And you went to the doctor because?

I never understood why people go to the doctor and then not follow his advice. It’s one of the most idiotic things in the world to me—as if, the years of medical school just encompassed a suggested reading list.

If you think about other professions, it’s rare that people don’t really pay attention to the advice or direction given. Case in point, when you’re being arrested and the officer starts reading your Miranda rights, you probably wouldn’t say, “You know, I understand I have the right to remain silent, but I was thinking, eh…how about we talk about my Aunt Sally, instead?” Can you imagine walking into your accountant’s office and saying, “Nah, how about we just file half the tax return this year? Because I just don’t feel like I really need to file what you’re telling me.”

But no, when people go to the doctor, they feel that they graduated medical school right along with him. Yep. They know all about everything because they read some stuff on Web MD before they showed up. Goodness knows that what they read on the Internet is far more valuable than what the doctor knows. It’s like, why don’t you just get yourself a bottle of ether and a saw and have at fixing your own broken leg then?

I know what you’re going to say. You don’t really like your doctor. Well, newsflash, medical schools around the world are still graduating doctors every day. Imagine that? Go find one that you trust and like.

So, the next time you start thinking about visiting your MD, take a moment to collect yourself and figure out if you’re going to hear what he’s saying. Because if not, just save yourself the co-pay, self-diagnose, stay home and stay sick—pretty much. At the very least, you’ll be helping kept the cost of insurance down.