Relief at Last

So yesterday I finally called the doctor's office, bracing myself for disappointment. They said one of the other doctors in the practice could see me at 4:30 and I eagerly agreed. Of course 4:30 really means 5:20 but you have to get there on time anyway. The reason I had finally stopped procrastinating and made the appointment was that my face felt sore and bruised now instead of just the normal sinus pressure and congestion and I was beginning to think that it was a sinus infection and maybe they'd give me antibiotics that would help temporarily even if they continued to tell me there was nothing they could do about the allergies except the same things that haven't been working for almost a decade. Anyway so after almost an hour of waiting, the doctor comes in. He's one I saw once before when I thought I had mono and I start telling him what the problem is and not minimizing my pain and suffering or allowing that everyone has allergies here. He noticed my screwed up nasal construction and asked me if it had been broken... no it just formed that way and that leads into his actually mentioning surgery, although cautioning that it's a painful long process and it sometimes doesn't work and you are worse off than before. So he did what I have been trying to get doctors to do for years (although not explicitly mentioning) and referred me to an allergist, who hopefully will be able to help without the risk and pain of surgery. He also said that yes I did have a sinus infection and prescribed a 5 day antibiotic course. So I got everything I'd hoped for and I called my mom on my way home to tell her the good news... and I started crying. Hope and validation really brought the experience of feeling dismissed and essentially told to stop being a whiny brat by doctors for years to the surface and in my relief the grief of the whole experience washed over me (the fact that I've been too uncomfortable to sleep probably didn't hurt either) and I realized how much dread and pain I'd been holding inside about all this. Hopefully, the allergist can help. But if nothing else at least I feel like I am on the path to trying to fix this chronic problem and at least I don't feel like everyone thinks I am a crazy person.