I have a huge number of presenting issues around health challenges. The last time I checked I have around a dozen doctors, each with a specialty around one of my issues.
I've discovered two facets of the program around our health programs in medicine. Let me start off by sharing some personal ideas. I do believe that the moment we hit fifty years old all medical procedures and issues around our medical lives have nothing to do with dignity.
At that point, the medical community has designed all the tests and procedures to humiliate us as much as possible. I rest my case with the presentation of the medical gown. This is designed to allow us to provide a continual mooning experience wherever we go. There are some people that should just not be mooning their rear ends in the air.
I discovered this running the Bay to Breakers in the 1990's for the one and only time. My father warned me it was an unusual race and I might see anything. About halfway through the race, a couple of young women came and passed us on the right. I noticed something and realized they were both naked. The one on my side had written on her butt "caution - objects may be larger than they appear." Thus we end up with medical gowns.
Follow that up with things like the preparation for a colonoscopy which is just loads of fun. The procedure is the easiest part of the process.
Each procedure has something that I could have never prepared my mind to endure. Last month I had some vascular surgery and for the first time ever I got a nerve block in my neck. They told me I would be numb. They did not tell me that I would lose any relationship with my right arm for a couple days. After the surgery, I would get up and wait for my right arm to join the program. Nope, it just laid there like it belonged to someone else's body.
Second thought, I was not warned of a situation that happens to all of us. Let me give my example. In my mid 40's I got up one morning and fell to the ground. I had no balance - none, zero, nil, it was gone. I tried again and ended up again on the floor. With a lot of support from my roommate, we ended up in the emergency room. It was in the room talking to the ER doctor that I heard the magical words - "oh, this is quite common for someone in their 40's!" My only response was asking if there were other so-called common things that occur to us that we haven't been told about? Doesn't it seem to our advantage to be told of these things? What else is out there headed toward which is common but "we just haven't been told!!"
But it brings up another point. It is the fact that it is our personal obligation of self-care to make sure we thoroughly understand the medical issues, challenges, and procedures that are being done to us. We have to be strong advocates for our health care. We have to be making decisions based on input from the medical professionals but in the end we get to make the choices. It is so important that we have a strong voice for our participation in our own health program.
I don't have the answer on what to do because I am still in the process of trying to get my head wrapped around where I'm at and where I'm going. Speak your voice and leave no question unanswered. It is your body and it is your self-care. Take the step; ignore the fact that at times some medical professionals may be angry with you. If you are raising anger levels, then you are living your life in full voice. Speak your voice full out; you are not a minion to do the bidding of others!!
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