Hello, friends/strangers/whoever the
hell you are....
I have decided the time has come to
post the meanderings of a twisted mind among the thousands of others who do so (lucky
you). Like most who choose to share their experiences as a
perpetual/"professional" patient, I wish to share my experiences in
hopes of helping the rookies within the major leagues of medicine - to reach
out and say, "You are not alone" and "Let me help you". And
okay, to serve as a cathartic means to unload. I am irreverent and crude at
times, but you'll get used to it.
Okay, so perhaps I could say this
better.....
The primary purpose of Chronicles
of a UT Southwestern Patient, aside from cathartic purposes is:
Advocacy
- It is my sincere hope that my words inspire you to not be a bystander in your own medical treatment. Make informed decisions: I cannot stress enough, the importance of establishing a bond with your primary care physician/specialists that allows for open communication. Ask questions, voice your concerns – leave no rock unturned, because what you think is insignificant, could actually be what saves your life – raise Hell if you must.
- Do not be afraid to disagree with your doctor(s)… ever…. I am being completely honest with that statement. The difference between a good healthcare provider from one that needs an ass-kicking, is quite simple: attitude. Sure, physicians are busy people (the average PCP sees about 20+patients per day, and each appointment is allotted 15 minutes – unless the patient is a new consult, of which, is allotted 30 minutes), and dealing with people in general can be super stressful, but a good doctor – despite the fuckery of a broken healthcare system/handful of difficult patients/co-worker drama/waking up on the wrong side of the bed – will welcome any and all questions. Not only this, but he/she will make eye-contact (it doesn’t always have to be constant, but frequent), refrain from looking at the clock, doesn’t make their patients feel rushed, and is not offended when their patient disagrees….
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: a good doctor is their patients’ partner – what does that mean? Your healthcare requires teamwork, and a team is only as effective as its players. The more cooperation and open communication there is, the better the team. Also, a good doctor recognizes that while he/she is well versed in the anatomy and physiology of the human body, he/she is not the one who owns their patients’ skin – in other words, only the patients knows what is/isn’t normal pertaining to their body.
Please remember: NO ONE knows
your body better than you. Doctors, from the very beginning, as an
undergraduate, are first taught what is considered normal anatomy and
physiology; then, are taught the opposite (I know this well, because I am
that undergraduate student, currently)…..Anyway, add all of that, plus four
years of medical school, and residency/fellowship into the
equation, and you have a physician who was trained from the very beginning, on
the “average/typical” – to look for what fits into a purely statistical
picture. AND LET ME TELL YOU: unless you are a professional athlete,
statistics, although necessary, mean little when pertaining to the
individual… either you do or you don't, and if you do: then, to what point?
There is no way for researchers to take
into account, every single living soul on this planet, for whatever medical
treatment/procedure they’re researching. All they can do, is pull a particular
number of people in clinical trials that is reflective of a specific population
they’re studying, as accurately as possible.
A good physician is well aware of the
above tidbit, and always keeps that knowledge in the back of their mind. So,
when a patient doesn’t respond to the prescribed treatment that most do, said
doctor switches gears. Trust me, a good doc respects your autonomy, and when
you stress that something isn’t right – that your body doesn’t behave that way,
he/she will act accordingly. Whereas, the jackass doctor writes you off. This
type of doctor does exist.
So, if your doctor(s) is acting like a
dick – and I’m not talking about “having a bad day, dick”;then, go see
another doctor… DO NOT risk your safety – your life – on a prick…
just don’t do it. Fight for you. Be your own advocate (disclaimer:
advocacy does not equate to being a dill-hole yourself), first. Find
the healthcare provider that is genuinely there to help their patients – otherwise,
you are in a world of hurt.
Even if you go through several
physicians, before finding the one that clicks, be persistent… because if you
don’t respect yourself enough to put forth the time and effort: then, how can
you expect a doctor to do the same?
