Maybe “bad news” can be good
I have been writing this post in my head for a while now. But I just couldn’t seem to get it down on paper (digital paper, that is.). It is a heavy topic. One that has been on the forefront of my mind recently as several people I know have been in this position. It’s been interesting to see how different people react to very similar situations.
Hold up. What the kale am I talking about?
The dreaded medical diagnosis.
Oftentimes, receiving a diagnosis is viewed as something bad. In some cases, it may feel like a death sentence. You may be confronted with thoughts of your mortality. Or, in less serious situations, your lifestyle, habits, and the things you have been doing to your body for years may be called into question. You may view a diagnosis as a life sentence, meaning giving up all your favorite foods and activities or being tied to medications and terrible side effects for the rest of your life.
I told you, we’re going deep today. (If you’re not in the right headspace for this, come back another day, I’ll wait!!)
But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if, instead of a diagnosis being the end, it was the beginning? This is a change in perspective. Although applying it to your situation may be a bit more difficult, but let’s see.
Let me explain…
Sometimes, we are going through life thinking everything is great, things are going as planned, and you have no health concerns. Then you go in for a physical and the doctor finds something that’s not quite right. Maybe you are diagnosed with a chronic disease or another ailment. That’s unexpected and can be really terrifying. But the reality is, you can’t fix something that you don’t know is broken. That diagnosis may have just saved your life.
Other times, you may get the sense that something is wrong. Maybe you’re not feeling the best, you feel something odd in or on your body, or you start to develop symptoms. For a lot of us, it might take more than that to get us to go in to see the doctor. Or maybe you decide to just wait until you’re in there next. Or maybe, you go on about your life thinking your symptoms will go away on their own, which they might, but deep down you feel like something is truly wrong.
I would always encourage you to seek medical attention as needed.
Another situation that can arise is when we work with a medical professional, or two or three, trying to figure out what is going on. Maybe there are lots of tests or trials of different medications or supplements. Chronic disease is not always easy to diagnose and there are plenty of other health issues that are extremely difficult to nail down. There can be a lot of worry and fear during this time, amongst other emotions. If you’re anything like me, your mind goes right to the worst-case scenario!
This is where the change in perspective comes in.
What if, instead of fearing the diagnosis, you were actually excited? Not excited about having a disease, but excited to finally get answers? The problem is until we know exactly what is wrong, we can’t fix it. We might be able to put Band-aids on it or manage some symptoms, but that’s not addressing the problem. In many cases, that may be prolonging the inevitable or even making things worse.
When it’s finally determined what’s going on, then you can start to create a plan with your care team. There are usually many options available for treatment protocols. However, many times, with typical Western Medicine, they rely too heavily on the “standard of care” which means they apply the same “treatment plan” to every patient. Nothing is individualized. That’s a problem because every single person on the planet is different. Every person with heart disease or cancer is different because every human body is different. So, it only makes sense that care should be individualized. I strongly believe that is the future of healthcare. Maybe that’s wishful thinking, but we are already starting to see glimmers of hope. Hopefully, we are getting closer to doctors doing more to look at the root of a condition rather than simply prescribing a pill, or 6, and hoping for the best.
In many cases, those pills do not actually treat the problem, they just mask symptoms. Going on high blood pressure medication and continuing to eat a diet that is full of highly processed, nutrient-devoid food while living a sedentary, stress-filled life is likely not the best strategy. The pills will control your blood pressure, but eventually, more and more pills will be needed and maybe other procedures because your diet and lifestyle are continuing to damage your body. You just might not feel it as easily because of the medication.
That is where you are forced with a decision. What if you could fix the problem? Fix what is making your blood pressure higher than it should be? This is where having an actual diagnosis becomes very important.
Unfortunately, diseases can still have bad outcomes. But there is a lot that can be done to help improve the situation, or at the very least, not make things worse. Knowing what is wrong can be empowering! It gives the power back to you and then you can begin to make logical decisions about what to do next.
There are three main things I recommend to clients when they receive a diagnosis, no matter what that diagnosis is:
1. Get a second opinion. That may mean going to a different doctor or a different specialist altogether. This may be a good time to also seek the guidance of a Naturopathic doctor, many of which are also MD’s but they received further training and board certification in Naturopathy (which is more natural medicine). They will look at you as a whole person, taking into account much more than just what your chart says. They can also order additional tests, and many are willingly work with your primary care provider. Unfortunately, most insurance companies will not cover these visits.
2. Take time to grieve. There is a lot of research that shows receiving a diagnosis is very similar to losing a loved one. You may feel anger, denial, sadness, loneliness, or you may have regrets. Take the time to experience those emotions. Spend the day in bed if you need to. Cry, yell, throw things (safely of course!). Do what you need to do to work through the emotions that come along. This will look different for everyone so do this without judgment. This process may help bring some clarity to your situation or you may realize that you need some help with the process. This would be a great time to enlist the skills of a therapist or coach to help you work through it. The goal is to come to terms with what’s going on and then be in a space where you can make logical decisions.
3. Take a break. Clear your head. Take a few days “off” from trying to figure out which way is up. We are often forced to make difficult decisions when we are not thinking clearly or are so overwhelmed with fear that we don’t know what questions to ask. It is ok to ask for things to slow down so you can think. During this time, spend some time doing the things you love and that make you happy. This can also be a time to celebrate that you are working through your emotions and are putting yourself in a great position to take on whatever the next steps may be.
The bottom line is that every situation in life is about how we handle it. It can be incredibly difficult, but you don’t need to do this alone! There are so many resources out there and you may even know someone who has gone through something similar. Now is not the time to be shy about asking for help! Most people are eager to help others any way they can.
No matter what you choose to do with a diagnosis, just remember, only you know what’s best for you. It is your body and your life. The right answers will show through and help guide you on your journey. Just start somewhere.
I would be more than happy to talk more about this topic with you! Send me a message or an email and let’s chat!
Peace, love & kale!
Lindsay