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The following
is an excerpt from
Next
Steps. It is provided as a SAMPLE of
what is included in the “How to Talk with Doc” section. More information
is included in the booklet.
How to Talk with Doc
Why talk with Doc?
Doctors need to know what your wishes are in case you ever get seriously ill. They don’t want to make decisions about your
medical care on their own. But most will not
bring up the subject because they don’t want to frighten you with discussions about
serious illness.
Some suggestions and reminders BEFORE you talk to Doc:
Remember
that having a talk with your doctor may take more than one try. Doctors are busy people. You may end up with a short amount of time to
discuss your wishes. It will help if you
organize your thoughts so you can get straight to the point. A good way to start is by placing a copy of your
Five Wishes in the doctor’s hands. If
you doctor is not able to discuss your wishes the first time you try, ask the doctor,
nurse or secretary for a formal appointment date and time in the very near future to
discuss your wishes.
Go over your Five Wishes,
wish by wish:
-
While all of your wishes
are important, make sure you go over Wishes Two and Three very carefully. Talking about controlling your pain is critical. This is one are you don’t want to leave to
chance. Experts agree that many people who
are seriously ill do not get the pain treatment they want.
If you don’t want to be in pain, the best way to protect yourself is to
speak with your doctor and be blunt about it.
-
Tell your doctor how much
you want to know about your illness and chance of recovery if the time comes that you are
very sick. Let your doctor know if you want
the details of your condition and chance of recovery, or just a general outline. Also, tell your doctor if you want that
information shared with, or kept from, people close to you.
Remember that the above is
only an excerpt from
Next
Steps.
Much more information is contained in the document available
here.
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