talking to our doctors

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

How right you are. Very well said. As a kid of 10, with a CMT

diagnosis, I watched my assertive (or rather 'ballsy') mother (in the

1960's) ask docs questions, take notes, be my advocate, suggest

treatment, etc. She was a former WW2 nurse and ran a hospital, so she

had enough medical background to go head to head with some of the

neuros we encountered. Dad was great at this too, although not a 'note

taker', he knew the 'right' questions to ask, and could do the 'male-

hand-shaking-thanks-so-much-thing' with docs.

Once I 'came of age' in the late 1960's and early 1970's and got my

feminist 'wings' (lol) I became a chip off the old blocks, fighting for

myself, writing questions before I went to a doc, taking notes while I

was there, etc. Also refusing 'suggested' treatment (like AFOs)

and 'suggesting' things like supplements, exercise, medications, etc.

Even still with all the docs I saw over the course of a lifetime, most

for CMT, I became very irritated and annoyed when I did not

feel 'listened' to or understood. Their knowledge of CMT was out of a

textbook.

Fortunately, my CMT needs do not require a neurologist any longer, and

all I have to do is see my Internist 2 X a year. And let me tell you

how 'educated' he is becoming about CMT!

I once had the nicest compliment by a former Internist in a different

city. He said I was his best patient because I was 'proactive' about my

health care and he LEARNED ALOT FROM ME. He also had enough humility to

admit his 'real medical education' began once he was OUT of medical

school and in his own practice.

I still feel Vetinary medicine could teach human medicine/docs many

things, especially about pain, controlling that and about the ethics of

euthansia. I only hope that my transition from this world to the next

(when the time comes) is as pain free and as peaceful as it was for my

shepherd Lillie. All her close friends, plus the Vet staff, plus my

friends surrounded her when she took her last breath, on a fluffy bed,

with her favorite peanut butter bisquits for the journey. It was a very

awesome, enriching experience, and once in awhile now, I catch Lillie

wandering our yard, smelling the flowers, checking to see if we are OK.

Amen to the reverse spelling of DOG.

~ Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Gretchen,

I have 2 babies. A 10 year old English Springer Spaniel, Lance, and a 7 year

old Boykin Spaniel, Beau. They are the love of my families life. They go

wherever they want to go, sit wherever they want to sit, and sleep in bed with

me every night.

Your description of how you helped Lillie pass to her next life was so beautiful

and heartwarming. It is lovely to hear how much you two meant to each other. I,

too, believe that we have a responsibility to help others, animals and humans,

transition to what's next. We need to remember that everybody deserves dignity

at this time.

talking to our doctors

Hi ,

How right you are. Very well said. As a kid of 10, with a CMT

diagnosis, I watched my assertive (or rather 'ballsy') mother (in the

1960's) ask docs questions, take notes, be my advocate, suggest

treatment, etc. She was a former WW2 nurse and ran a hospital, so she

had enough medical background to go head to head with some of the

neuros we encountered. Dad was great at this too, although not a 'note

taker', he knew the 'right' questions to ask, and could do the 'male-

hand-shaking-thanks-so-much-thing' with docs.

Once I 'came of age' in the late 1960's and early 1970's and got my

feminist 'wings' (lol) I became a chip off the old blocks, fighting for

myself, writing questions before I went to a doc, taking notes while I

was there, etc. Also refusing 'suggested' treatment (like AFOs)

and 'suggesting' things like supplements, exercise, medications, etc.

Even still with all the docs I saw over the course of a lifetime, most

for CMT, I became very irritated and annoyed when I did not

feel 'listened' to or understood. Their knowledge of CMT was out of a

textbook.

Fortunately, my CMT needs do not require a neurologist any longer, and

all I have to do is see my Internist 2 X a year. And let me tell you

how 'educated' he is becoming about CMT!

I once had the nicest compliment by a former Internist in a different

city. He said I was his best patient because I was 'proactive' about my

health care and he LEARNED ALOT FROM ME. He also had enough humility to

admit his 'real medical education' began once he was OUT of medical

school and in his own practice.

I still feel Vetinary medicine could teach human medicine/docs many

things, especially about pain, controlling that and about the ethics of

euthansia. I only hope that my transition from this world to the next

(when the time comes) is as pain free and as peaceful as it was for my

shepherd Lillie. All her close friends, plus the Vet staff, plus my

friends surrounded her when she took her last breath, on a fluffy bed,

with her favorite peanut butter bisquits for the journey. It was a very

awesome, enriching experience, and once in awhile now, I catch Lillie

wandering our yard, smelling the flowers, checking to see if we are OK.

Amen to the reverse spelling of DOG.

~ Gretchen