----------
> From: JHarper33(AT)aol.com
> To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> Subject: Fwd: doctors
> Date: Saturday, October 11, 1997 12:28 AM
>
> In a message dated 97-10-10 00:49:12 EDT, JHarper33 writes:
>
> > Subj: doctors
> > Date: 97-10-10 00:49:12 EDT
> > From: JHarper33
> > To: Marsden51
> >
> > Sharon,
> >
> > I'm so sorry for your experience with your doctor. I guess there are
good
> > and bad in every specialty. My own GP has been great. I'm his only TM
> patient,
> > but he's very good to listen and advise and send me to whatever
specialist
>
> > he thinks might be helpful. Some of the specialtists have not been as
> > thorough and helpful. I'm convinced the patient, or a close friend or
> > relative of the patient, often has to "take charge" as far as research
and
> > sometimes insisting on a certain test or treatment. You might try
writing
> > your concerns and feelings to your dr. I did that once because it was
hard
> to
> > deal with all the symptoms and questions I had all at once -- I think,
in
> his
> > humanness, he could only take in and deal with so many things at one
time.
> So
> > I wrote out everything (even though I was afraid of being labeled
neurotic
> or
> > a hypochondriac -- by that time, I didn't care. I just wanted answers!)
and
>
> > asked him to call me when he had a chance. He called -- on a Saturday,
> even!
> > Even though there wasn't much he could "do," it was very helpful just
that
> he
> > would talk things over with me. I would say if your dr. doesn't respond
to
> > your questions and concerns, it might be time to get a new dr., if
> insurance
> > considerations allow. Let him know, kindly, that even though you've had
> good
> > dr.-patient relationship in the past, you're both hurt by his reaction
plus
>
> > fearful that his not taking you seriously may impede your diagnosis and
> > treatment. You might even check the archives and some of the links
there
> and
> > print out some information that validates that your symptoms are in
line
> with
> > TM.
> >
> > I know what you mean by wanting to pursue tests and a diagnosis
and
> yet
> > being afraid, too. Sometimes the relief of getting a diagnosis is
followed
> by
> > an "Oh, no, not that!" type of feeling.
> >
> > I think part of the key, after it all sinks in, is to concentrate
on
> > what you can do, what abilities you do have. It sounds trite to say,
"It
> > could be worse," but, it could. I have to admit I still have to
actively
> get
> > my thoughts along these lines often -- it's all too easy to focus on
what
> > doesn't feel right or work right. Of course, sometimes your symptoms
push
> > their way to the forefront of all your attention and all you can do is
pray
>
> > and hang on and just make it through the next hour, and then the next,
and
> > then the next. But good days and good moments do come along.
> >
> > You asked how some of us cope. Well, for me, I am a Christian and
> > believe that God has a purpose in everything He allows. Yes, I've
struggled
>
> > with why He hasn't healed, knowing He is able to. Lamentations 3: 31-33
> say, "
> > For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
> > But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to
the
> > multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve
the
> > children of men." He doesn't do anything whimsically or purposelessly.
> > Missionary Amy Carmichael once wrote, "God does not waste His servant's
> time.
> > God does not waste His servant's pain." Romans 8:28* says, " And we
know
> that
> > all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are
> the
> > called according to his purpose." One passage that has helped me a lot
is
> > Isaiah 41:10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for
I am
>
> > thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will
uphold
> > thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Someone once said, "What
the
>
> > Lord orders, He pays for," and what He allows to to go through, He does
> > provide the strength and grace for if we trust Him and rely on Him. One
of
> my
> > biggest fears is of another attack, especially a worse attack. Isaiah
12:2
> > has been helpful: "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not
be
> > afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is
become
> my
> > salvation." as well as Ps 56:3: "What time I am afraid, I will trust in
> thee."
> > This is not something I've wrestled with once and gotten victory over
once
>
> > and for all. It's something I have to wrestle with often and actively
put
> my
> > faith in God. Even if something worse happens, He will be with me and
help
> me
> > just as He was when it happened the first time and all the days
inbetween.
> >
> > People use the word "Christian" rather loosely these days to mean
any
>
> > religion that has something to do with Christ, but originally it meant
> > someone who was an active follower of Jesus Christ, a Person, not an
> adherent
> > to a certain religion. John 17:3 says, "And this is life eternal, that
they
>
> > might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent."
> > Isaiah 53: 5-6 says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was
> > bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and
>
> > with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we
have
>
> > turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the
iniquity
>
> > of us all." That's the essence of it -- knowing Him, in the forgiveness
of
> > sins, trusting that His sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for our
> sins,
> > and He rose again and conquered death, and wanting Him to be Savior and
> Lord
> > of us individually. Romans 10:9-10 and 13: " That if thou shalt confess
> with
> > thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath
> > raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
> > believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto
> > salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
> saved."
> >
> >
> > I hope this all makes sense -- it is waaay past my bedtime. :)
> > Please feel free to write any time. The tmic list has been a real
> help,
> > both in information and encouragement and the support of knowing there
are
> > others out there who know by experience what we're going through.
> >
> > Barbara
>
>
> ---------------------
> Forwarded message:
> Subj: doctors
> Date: 97-10-10 00:49:12 EDT
> From: JHarper33
> To: Marsden51
>
> Sharon,
>
> I'm so sorry for your experience with your doctor. I guess there are good
and
> bad in every specialty. My own GP has been great. I'm his only TM
patient,
> but he's very good to listen and advise and send me to whatever
specialist he
> thinks might be helpful. Some of the specialtists have not been as
thorough
> and helpful. I'm convinced the patient, or a close friend or relative of
the
> patient, often has to "take charge" as far as research and sometimes
> insisting on a certain test or treatment. You might try writing your
concerns
> and feelings to your dr. I did that once because it was hard to deal with
all
> the symptoms and questions I had all at once -- I think, in his
humanness, he
> could only take in and deal with so many things at one time. So I wrote
out
> everything (even though I was afraid of being labeled neurotic or a
> hypochondriac -- by that time, I didn't care. I just wanted answers!) and
> asked him to call me when he had a chance. He called -- on a Saturday,
even!
> Even though there wasn't much he could "do," it was very helpful just
that he
> would talk things over with me. I would say if your dr. doesn't respond
to
> your questions and concerns, it might be time to get a new dr., if
insurance
> considerations allow. Let him know, kindly, that even though you've had
good
> dr.-patient relationship in the past, you're both hurt by his reaction
plus
> fearful that his not taking you seriously may impede your diagnosis and
> treatment. You might even check the archives and some of the links there
and
> print out some information that validates that your symptoms are in line
with
> TM.
>
> I know what you mean by wanting to pursue tests and a diagnosis and
yet
> being afraid, too. Sometimes the relief of getting a diagnosis is
followed by
> an "Oh, no, not that!" type of feeling.
>
> I think part of the key, after it all sinks in, is to concentrate on
> what you can do, what abilities you do have. It sounds trite to say, "It
> could be worse," but, it could. I have to admit I still have to actively
get
> my thoughts along these lines often -- it's all too easy to focus on what
> doesn't feel right or work right. Of course, sometimes your symptoms push
> their way to the forefront of all your attention and all you can do is
pray
> and hang on and just make it through the next hour, and then the next,
and
> then the next. But good days and good moments do come along.
>
> You asked how some of us cope. Well, for me, I am a Christian and
> believe that God has a purpose in everything He allows. Yes, I've
struggled
> with why He hasn't healed, knowing He is able to. Lamentations 3: 31-33
say,
> "For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
> But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the
> multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve
the
> children of men." He doesn't do anything whimsically or purposelessly.
> Missionary Amy Carmichael once wrote, "God does not waste His servant's
time.
> God does not waste His servant's pain." Romans 8:28* says, " And we know
that
> all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
the
> called according to his purpose." One passage that has helped me a lot is
> Isaiah 41:10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I
am
> thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will
uphold
> thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Someone once said, "What
the
> Lord orders, He pays for," and what He allows to to go through, He does
> provide the strength and grace for if we trust Him and rely on Him. One
of my
> biggest fears is of another attack, especially a worse attack. Isaiah
12:2
> has been helpful: "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be
> afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is
become my
> salvation." as well as Ps 56:3: "What time I am afraid, I will trust in
> thee." This is not something I've wrestled with once and gotten victory
over
> once and for all. It's something I have to wrestle with often and
actively
> put my faith in God. Even if something worse happens, He will be with me
and
> help me just as He was when it happened the first time and all the days
> inbetween.
>
> People use the word "Christian" rather loosely these days to mean
any
> religion that has something to do with Christ, but originally it meant
> someone who was an active follower of Jesus Christ, a Person, not an
adherent
> to a certain religion. John 17:3 says, "And this is life eternal, that
they
> might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent."
> Isaiah 53: 5-6 says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was
> bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and
> with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we
have
> turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the
iniquity
> of us all." That's the essence of it -- knowing Him, in the forgiveness
of
> sins, trusting that His sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for our
sins,
> and He rose again and conquered death, and wanting Him to be Savior and
Lord
> of us individually. Romans 10:9-10 and 13: " That if thou shalt confess
with
> thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
> raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
> believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
> salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
> saved."
>
> I hope this all makes sense -- it is waaay past my bedtime. :)
> Please feel free to write any time. The tmic list has been a real
help,
> both in information and encouragement and the support of knowing there
are
> others out there who know by experience what we're going through.
>
> Barbara