Sunday, August 17, 2014

You've Got Breast Cancer - Now listen ...And listen . . .And listen

 Recently, a doctor I respect wrote a phrase about patients not listening well.  Gave me an instant blood pressure spike.  I decided to make a list of five reasons a person, especially one who's just heard the words breast cancer, might have trouble remembering and understanding a lot of the doctor's next words.  And the next.  And so many.

But I couldn't keep it to five reasons.
List of ten?  Still not enough
Now I think it's up to 15.

Do you want to add more of what makes it hard to digest all the doctor says after "breast cancer?"

Emotional and life situation overload
Fear of Death
Fear of Treatment and side effects
New situation shock
Exotic terminology
Pages of studies being speed-read to us
Cognitive load limit exceeded
Pain
No frame of reference for dealing with the life-threatening
No time to breathe or relax
Not an auditory learner
Doctors not in agreement
New doc, new hospital, even new town makes people feel powerless
Prior Medical Conditions

Send me your thoughts on this.

I wish you health,

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