I'm becoming an Empowered Patient: Willing to learn and research my personal health conditions. Informed, inquisitive, realistic, and eager to LIVE. Carefully considering what I read, discover, and share. Participating in support groups to help one another and advocate. Sharing information and treatment ideas with patients and medical providers across the globe. Monitoring and managing my diagnostic tests results and lab values. I'm becoming an Empowered Patient: Creating a Trust-worthy medical TEAM that works WITH me to improve my quality of life. Expecting open discussions and shared decision making for treatments. Finding medical providers that are honest & dedicated to learn more about unfamiliar conditions, medicines, side effects, and impact on my life. Requiring my team to LISTEN to my concerns, ANSWER my questions, and HELP DEVELOP a positive treatment plan. I'm becoming an Empowered Patient: I HAVE to! No One knows my body better than myself. No one can fight this battle for me. If I don't fight for my health and my quality of life, who will? I can't sit back and be "just" a patient anymore. I am empowering myself and educating others; determined to find better health and regain my sense of living. About me: I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis in April 2013 after being unable to eat anything or drink an adequate amount since that Feb. In May 2013 I became dependent on a GJ feeding tube for nutrition. It helped for a while, but have been struggling with my tube feeds for the past year. In Oct 2014 I was hospitalized and diagnosed with Pelvic Floor Dysnergia, Dec 2014 Gallbladder surgery for gallstones and inflammation. During the summer of 2015, I found that my lower esophagus sphincter was not relaxing as a result of an esophageal manometry test, so had the esophagus stretched. Have also been suffering from chronic constipation, lightheaded/dizziness, continued abdominal pain, continuous nausea, and dehydration issues. Just found out this month, after asking for the Sitz Marker Study, that I have colonic inertia. So basically, my digestive system sucks. BUT I'm determined to get my life and some sense of normalcy back by being an EMPOWERED PATIENT.
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YES! This is exactly what changes everything! When we engage with our healthcare team! By choosing them! And surrounding ourselves with those (support groups) who know what we are going through and reaching out to them and giving them a hand up with the knowledge we have gained by surving the storms? We truly become empowered! We are, each of us, priceless, and deserve the very best of ourselves and others! I have learned over the years, that closed doors are just ones which need to be pushed harder! And no's are really yes' with people who have bad communication skills and spelling issues! They really meant to say yes! When we become that empowered patient? We realize we are here to help them realize that fact!
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Trisha BundyA proud mother, educator, Gastroparesis & GI Motility Disorder Advocate, Like my content? Want to thank me with a small token of appreciation? https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1LH7R639ORBML?ref_=wl_share
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