Turning 70 seems to have created a change in my thinking about life and death, and especially life until death. Maybe this is because I seem to be more aware of my mortality. My faith in the Christian message of the birth and death of Jesus has made death just another exciting part of my life’s journey, one I anticipate […]
When I developed my chronic condition the first thing that happened to my life was that I started spending a lot more time in my doctor’s office. So much time that I thought I should be collecting frequent flyer points towards a free office visit. Or I should be given my own examining room with a recliner, a stereo system, and wet bar – and stocked with my favorite magazines. The nurses kept telling me they were working on it in the basement. What I received was a lot of time to read novels while I waited and time to think about this relationship that was forming. Through these frequent visits we learned how to work together and formed an excellent working partnership. In a series of posts I will be sharing with you what I believe made our relationship work so well and especially what it was about the relationship that contributed to my healing. Originally I had written a section on what patients need from a doctor and then another section on what patients need to take to the relationship. As I was editing them for posting I realized that our relationship worked because we each brought complimentary qualities, knowledge and skills. We were collaborative partners with a shared goal of controlling my symptoms and increasing my functioning. According to Robin DiMatteo,[i] patients are most satisfied with partnerships rather than authoritarian control by the doctor because partnerships allow us […]
Having a doctor with whom we have a good working partnership is very important for us when we have been diagnosed with a chronic illness and are trying to put our life back together after the diagnosis. It seems that patients are most satisfied with partnerships rather than authoritarian control by the doctor because partnerships allow us to participate more in healthcare choices, leading to more informed decision making, better follow through and adherence to the treatment plan, and ultimately better health and quality of life[i]. The type of relationship we need with a doctor is different under different circumstances, and our needs are influenced by personality characteristics, culture and can vary with the severity of symptoms and illness. But our reality when we are attempting to get the symptoms of a chronic illness under control is that we will need to spend more time attending to our health care needs and this requires maintaining a good working partnership with a doctor. With the help from a doctor who we trust, our symptoms are more likely to improve, we are more likely to regain functioning, and will be able to sort out what activities from our old life we are able to keep or resume, which ones we can keep but in a modified form, and which ones we will let go of. The excellent working partnership that I had with the family doctor who helped me get control of […]
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