When I was doing the final training session for my last 5k race, I noticed that right under my left armpit was sore. I blamed it on the seam of my t-shirt rubbing. That area continued to be sore, however. So I went exploring in the region with my fingers: no swelling, no bumps, no lumps, nothing hard or squishy feeling. Had it been any of those things I would have been at the doctor right away. I don’t mess around when it can be the big “C.”
The soreness continued, and so once my health provider got my coverage all straightened out, I made an appointment. My doctor poked around. At first she wasn’t landing on the sore spot, so I showed her where it hurt.
“Does it feel like is under your ribs?”
“No it is on top of them.”
I got an “Ah ha,” and she continued on with her prodding. When she was done and back in front of her computer monitor, she asked, “Do you wear an underwire bra?”
“Why yes I do.”
“Stop. You have costochondritis. Basically the underwire is aggravating the cartilage that holds your ribs together. It’s inflamed, which is why it is tender.”
What a simple fix! At least it would be if I owned a bra without wires that wasn’t a sports bra. So I took her diagnosis and recommendation as a prescription for shopping. I don’t like shopping, but I like the diagnosis: it is so much better than other things the symptoms could have meant. I’ll take it.
When I got home that day, this was in the mail.
coincidence? I think not.
Has anyone else ever been given a prescription to shop? Or Who would have thought that my undergarments were out to get me?
Grown Up, Now What? 