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I literally just have to give a shout out to my awesome staff!
Tag: survival
So, I just had this huge anniversary
Guys, do you realize that just over a year ago I was unconscious, in a coma, filled with brain tumor and swelling. Like, literally, gone from the world, no verbal communication, gone. That was Dec 11th 2023.
Wow! How time has passed. I cannot really say flown because believe you me, nothing has been fast. It has been hard, grueling, painful, lonely, exhausting, but not really fast per se. But, look at me now. My business survived. I retained all of my employees and made sure that their incomes were not impacted. I managed not to lose any of my equipment or my home. I have even managed to write two more books in the meantime! And, I finally managed to start paying myself some after like four years of mostly not doing it.
Sounds like all wins so far, but not gifts. These are all hard-earned achievements that took a lot of blood, sweat, tears, grit, determination, and positivity. I was not really given anything, but I didn’t expect to be either. I knew the road ahead. I had been through it before. Here’s hoping for some more lengthy time off in the future.
I have friends that are amazing and want to make sure to praise me for how far I have come. That is awesome and they are awesome. At the exact same time, I want someone to recognize me and all that I have survived and been through and throw me a big party that doesn’t involve raising money for my survival and is just for fun, I want to forget the whole thing and pretend it never happened in the first place. When I actually sit and allow myself to reflect for a minute, I go right back to the moments of fear and not knowing and wondering if I was even going to be able to get to stay on this planet at all. Those memories turn on you fast before you know it. I am never going to be upset at my friends for congratulating me. They are just trying to be the amazing people that they are. I am just admitting that it scares me at the same time. Like, what if it happens again? You know, all the fearful dready thoughts that mix in with the happy celebrations. I guess that is just the way that it is at the moment. Thank goodness for therapy on a regular basis to keep your head on straight.
The bottom line is that I will never stop being grateful for still being here and getting just to be alive. I will never stop trying to use my now functional brain for good and to help women and girls and hairy men( ya know the ones I do laser hair removal for?) everywhere and every day. I just have to realize that is also ok to sit back and take a minute if I need to pause for some memories or anxiety. It’s a normal response. I don’t have to be constantly busy and productive. I am still of use to the world even if I am not doing twenty things at once in case it’s my last chance to do so. Take it easy there Katzie, you are going to continue to be ok. It’s your time to shine now.
Dr. Katz
How to give bad news ” the right way.”..or what is the patient’s role in their own health care?
Ok what the heck does that mean? I am going to tell you what it means to me. I have had to give a lot of bad news lately. I have also had to receive a lot of bad news myself lately with all my cancer battle stuff.
Most of the news I have had to give has been heartbreaking because the scenario was scarily familiar: women who hadn’t had regular care in many years and finally made their way to me. I had to be the one to drop the verbal bomb on them about something that was probably either preventable or vastly more treatable with earlier detection and treatment that could have come with routine, regular care.
So, what is the best way to go about giving bad news? I feel like this is something that we are never really taught in a meaningful way in medical school. I have not seen any significant study proven data that describe exactly how to do it. Most of the techniques that I use have come from my own experiences as a patient and the experiences that I have with my patients.
The first thing I would like to emphasize is that you really need to put the time in to know your patient. You need to know much more than the details of their history and their diagnosis. You need to take the time to know them as a person. You need to have an appreciation of their life situation and the availability, if any, of any family or friend support. You have to at least have an idea of what they are ready to handle and digest in terms of information about their diagnosis. Not every person is the same. Not every person is ready to hear the complete blunt truth all at once. Some need to hear things in phases and parts. Some need to hear it all at once. You need to figure out which is which.
Please, do not attempt to commiserate with the patient by saying things like ” I totally know how you feel…or I completely understand what you are going through.” There is a 99 percent chance that that is not true, unless you literally have gone through the exact same thing. It almost is kind of an insult to the patient and minimizes what they are going through without you meaning to. It is much better to say something like…”Of course I can’t possibly fully understand what you are going through, but I am going to do my best to help you get through it. or…”.I know this news is hitting you very hard right now, but I want you to take a minute to take it in and let me help you figure out what direction to go next.”
It is essential to get the patient actively involved in their care. This sounds obvious, but you would be amazed at how often a patient gets almost immediately lost in the shuffle of the “team process” without actually being able to be the captain of their own team. This is absolutely crucial. This is the very first stage of empowerment for the patient that has to be initiated as soon as possible. This is the beginning of the way to help them see their way through their diagnosis. I am always puzzled at doctors that are wary of patients that are knowledgeable and want to be involved in their care. I personally feel that this is the ultimate blessing and one of the best probability indicators of success and survival. We physicians should never be unnerved by this. We as physicians need to realize that our roles are as team members and advisors with experience, never patriarchal dictators of patient care regardless of patient input.
Just some food for thought guys.
Dr. Katz
Some Patients are More Fragile Than Others or, the Importance of the Healthcare Team
Doctors and health care teams listen up! I have something to say! Some patients are more fragile than others. What the hell does this mean? It means that you have to be extra careful what you say to them. It means that you have to be extra thoughtful before you speak to them. It means that you need to do your research before you open your mouth and accidentally freak them out. You as the physician are part of a team and the whole team has to communicate with each other so that everyone has the same information. The patient does not need to hear different and/or conflicting information from each source. This only leads to potential panic and confusion and makes it difficult for the patient to follow through and get the care that they need. To you it may seem like a simple oversight. To the patient, it can seem like the end of the world.
This really applies to all patients, but the group I have in mind at the moment are cancer patients. This group of patients literally has their lives in your hands. They hang on your every word. They are depending on you to help them get to the other side of their illness with an intensity that is greater than patients with other diseases. You have a direct impact on their physical AND mental health, both of which are key to their survival. Think about it for a second. Anything you say to them is regarding a disease that could kill them. You tell them if they qualify for clinical trials. You tell them what chemo or radiation they will get. You talk about costs. You have to talk to them if their cancer is not responding like you hoped. Sometimes you have to tell them they are going to die. Every word out of your mouth carries the weight of their future. One bit of discouraging news may not just mean a bad day for them. It may affect the rest of their lives. No. I am not exaggerating. It is really that important.
The bottom line is that the healthcare team has to be a cohesive, thoughtful, compassionate, comprehensive unit. Patient’s lives, mental health, and physical health depend on it.
Dr. Katz