The past few months have been strange with several incidents happening that seem to reinforce a recurring lesson I guess I’m suppose to learn. Take things easy and appreciate the other areas of life outside of work.
Recently, I collapsed in my office after a staff meeting from tightness in the chest and an inability to breathe. The attacked passed after 5 minutes after which I was sent to the hospital. Several tests were done and I was told there seemed nothing wrong with me. The doctor suggested that it was all in my head as a result of stress so I was sent home to rest.
The frustrating thing was that I felt something wasn’t right with my body after the attack. My stamina wasn’t as it should be and I was panting after a little exertion. Visiting specialists in the following days shed little light on the what was wrong. I just kept getting sent home with advice that maybe I should watch my stress levels as they could not find anything physically wrong.
A gastro specialist finally found a stomach infection which I was given several antibiotics to help clear. He ignored the dull pain I had been constantly experiencing and it took another doctor to give me pain-killers to help deal with that.
I finally understand the frustration people feel when they know something is wrong with them and the doctors they count on can’t find anything wrong with them. For some of them, if it wasn’t for their persistence their condition could have gone undetected leading to serious consequences.
I was persistent as I work with the healthcare industry regularly so I know it’s short-comings.
Here’s a lesson from the my week of sickness which I want to share:
Doctors are not always right.
The human body is very complex and it is often times difficult for a general practitioner to tell what’s wrong with you from your symptoms. Going to a specialist may not give you answers as well as they would usually examine only their area of specialty. If you don’t decide to see another specialist or if you don’t know which other specialist to consult, you could go on for days while your condition deteriorates.
If you have a nagging suspicion that something is wrong, my experience leads me to tell you to trust and listen to your gut. Keep searching for answers until you are completely satisfied. Get a second or third or fourth opinion.
If I hadn’t persisted, I might possibly be in a hospital now for surgery.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
oh my.. thank god u’re okay..
yes it is very frustrating when the doctors kept telling u’re okay but u know u’re not, symtoms arent’ always right, happened to my dad when he got a minor heart attack and was told by his first 3 docs he’s ok, he narrowly escaped death.
thanks for worrying casey. u’re always a sweet fren
u dad’s incident further proves the lesson i wanted to share about always getting a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th opinion until u’re satisfied.
thanks for sharing