|
Managing The Stress ~ Making The Decisions ~ Discovering The Meaning |
|
Caregiving |
Solutions To Your Caregiving Situations Throughout Your Caregiving Years |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Your Thoughts: An Effective Health Care Team Really, the only problem I had with a health care team was the team itself. Because of my knowledge (much of that simply learned along the way), posing questions with some true meat behind them often times made Mom's oncologist uncomfortable. Mom's first oncologist. . .a wonderful man about 4 years my junior (I was 35 when all this started) left the area and turned his practice over to another doctor. My gut and I didn't like him from the get-go. He kept telling Mom she was going to die…Well, duh, with that much involvement (how far the cancer had spread), time is the enemy. Instead of coaching her as the first one did, he mocked her upbeat attitude, and quite often, cut her off at the pass when she had to ask a question. Of course, I don't suppose I helped the situation by 'stuffing' him in a room full of other patients. Long story for another day. Don't piss off the caregiver--she'll come out swinging! The pitfall was that I listened to what Mom wanted; that was my job, and because she lived most of her life in denial, cancer was no different. I'm not saying that a change in our team helped, ultimately it wouldn't have mattered. The positives were that quite often, just my gut instinct as a caregiver prompted an awful lot of conversation about treatments, comfort and the big one for us--trouble shooting. Something everyone needs to be very aware of is finding a physician who will listen, no matter how backed up he is. Perhaps the only happy thing that's happened to their patient is a visit with the grandkids. Let Grandma do what comes naturally, brag! The other, and ultimately more important than anything is to find a physician who will not only treat cancer-related issues (in our situation) BUT one who will also address blood pressure, hives, sores in the mouth, a nasty chest cold…what have you. This comes from the time that Mom had not only the oncologist, but a GP (General Practitioner) as well because the oncologist wouldn't treat the blood pressure issues. Or, when she had a sore in her mouth (from chemo) I'd have to take her into this other doctor's office, sit with the rest of the population that had whatever the virus-of-the-day was, for hours. All of this could've been eliminated by one doctor. Unfortunately, that doctor came into our lives less than a month before Mom died. Best approach and bottom line: A) Find a physician that will not only treat the patient, but the family as well. B) Find a physician that can and will treat issues beside those of immediate nature, like the blood pressure, or diabetes or what have you. C) Find a physician who's open to suggestions, who can set up a forum for the caregivers. After all, we're the ones who know our loved ones the best. D) Don't be afraid to ask questions; find someone who’s open to those, and who will answer them in a clear voice without sugar coating things. --Gretchen Herrman, who cared for her mother until her mother’s death in January 2004. Physicians Must Win Your Business 20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors Quick Tips for Working with A Physician Your Thoughts: How Did You Create An Effective Health Care Team Five Steps to Safer Health Care |
Ask
An Expert |
|
|
|
|
|
© Tad Publishing Co.
1996-2005 |
