What a shock to go to the doctor’s office only to receive disturbing news about your health. Or, perhaps you knew something was going on with your body but were surprised by the recommended treatment options. Whatever your Situation, it is helpful to have some idea how to respond after the office visit.
STEP ONE – Take time to let the information sink in. Sometimes we are so shocked by the information, that we are either completely numb or extremely frantic. While these reactions are completely normal, if you can find a way to take a deep breath and just let it sink into a calm state, the answers to your next steps will come to you much easier.
STEP TWO – If you’re someone that handles unwelcome news better by confiding in others, pick only one or a few people to confide in. Most importantly, make sure that they are positive, optimistic people.
Here’s an example of what you don’t want. When I had to travel after just having surgery on my broken ankle, complete strangers came up to me and told me their worst-case stories. Someone told me about their daughter who had a similar operation but then ended up getting a blood clot when she traveled (resulting in significant long-term problems for her). I’ve never understood why some people feel the need to share depressing stories amid another person going through a Medical situation, but it does happen. My point is . . . avoid all but extremely positive and empathetic people.
STEP THREE – Figure out how much time you need to regroup. Some people bounce back quickly in as little as a few hours, while others may take days. Give yourself permission to adapt based on your own schedule. Don’t respond to pressure by others to “just get over it”.
In extreme cases, however, you might need a little nudge to move on to step four. If someone is lovingly nudging you, be honest with yourself. Determine if you are “stuck” and having difficulty moving into action.
STEP FOUR – Now that you’ve had time to process the news, it’s time to get busy. Do some research on your own. The Internet has vast amounts of information on any topic. One caveat I would add is that you shouldn’t react to everything you see on the Internet. It is a wonderful place to educate yourself and get a better understanding of your situation, but don’t assume everything is 100 percent accurate.
Use the Internet to help you build an effective game plan for future steps. As you have questions, take out a notepad and record them. It will be a useful resource to assist you in initiating future discussions with your doctors. Educated questions will serve you better than just emotional ones.
STEP FIVE – Faith is powerful. If you believe in God, and I do, prayer works wonders. Just having a conversation with God can bring a spirit of calmness. There are many doctors who have been unable to explain how patients healed beyond expectation. Some have said on record that they can only conclude that a miracle occurred.
STEP SIX – Move into action. By the time you reach this step you’ve had time to work through the shock of the news, get support from caring love ones or friends, took time to regroup, spent some time educating yourself on the issues, and found your place of peace (or at least some stillness).
Now it’s time to get strategic. Part of the stress of dealing with medical conditions can be attributed to feeling like we have no control. Building an action plan returns to us some level of power.
The action plan doesn’t have to be extremely detailed, and it doesn’t have to have all the answers. It is just an action plan of your next steps. For example, your next steps could be to summarize the questions you have based on your research and sit down with your doctor again. Or, the next steps could be to identify another doctor to receive a second opinion from and gain a fresh perspective. The next steps don’t have to get you to the endgame, but they should get you moving.
STEP SEVEN – Claim victory NOW. Most of us have gone through challenging times before and managed to come through them. Remember other situations that seemed insurmountable where you ended up succeeding. Your mindset will affect your ability to heal. Don’t underestimate this step.
While your situation may seem daunting, remember that there have likely been others in the same position who had a positive outcome. Keep your mind tuned to positive possibilities. You are going to believe in something. Choose to believe in the best conceivable outcome.
Be well!
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