Idk if I’ve posted about this before, but the most important thing I’ve learned in 2022 (The Year Of Never Ending Doctors’ Visits) is to leave every medical appointment with a clear-cut set of next steps. When you have a chronic health issue, it’s not just as simple as telling the doctor what’s wrong and letting them take it from there.
If you go in for an undiagnosed issue, your should leave with:
An investigative plan: Orders for labs, imaging, or specialist referrals to try and figure out what’s causing the problem. If your doctor doesn’t want to order tests, ask why. It could be an insurance issue (e.g. tests denied unless front line treatments have failed), or it could be a bias issue. If it’s a bias issue, things get more complicated, but the first step towards adequate care is asking your doctor to note that you requested testing for the issue and they denied it on the basis of [whatever]. I have some tips for next steps in these situations, so feel free to shoot me a message.
A “what-if” follow up plan: Ask your doctor, “What if the labs/scans/etc. come back negative or inconclusive? What if this treatment plan is not effective after [preestablished length of time]? What’s the next step?” and make sure the next steps are noted. This helps keep you on your doctors’ radar until you have an effective care plan in place.
A symptom management plan: Really spell out the effect the symptoms are having on your daily life. Let the doctor know you’re fully invested in long term recovery, but that you need something to help you live your life as “normally” as possible until the long term treatment plan can be established and take effect. This could be medication, assistive devices, FMLA or other documentation for work/school, etc.
If you go in for a diagnosed issue, swap out the investigative plan for a long-term treatment plan. The goal should be to reduce your symptoms or prevent progression, if possible. For some conditions, this looks pretty similar to symptom management.
This has been working pretty well for me lately. At the end of my appointments, I verbally summarize my understanding, like “Okay, so we’re trying to figure out the cause of my [symptom], and you’ve ordered XYZ tests. If nothing comes back abnormal, you’ll [order different tests, refer to specialist, etc.]. In the meantime, I can manage it with [medication, lifestyle change(s), adaptive device, etc.]. Is that a good summary of our plan?”
guy accidentally cures his own road rage by making fun of the person who caused his road rage
Guy: Yeah I’m, I’m just gonna put this out into the world: I need you to drive, like you got in your car on purpose. Drive like you’ve got somewhere to be, because I do, and I’m behind you! I don’t know how I always get stuck behind the person that’s like. *impression* “That cloud kinda looks like…..looks like a rabbit!” “I do believe….that meadow is full of daffodils!”
*cracking up* Okay, here’s the problem, is I was mad at that guy, and now that I’m doing an impression of him I kinda think he’s adorable and I like him. I like him now. It’s a very unique way to defuse my own road rage. I don’t know what kind of mental illness I have, but it’s fun.
I actually did bite my dm with explicit consent. because I was trying to argue that a ranger/barbarian's bite would be d6+Strength Modifier. and not d4+Strength Modifier. and he was like lmao human bites aren't even that strong. and I said bet. and he said well bite me then as strong as an 18 attack roll would be (the prison guard had 14AC btw) and we had to stop the game because he had to go get stitches.
also he didn't wanna say he let himself get bit to win an argument that he lost so badly he's in the emergency room, so he was like "a rat did it" and the nurse turns her head 12 degrees to the left and sees my bloody mouth. and goes "yeah okay that happens"
and we did get the barbarian bite attack to be d6+Strength Modifier. I'm also now engaged to this guy and this campaign I get to be the dm!
reigen being crowned twink supreme by twitter…….anyway where’s that one post about reigen having bugs bunny powers meaning he can do literally anything as long as it’s funny
