Being Assertive in Your Own Health Care

An important lesson that I have learned in the last several months is how important it is to be assertive in your own health care. I have known for a long time that something was not right with my breathing and that none of the asthma medicines had helped. I kept telling the doctors and they kept prescribing different medicines. It all started almost 6 years ago. I had been coughing and coughing non-stop for months. I went to my regular doctor's office and they did a breathing test on me and decided I had asthma. But for several years before that, I had been fighting recurring bronchitis several times a year.

Last August, I was to the point of despair. I felt terrible, both physically and mentally. None of the asthma medicines helped. I had NO energy to do anything. I went to see my pastor, thinking perhaps the problem was spiritual. He insisted that I go back to the doctor and gave me a list of items to ask them to check out. At that time, I didn't have a sub available for my child care very often and wasn't sure how or when I could go. But I knew that week, I had a day that I was only scheduled to have one child and sometimes that child didn't come on Thursdays. So on the way back from the church, I prayed that if there was a physical problem, then God would work it out where I didn't have any kids on that day and could go to the doctor. He worked it out and I went to the doctor that week. To make a very long story short, this eventually led to me finding out what was wrong and having the tracheal re-section surgery. We also learned that I had entered menopause. I'd had a hysterectomy several years ago but they left my ovaries, so I had no um...monthly way of knowing that I had entered menopause. LOL

So...what is my point? Well, I had known for years that something wasn't right with the breathing. I kept letting the doctors throw different medicines at me instead of insisting that they look deeper. It would be really easy to be angry with the doctors (and I am a little bit). But, in all fairness, the lady at Medford had suggested last year that I go see a pulmonologist and I put it off, not really seeing the point. I had also suspected for a while that I was in menopause, but hadn't asked them to check my hormone levels to see for sure. So, my main point is: You KNOW your own body. You know when something isn't right! If you feel like a doctor isn't listening to you, then either switch doctors or insist that they listen. Make a list, keep a chart of the problems, whatever it takes. But be assertive! Stand up for yourself if you know you're not feeling right.

Lessons Learned, part one

So I have been thinking about how this blog has seemed to stray away from my original goal of being about our journey to get out of debt. Then I realized that this is all part of the journey. Life isn't a straight line, it's curvy, hilly, and has mountains and pits that we go through. On that same note, I need to stop being so hard on myself when we do not stay on the straight and narrow. Just get up and dust myself back off and keep going.

Next time, I plan to share about lessons learned regarding my health.

Have a Happy Day! Remember: God is in control!

Two New Kids Starting

I started two new children today. Well, one is a return and the other was new. I am tired tonight, but a good tired. Just wanted to drop in and say hi! Things have been pretty busy. I had a child care class Friday night and all day Saturday. Then a Sunday school class party on Saturday night. Then church morning and evening on Sunday and went to Ponca City last night to speak. I have some stuff stewing around in my head I want to share, as soon as I have time to set down and type them up.

Hope everyone in my neck of the woods gets out and enjoys the beautiful weather!