Getting back on track

All contacts with health care are especially troublesome if you have a multi-diagnosis where you have specialists connected to each disease. You have no one who can see the overall picture, and who might be able to see how illnesses and medications may affect each other and your general condition. My beliefe is that in cases like this, you really need a steady house doctor who can connect the dots.

My view is that most people have had a poor health care contact at some point in their lives, maybe several, and I note that most of us with some kind of chronic condition have met an ignorant, rude or blasé doctor more than a couple of times.That’s at least what I can see when I'm reading blogs within the chronic illness community. 

So when you suddenly meet a doctor with an attitude that is exactly the opposite, you are totally taken by surprise. What the actual fcuk…?

Here you go in with a confrontational attitude and have prepared yourself to have to defend your health issues, and then you're approached with understanding, relevant questions and knowledgeable answers. The doctor even apologizes for the limited time for the visit, but would like to book a second appointment in order to continue the conversation and investigation to be sure that he doesn't miss anything important....I mean, what kind of dream doctor is this? 

You're sitting there totally mute with your jaws dropped and not a structured thought or question remains in your head.... 

This happened to me recently, and I’m still taken by it. 

The fact that one doctor who really cares and takes the time for it,  could have the ability to create a turning point in someone’s health journey is pretty fantastic. 

A journey which btw has felt like it has been going in the wrong direction for quite some time now.

My doctors appointment last week has provided more action than I've received in years: 

I will get a complete MRI of my neck, chest and lower back to find out the current status of my spinal stenosis, a neurological examination of my feet and legs to determine the status of my neuropathy, prescription of painkillers that are specially focused on nerve-pain and a new prescription on my usual painkillers which I've obviously received the wrong kind of for the recent months. 

On my next appointment we will discuss the process for my diabetes, hypothyreosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

After almost fifteen years with repeated new diagnoses, where some have received insufficient or no follow-up, it now feels like I can finally get back on track, and just that feeling alone gives me a lot of much needed positive energy. 

All because of one good doctor....

xoxo