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Patients and the Diagnostic Journey: Finding Specialists

Patients and the Diagnostic Journey: Finding Specialists

The journey to diagnosis for patients, particularly those living with complex health conditions remains challenging for patients, their loved ones, and their physicians. As frontline experts on the diseases and conditions affecting their lives, patients and family...
The Keys to Good Relationships With Your Care Teams

The Keys to Good Relationships With Your Care Teams

Being born with cystic fibrosis, a progressive, genetic lung disease, I have had countless health encounters throughout my life. Through these experiences I have learned the power that lies in self advocating for my health in the clinic setting with my doctors and...
Turning Pain into Power through Advocacy

Turning Pain into Power through Advocacy

When I heard the words, “You have Lupus,” I didn’t know the magnitude of how much my life was going to be tested. It started in 1980 when rashes and unexplained fevers plagued my life. Seeing doctors about my symptoms led to solutions that were only temporary. Fifteen...
Tell Me Your Story: How Narrative Medicine Fosters Trust

Tell Me Your Story: How Narrative Medicine Fosters Trust

Curled up on her hospital gurney but unable to sleep, the middle-aged Latinx female trauma patient sighed, “I am tired of being tired.” Before daybreak, “Rosa” (not her real name) had arrived at work to open her New York restaurant but was interrupted by an intruder...
Simple Measures to Put Caring Back in Health Care

Simple Measures to Put Caring Back in Health Care

Editor’s note: When oncology and hospice nurse Theresa Brown was diagnosed with breast cancer, she couldn’t believe how disorganized and unempathic her care was. Ultimately she called it D.I.Y. care, as in Do-It-Yourself: figure out the treatment process, find the...
Getting “unstuck” after a life-changing medical diagnosis

Getting “unstuck” after a life-changing medical diagnosis

Editor’s note: Annie Brewster, MD, founder of Health Story Collaborative, and a friend to the Society for Participatory Medicine, has just published “The Healing Power of Storytelling: Using Personal Narrative to Navigate Illness, Trauma, and Loss.” In this excerpt...

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