I have been working on some things that are Advocacy related. It is funny to me that people are surprised that I try to help other people and am not just in it for what I might gain. A lot of disabled people feel like no one will listen to them so, they keep quiet on things they care about most. Let’s not forget that we contribute to society too. Maybe some more than others, but what we have to say counts.
I was watching “The Doctors” on t.v. the other day and one of the doctors (I think it was the OB/GYN) said the most important thing we can do for ourselves is be our own advocate when we are visiting our health care providers. People feel like they are bothering their doctor if they ask a question during their visit. If we do not participate in our own care, the providers who are taking care of us cannot do their jobs to the best of their abilities. In this case, the only person being cheated is the patient.
When I was pregnant, I went to one of my appointments and had questions for my doctor. He told me that most people don’t ask questions because they feel embarrassed about what they are asking. I know there are some sensitive subjects that we may encounter during any kind of doctor visit but, if we don’t ask these questions, how do we expect to get the help we need?
If you have a disability, you should not feel bad when asking questions about your health either. I once met with a group that because they were disabled, were not even given the chance to learn to ask questions about their health. To me, that is unfair, and in that case the person is not being treated like a person at all.  Everyone should have the ability to speak up when it comes to their healthcare and get the answers they need. They should be able to know information about their own health at all times.Â
How have you become more informed about your healthcare? How have you participated in your own treatments?
Thanks for reading…
cr