C - COMMUNICATE YOUR CONCERNS

When my dad goes to the doctor he says he's fine. Yet... when I talk to him over the phone or at home he tells me he's been puking 3-4 times in the last day. These words (somewhat paraphrased) were shared with me when I met a friend for coffee.

Why is it that when our parents visit the doctor they hide the truth, de-value their symptoms, pretend it's not that bad, and so on. Yet when we ask our parents - we get the full on report - they tell us how bad the pain is, where it hurts, how long it's been hurting and that they can hardly walk.

I JUST DON'T GET IT!

Communicating our concerns - telling it like it is - giving the straight goods - is so incredibly important if we want the doctor or nurse practitioner to help us get better. You will find that there isn't anything our doctors and nurses haven't seen or heard.

My own mother is a classic example. She calls me to tell me she can't walk - but needs to see the doctor. Unfortunately she doesn't have a family doc right now which only further complicates things. She has had an MRI to determine why she is having difficulty walking. Her friends have told her she probably has sciatica - but I remind her that her friends are not doctors and are not capable of providing an accurate diagnosis. She needs to tell her doctor what her symptoms are - all of them. She also needs to be assertive and present them with a sense of urgency. Unless we are adamant about our symptoms - they often get pushed aside.

Also remember that our doctor's see many patients. They can't possibly remember all your symptoms and what you've been there for. We need to help remind them - and we can do that by using a Personal Healthcare Journal or another method of recording healthcare information.

So... the next time you're feeling a little embarrassed or unsure of what you're going to tell the doctor - gather up your moxy and just spit it out. You and your family will be better off for it.