#alifsurgery

Something really hit home for me when I was at physical therapy the other day. My physical therapist was sitting next to me as I began an exercise (one I had been told by many past physical therapists to do) and she said something to the effect of, “The thing is, I don’t feel like I’m doing my job right if you come out of our sessions feeling hopeless. My whole point is to help you meet the goals in here so you can bring them into your life.” 

I don’t have the experience of being a health practitioner. I don’t know what pressures, expectations or underlying motivations are necessary for their health practices. I don’t think anyone goes into the medical field not wanting to help people. 

But I think there needs to be a shift, not just for spoonies, but for all patients, that when medical professionals are addressing pain, illnesses and issues of us that there are considerations of the whole person and their whole lifestyle. I think medical professionals really need to be empathetic and attempt to understand the frustration underlying our asking of questions, options and treatments for what we deal with daily. 

I don’t think “bad bedside manner” should be ignored, let alone expected. 

I think the only way you can truly help people heal from one ailment to a myriad of issues is by being an active listener, providing many realistic and accessible options and letting them know that while you may not have shared in their exact pain, that you have dealt with it medically (or something similar) in others and feel you can help them get through this too. 

To be empathetic does not mean that a medical professional has to have experienced the illness. When reviewing the definition, it truly just means, “showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”

I doubt that many medical professionals read this blog as of yet, but maybe if as patients we all begin to expect more empathy, it will become closer and closer to a standard in medical practices.