I’m getting an MRI on my hip tomorrow. It’s the kind with dye that they’ll have to inject into me. After that they’ll know if I have a stress fracture (I doubt it) or if I have anything wrong with my labrum or if I have anything wrong with my cartilage. One can heal from a stress fracture. A torn labrum can heal. If there’s cartilage deterioration that’s when one has to consider “altering one’s activities.”

That means, most likely, no more running and a future that contains arthritis and perhaps a hip replacement. That wasn’t even from Dr. Google, that was from a real life doctor.

I’m scared of what the doctor might find but I need to know what’s up with my body once and for all.

But I’m also thinking how easy it’s been to get answers now that I’m on private insurance. I went to see a joint specialist and I got some more X-rays in the office right away. Then I scheduled this MRI on Monday for Thursday. It took three days.

I had an MRI last year and it took me about a month and a half to get authorization. Authorization was something I wasn’t familiar with. You need to ask the insurance company if you can have a procedure done. When I was on Obamacare last year, it took a long time. Today I found out that with my private full time job insurance I don’t even need authorization.

So, tomorrow I get an MRI. I’ll get some peace of mind.

I was thankful for Obamacare, I really was. Everyone should have access to healthcare and no one should have to go broke because of it. Obamacare allowed me to go to the doctor. But now I’m realizing the gap between basic healthcare and private healthcare. There’s a difference in the time it takes to see a doctor. There’s a difference in how nice the office you visit is. There’s a difference in the ease of getting treatment.

I had private insurance when I was in my twenties and just out of college and I never appreciated it.

Now I do.

Let’s be honest. It’s because I’m getting older.