One thing I know about my life its that things happen, stories are told and asked about. People come into our day and give us an opportunity to learn.
The only thing we need to recognize is each of these happenings is a wonderful and possibly a great experience for learning. About someone or ourselves. Not always a good experience however but something to learn from.
We all have the ability to ignore or just not hear things around us. We are focused on us. To the point that all around us is lost in a fog. Lost opportunity for sure.
The other day I was working in a local school and at the end of the day after the students left the other adult in the room and I chatted. She shared a story about a relative and her experience with Cancer.
As she tells it her relative went to her doctor because of a swollen leg and was diagnosed with arthritis. She was treated for that and didn’t get better but not worse. Her doctor was a long time practice, stand alone, doctor that both she and her husband went to.
After she had several falls due to her leg she went to another doctor and was eventually diagnosed with Cancer. Now I did not ask the kind as it was not germane to my research.
After diagnosis she was treated by several doctors involved with a local hospital but eventually got a second opinion at a National Cancer Institute. They treated her but were not able to help her.
During all this she suffered horribly and gradually got worse then passed in miserable pain.
My point on this story is that you must Trust your doctor plus make sure they understand all your problems. Sounds simple? Right?
Well many of us believe that our doctors are all knowing and never wrong. Plus if we were to seek a second opinion the doctor will be hurt and mad. Or not treat us well.
She trusted her first doctor to know everything and be aware of all possible things related to her health. She trusted the doctor because she had always seen him but for minor things.
My take on second opinions is: if your doctor doesn’t like you getting a second opinion then drop them. If they get mad: run away quickly.
You need to Trust those that have your health and most likely your life in their hands. You need to know them to trust them so interview them just as much, or more so, than they interview you. If they balk tell them you need to know them to build that trust.
Also you need to understand that doctors DO NOT know everything. They specialize in areas of human health. Primary Care doctors know about common things that affect our health. The really good doctors know what they don’t know.
You don’t ask about family but you do open the door to who they are. Getting this makes you feel good about the person, who happens to be a doctor, helping you. This goes double for your second opinion. Or maybe a third opinion.
If you can take away anything from this post know this: Trust your doctor only after you get to know them and get second opinions from another that you trust. And be sure to ask questions.
There are no guarantees in life and certainly not with our health and life but we can do better if we try.
The best patients are the ones that ask a lot of questions.
My Odyssey with Cancers 