My husband and I have had reason to seek medical attention lately. While the good news is that we are alive and largely healthy (more about that later), the bad news is that our bodies are wearing out. We are using every inch, sense, and limb in our quest to fulfill our lively purpose on earth.

We have adopted the double-up approach to all medical visits. We’ve long known that it’s good to have two sets of ears and two hearts invested in the situation, to ascertain the true meaning and facts, to enhance recall beyond patient emotion.

We’ve learned more reason to have accompany each other on medical visits: to ease medical staff beyond their haste to complete checklists, to override cursory and sometimes crass-sounding comments, and to charm them to look at us as people in need who deserve their best.

Help me out, blog reader/friends:

• Instead of asking, “When did you quit smoking?’ without even looking up to note the incredulous look on my husband’s face while he replied, “I never smoked.” she could have said _______________________________.
• Instead of confronting, “How could you take 5 mg. of Lipitor? It doesn’t come in that form,” perhaps the practioner could have asked how that dosage was prescribed: by our family doctor who suggested that we cut the 10 mg. pills in half, which we have been doing for at least ten years with good results.
• Instead of saying “That’s weird!” after palpating the growth that you’ve just chided me as probably being nothing but my vivid imagination, the doc could have _______________________________________.
• Instead of recommending “Drink more fluids” via a nurse assistant’s phone call – to which I replied, “But I drink 8-10 glasses, about 75 oz/day, so what’s next to solve the issue?”, the doc could have _______________________.
• Instead of demanding more tests results the doctor could have accessed the blood test results from May and October in my medical records, which each had the anomaly that now worries me and has not returned my calls. I am to make an appointment after the ultra sound… That’s a lack of attention and true doctoring IMHO.

Our experience is that it takes a united front team to ensure that we receive the  attention and care that we need and deserve. Thank God we have each other. Thank God that we have God.

I am praying for our physicians and staff to have patience with their patients, to listen with respect and real attention. That is doctoring we need. Service with heart – and a smile – builds trust.