Anne Rosales, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 at the age of 56. She shares how one difficult conversation changed the way she approaches her care.
Transcript
We have to remember that our doctors are absolute experts in our disease and other medical conditions, but we’re the experts on ourselves and how we are feeling — how we’re feeling in the body, the mind, and everything.
And so, if you’re not feeling great about a recommendation that your doctor has made to you, it’s time for you to speak up.
You have to be an advocate for yourself, and your doctor is really only able to treat you as well as you can reflect back to him or her what’s going on with you.
You know, I had an issue with a medical provider once — someone I really liked — but I felt that maybe due to managed care or just whatever concerns, this person was hurried, maybe distracted, maybe just kind of needed to check me off and move on to the next person on the list. I got concerned about that.
So, the next time I met with them, I actually had written out — I was really nervous because I knew I needed to give some feedback — but I thought it was hindering my care.
I wrote out what I wanted to say and gave my comments, which was uncomfortable. And yet, at the same time, my provider really respected that. I think it helped us move to a different level where we understand each other better, and I do think it benefited my care in the long run.
