscule, especially when a legal settlement is involved and "you still have a good 60 years to live!," says my lawyer (ha, that sounds funny). Second, I hate our healthcare system and any and all phone calls related to insurance, be it health or auto related. Third, you will always be waiting, so bring something to do (especially if you want to distract yourself from the temptations of Facebook when you're trying to cut back. Next, that my family and friends rock and the support they continue to provide me in all areas is of the utmost value. So, thanks to all of you who have held me accountable for sticking to my appointments, driven me to and from them, helped me to pay for them, and listened to me vent and whine about how stressful it all is. And lastly, that it always always could be worse. Sure, appointments take up time and money and energy, and sometimes bring on a little pain and/or anxiety, but I am nonetheless healthy and thriving compared to so many, and these little bitty hiccups certainly aren't worth agonizing over.

xxo.

Photo Caption: "Ms. Smith, would you like us to mark your file as confidential since you're an actor?" Why yes, yes I would.