Posted by Marilyn Lawrence on January 13, 1998 at 19:35:32:
For January 12, 1998
1) My most recent illness of any consequence occurred last year in January. In
December the onset of my symptoms began, these being intermittent, unexplained left arm
pain. Contributing these symptoms to muscle pain, I dismissed them. As they continued,
it occurred to me that they might indicate a possible cardiac problem. As per typical
health professional, this took awhile to dawn on me considering I have been specialized in
the cardiac area for the past fifteen years. After positive non-invasive diagnostic tests at 4
p.m. one day, I found myself on the cardiac cath table at 9 a.m. the next day undergoing
the same procedure I had coached countless people through in the past fifteen years.
As far as the adjustment to being ill, this all occured after the fact since things
proceeded so fast. It was hard giving in to the demands of the illness, but as I realized
what the problem was, I started listening to my body rather than ignoring it. Slowing
down, resting, and being a couch potato for six weeks is not my typical style as well as the
emotional roller coaster that one can go on in the setting of an illness.
My recovery period was six weeks and after that I was 100% back to normal. My
main life style change has been to listen to my body and be aware of what it's telling me.
2) Health means being without illness or disease. This includes the physical, mental, and
social aspects. Health status means someone might have a disease, but they are still as
well as possible under the circumstances while living with the disease. This includes the
physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects.
3) Hypnotherapy, message therapy, and acupuncture are some professions that have been
accepted in other parts of the world for years and years, but have recently been accepted
in the Western world as professions.
4) I think Health Care Skill Standards can provide a lot of validity to health professions
and hopefully provide the public with well-trained, highly competent people providing
their health care. These standards will help the various schools make sure they are
accomplishing all of the expectations of their training programs. Also it can help future
employers of these professionals be confident that they are getting quality health care
professionals.