Lemmie wrote:Jersey Girl wrote:Tonight I managed to calm down a young woman in one internet location, who was in the middle of a complete freak out over a medical diagnosis she received, got her started thinking and demonstrated how one of her tests were wrong, explained some things to her so she can begin to deal with it. I talked to another woman in a different online location, who also received a diagnosis that plunged her directly into a similar meltdown. Both women were in shock, deeply depressed, and worried about their future and wondered if they even had one. I was invited to post on the first location by an RN who has watched my interactions and approaches to people on the second location and wanted me there to interact with some of the patients whose comments she receives.
Well done, Jersey, people should be so lucky to have a 'board nanny' like this, although, unlike mental, I might use the term 'Mary Poppins,' to more properly acknowledge the sheer, miraculous level of good you manage to do in situations like the above. Thank you for your efforts.
Thanks, Lemmie, I'm trying to do some good for people. In many of these cases, what is happening just floors me. Doctors are receiving (sometimes error filled) test results and letting their front desk staff (who aren't in a position to discuss anything with knowledge) call the patient with the diagnosis or worse yet, send them a letter with the diagnosis and very little other information, and patients, in turn, are freaking out because not only were they blindsided by a diagnosis, they have no one they can ask questions about it until they meet with their docs for what is often a short appointment time. It is just so destructive how this affects patients psychologically and emotionally. Imagine being 22 years old and thinking that you suddenly have no future. That's why these support groups are so important. They are staffed with health care professionals and also laypersons such as myself. Though one of the groups is all parents with children who have a common diagnosis.
I think I'm getting good at spotting the ones who need help peeling themselves off the ceiling. So far, so good!
