Being an advocate for myself at my doctor's appointment

(Chapter 15 Medical Appointments and its Challenges in my book)

Today I had a few challenges at my doctor's appointment. I saw my allergist and I only see him once a year. The appointment started to become challenging when the doctor asked me how my health has been since the last time that I saw him. With my memory problems, all I could remember was that in September of this year, I was treated at the hospital for a sinus infection and fluid in both of my ears. He asked if that was all and I told him that I was sick at least one other time for a sinus infection, or bronchitis, or pneumonia, but I told him that I didn't remember when or what I was treated for. I took out the calendar in my pocketbook and I started looking through it. I found an appointment in April that I had been treated for bronchitis, so I told the doctor about that illness. I told him what doctor had treated me and what medicine I had been on. He asked if that was all and I told him that was all that I could figure out right now.

We talked about the medicines that he had prescribed for me and I told him that I needed a new sinus medicine because the one that I was using wasn't working so well anymore. He gave me the name of a medicine that I could use and he said that it was over the counter, so my insurance probably wouldn't cover it. He asked me if I had a membership at a wholesale club and I said no, but my son does. He said that I could probably save money by buying the sinus medicine there. I asked him to please write that down for me, because I would probably forget it.

After taking a breathing test and the doctor went over the results with me, I left the examining room and I saw the receptionist. I paid my copay for my visit and I remembered to write down about buying the sinus medicine at a wholesale club. The next challenge was when the receptionist said that sometime next year, I could call and make another appointment. I told her that would be a problem for me because of my memory issues. I asked if they could put something in my chart, so someone could call and remind me to set up an appointment and they said that they don't do that. I told them that I will probably forget to call back to make another appointment for next year because I have problems with my memory. The girl told me that they don't usually make an appointment now for next year, but she said that they could do that for me. I thanked her and I made an appointment for next year. She gave me a card with the appointment written on it and I paper clipped it inside my 2018 calendar.

I'm glad that I continued to talk to them about how their routine didn't work for my brain. They needed to make an accommodation for me because there was no way that I was going to remember to call and make another appointment for next year. I don't even know when they wanted me to call back because they didn't really specify that. I just need to continue to communicate with medical professionals and anyone else who I need to talk to and let them know how they need to help me. I will just continue to do my best to advocate for myself because I have no other choice but to do that!

I do what I have to but sometimes it can be very stressful! I’m not a demanding person but sometimes it feels like I’ve had to be that way in order to get medical professionals to make things easier for me.