Zebras #AtoZChallenge

There is nothing more frustrating as a patient than having a provider look at you and summarily discount your symptoms as ‘impossible’. It is very common that we are hesitant, even afraid, of that which we do not understand. It is also true that those trained to diagnose and treat us could and should be held to a higher standard.

It is to them we look when our body revolts against us in ways which we do not understand. It is them to whom we turn when we feel our body couldn’t possibly be destroying itself as it seems to be doing. It is our physicians we look to for an answer of that which we cannot make sense of on our own. And that is how it should be for they are the ones with years and years of education and experience upon which to base their examination and diagnosis.

Your Mental Health #AtoZChallenge

When discussing the issues of chronically ill people, some of the topics most thought of include physical health, access to affordable and appropriate healthcare, and general accessibility. A very important, if not overlooked, topic is the mental health not only of the chronically ill person, but those who may help to care for them. All too often mental health gets significantly less attention than ones physical health, and is often less likely to be as available through medical insurance.

X-Rays – They Don’t Show Everything! #AtoZChallenge

Whether we suffer an illness or injury, often one of the first methods to look at the structures inside the body is often an X-ray. This is regardless of whether the suspected injury will show up on an X-ray or not. There are many forms of radiological studies which physicians can use to evaluate the nature of your particular complaint, illness, or injury. Let’s use a simple example to expand upon this concept.

Wheelchairs, etc. #AtoZChallenge

Often the use of a wheelchair is equated with someone being unable to move or use their lower limbs in order to stand and ambulate. While this is certainly true for some people and some situations, it is not a hard and fast rule. There are many legitimate reasons one may be relegated to using a wheelchair without being paralyzed. In this post, we will discuss just a few such instances.

Vertigo #AtoZChallenge

During the month of April this blog has focused on a number of general topics as they relate to chronic illness. Today we are going to touch on a specific issue, because all of the other topics I chose for the letter V just didn’t sit well with me. So in order to remain relevant and in an attempt to touch on something new each day, we will delve into the dizzying world of vertigo.