The Benefit of Self-Advocacy
Based entirely on my own medical situation I have learned that when I am a part of my own medical team I am able to take ownership in my situation. By being as involved as I can be it also gives me confidence in the medical professionals, and their ability to provide exactly what I need. One other thing I have learned to tell my medical team everything so they have that information when they make decisions about my care.
If you don’t have confidence in your medical team, or their approach to treating your case, you need to look at other options. Perhaps you will find another doctor is better suited to help you fight your disease.
In order for me to become my own self-advocate I had to learn everything I could about non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, what the treatment regimens were, and what the consequences to my decisions would mean. And, most importantly, to ask my doctors and nurses a lot of questions.
My best resource was to build a good professional relationship with the people that I trusted with my life. After all, they are the ones with personal experience taking care of people like me.
HOPE in the Heartland 