Thursday, June 18, 2009

Footprints on my belly

As most of my readers know I have not been having the easiest of pregnancies, I'm 18 weeks and 2 days along and I've already been to the ER twice and I've had to have a consult with the Maternal Fetal Medicine group. I haven't been able to consistently take my prenatal vitamins because they either make me throw up or make me wish I had thrown up. I haven't been sleeping well because I cannot get comfortable (and this is causing me to be a cranky bugger, just ask Sgt D or my mom, who have more than once been on the receiving end of my crankiness).

Well...today made the past 4 months all worth it. I got to see Baby D on an amazing ultrasound and this is my favorite picture. Baby D was making footprints on my belly and on my heart. I fell absolutely head over heels in love today with Baby D, and I'm finally starting to see past my misery to what I have to look forward to in 22 weeks!

Monday, June 08, 2009

Dear Doctor

Dear Doctors everywhere,

I just thought I would point out a few things that you may have forgotten on the road to becoming the medical "genius" that you are today. Your patients are people, they have real emotions and real issues, they are not something to be studied in a vacuum. Your actions can impact not only your patient but all of that patients loved ones who are depending on your expertise to make the patient better.

Your patients deserve a good bedside manner and are looking to you to be their advocate, that is why they have entrusted you with their health care. You are not the only fish in the sea and believe it or not, for the most part, patients have a choice in whether or not they allow you to continue as their health care provider. Please remember this the next time you have over-booked yourself and can only allow five minutes for the exam and no time for questions. Also remember that, believe it or not, your patients have schedules and lives that are just as hectic as yours is, and when you keep them waiting you are potentially interfering with their entire day as well. Most people work for a living or have other commitments during the day and do not have time sit idly in a waiting room while you send emails and twitter on your blackberry.

I would also like to take this time to thank you. I realize that what you have done by becoming a health care professional is a great thing. You have chosen to help others and at times you sacrifice your personal life and time with your family to do so, please do not think this goes unnoticed or unappreciated. Sometimes it is easier to be angry with you personally rather than a health care system that does not work because we know you, and the health care system, while part of our lives, is a somewhat abstract entity.

Please take these suggestions and compliments to heart. Patients everywhere, this one included, would appreciate any positive changes that may result.

Sincerely,
A patient of 27 years, 11 months and 6 days

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Advice

Sometimes when you tell a friend that you are having a bad day or that crappy things are going on you really do want their advice on how to handle the situation. Generally when you are looking for advice phrases such as: "what do you think?" "what are your thoughts?", are common.

Other times though, you are simply looking for someone to listen and be supportive. You don't want their advice, in fact you don't even want their thoughts on the situation. You just want to know that they care and understand what you are going through.

Today I am looking for someone to listen and be supportive. I'm not looking for advice or how someone else would have handled the situation because guess what, no one else is in the situation, I'm the person going through it and all I want right now is someone to empathize with me. I don't want to hear about a time you went through something similar or how you think I should handle the situation. I am handling it, I just wanted to share part of my day with you and know that you care.

Before giving advice or thoughts, make sure that the person you are giving a piece of your mind to actually wants it. If not, all you may be doing is upsetting them even more and that is probably the last thing in the world that they need right now!

(Sorry for the rant, but I needed to get it out of my system and off my chest!)