I had a temper tantrum today. It felt good.
I had brain surgery on Friday. I was out of the ICU on Sunday and am now in the general hospital. Today is Wednesday and the surgeon still hasn’t been by to see me. There are certain questions only he can answer.
I’ve asked the nurses if THEY can get me the info but they apparently can’t.
I do have a floor doctor who sees me once a day to check on me. Since this was the only available doctor, she got to deal with my complaints.
I had a good temper tantrum.
I didn’t actually yell. I used a slightly firmer tone of voice. I advocated for myself.
I didn’t call anyone names, use salty language or raise my voice. But I let her know that I need answers and we need to make that happen. I’ve waited long enough.
If the surgeon is busy, they can empower an assistant to call me on the phone. That would give me the information I need. Thanks to the wonders of technology a physical presence is not needed. I just need answers, not someone to hold my hand. I have friends and family for that. What I need from the surgeon is information.
Once I explained my needs, it seemed the doctor was on board with making stuff happen.
This is basic communication.
The most important thing is that the relationship is one of mutual respect. She is a doctor and deserves respect for that. But I am her patient. I am a human being. It’s important I am kept in the loop.
I think she is a good doctor, but like most medial professionals, she is overwhelmed. They all are these days.
We live in a time of amazing technological marvels. We can save lives now that we never could have even a few years ago. It’s awesome. And I am grateful for the advances that help me live.
But… I’m not just a body to be treated. My mind also needs to be engaged and I need to be part of the decision making process. I reminded my doctor of this today, and I’m glad I did.
By advocating for myself, I am empowering myself to heal. In the long run, this is better for the doctors as well as for me.
—
This post was previously published on The Shadow.
***
You Might Also Like These From The Good Men Project
Compliments Men Want to Hear More Often | Relationships Aren’t Easy, But They’re Worth It | The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex | ..A Man’s Kiss Tells You Everything |
Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.
Register New Account
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
Photo credit: Unsplash