"Take two aspirin, get some rest and drink lots of fluids" or
"Here's a prescription for an antibiotic, take for five days and you'll be fine" or
"I think you're over the worst now"
I tend to steer clear of
"Oooh, I've never seen a rash quite as virulent in quite that location before" or
"Well, your hair might grow back but I'm not hopeful" or
"I think you might be better off seeing a vet"
and I certainly never expect to hear the word "irreversible" in an sentence that they might utter!
Until recently, my visits were firmly in the first section above. That was until I went for my usual MOT on my birthday. As per usual, my GP took blood samples for testing and told me to check back in two weeks. Not as per usual, he called back a week later saying the results had come back and were showing a high level of creatnine. I of course mistook this for Creatine and immediately denied I was taking any form of steroid or body-building drug (mind you, anyone who's seen me would know immediately that I don't!). While I was still reeling, he advised that the result was an indication of kidney damage and I should see a specialist forthwith.
Armed with a GP letter I was fortunate to get an early appointment from a nearby nephrologist who took one look at the bloods, confirmed the GP analysis and added that it was irreversible. He followed that double whammy with an estimation that I was running at 15% kidney function. Pending further tests I was advised cut down on excessive salt (bye-bye cheese and onion crisps) and start taking blood-pressure pills (Me? BP? That only happens to old people surely?).
And so, in the space of a few days I went from considering myself relatively healthy to exploring the whole new world that is chronic kidney disease.
