The Nanny State

Yet again, I am amazed by the way in which government agencies and systems seem to think that they can interfere in every part of our lives. I am now of an age where I am "invited" to have a mammogram. I received the first "invitation" yesterday. For most health tests, a letter is sent asking you to make an appointment. Not for this. Apparently, my GP surgery has "made an appointment for you". What's more, the appointment was within 3 days of receiving the letter. Of course, it's totally impossible to attend. How stupid to make an appointment for someone without checking their availability. I wonder how many women receive such letters and simply can't go to the appointment but don't bother to cancel, meaning that someone who could have taken that slot is not given the opportunity to do so. How dare they assume that we can simply fit into the schedule they consider to be appropriate. It is so rude, and so bad-mannered. I don't know why I'm surprised really - this is simply typical of the nanny state. After all, I couldn't possibly be trusted to make my own appointment, could I?

Of course, I've cancelled and rebooked for a time convenient to me, not to nanny. But this has placed me in something of a dilemma. Having been through cancer treatment, one of the things I ask myself regularly is what I would do if I had a recurrence. I really don't know that I would accept treatment again. So, if I go to this appointment and they call me back because they've found an abnormality, what do I do? And then there's the point that the type of cancer I've already had would not have been - and was not - detected on the Pap smears that are carried out as a matter of course. So, time to weigh up the risks, I suppose. I've organised the appointment for just after my next hospital visit, so I can talk this through with Nurse and decide what to do. I'm sure she'll insist that the tests are a good thing, but I'm not convinced. I feel that state is taking away my right to choose. These constant "invitations" feel like an invasion of my privacy and I resent it. I realise that it would be wise to have the tests, but because they're being forced on me, my immediate response is to resist - I have a brain, I can make my own decisions. I want to be treated as an equal, not as a slightly stupid woman who has no mind of her own and who will agree that nanny knows best.

Guess what! Nanny has absolutely no idea!