Latest
Ok so this isn’t REALLY a life hack...
BUT - it’s the best piece of advice I was ever given.
If you or your loved one that you are a caregiver for, have a disorder that doctors can be unfamiliar with, take notes.
I was told as a KID helping my grandparents to learn EVERYTHING about the disorder and always advocate for yourself and your loved one. I’m talking drug interactions, symptoms, side effects, possible surgeries and other options, anything and everything my friends.
This has SAVED my grandfather (before he passed last year) numerous times. I’ll give an example: My grandfather was a quadriplegic. He had gastroparesis because of it. His intestines don’t just push food around etc leading to multiple GI issues such as incontinence and constipation. He was presenting with textbook symptoms of gall bladder issues, well, except for PAIN the most obvious one. Why? Because it’s paralyzed in that area. He can’t feel it. So he went in and out of the ER three times. The third time I went with my grandparents there. Now I am not a doctor, but at this point I’m feeling like I should go back to school. I basically demand to know what “protocol” they’re following because they refuse to do an ultrasound. I explain that he has classic symptoms aside from pain because paralysis. After a LOT of arguing I got the ultrasound I asked for. His gall bladder had gangrene. I got an apology from the surgeon on staff and he used my grandfathers case as an example moving forward.
