RA>And doctors can be so intimidating.  I find it hard to ask a doctor his
  >or her opinion of a treatment I've read about or heard about on TV.  My
  >mother's doctor in particular can really put one down--'well, any durn
  >fool knows -----'.
While I was going the route of searching for an oncologist and surgeon
and stuff during the initial stages of dealing with cancer, I did three
things to help me keep my balance in dealing with the medical
professional world.  I wrote down all questions I could think of
*before* my doctor's appointments,, and refused to leave the offices
until all were answered. I carried a notebook with me, and took notes on
everything that was said. I always took a friend or relative to the
office with me, who was less emotionally involved, to ask any questions
I might miss during the conversation, to also take notes, and to act as
my advocate if things got rough.
RA>I'm really glad to hear that.  She is one of the lucky ones, since it
  >seems that more often that people who had a misereable childhood find
  >that that childhood follows them around when they're adults and creates
  >all kinds of problems.
My friend went through all sorts of emotional difficulties in her late
teens and very early twenties, and made a number of mistakes while
trying to grow up.  But her basic decisions as a child was that she was
OK, and she was not going to live the life her mother did.  That carried
her through.
                  Sondra
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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ Warning: dates on calendar are closer than they appear.
--- Opus-CBCS 1.7x via O_QWKer 1.1
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