This is sort of irrelevant, since I've made 3 doctor's appointments in the last 4 years at this surgery and missed them all, so they won't give me another appointment now. As I live in the sticks, they're the only surgery for miles, rendering me doctorless until such time as I move house to a different town. But I'll ask anyway.
How on Earth do you remember to turn up for appointments?
I've tried writing them in a diary (forgot to check the diary), setting an alarm on my phone (when it went off, I had no idea what it was for), writing it on a post-it note on my bedroom door (two days later it fell off and I didn't notice), asking someone to remind me (they refused, which I can't argue with), and now I'm running out of ideas. Same-day appointments are fine. Routine ones made 10 days in advance - no chance. By the time the appointment rolls around, I've forgotten I even made it in the first place.
Right now, like I said, it's irrelevant, and since the problems in question (hacking up a lung after mild exertion and an unrelated lump in my right breast) have been ongoing for 4 years I doubt they're going to kill me! But at some point in my life I presumably am going to have to register with another practice so I can see a doctor. And I'd rather not have to do that every 5 years for the rest of my life because I keep getting barred from surgeries...