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How Can Someone You Bring To Appointments With You Be Most Helpful?
Some of our PH forum members have shared that they bring a significant other or family member to appointments and testing with them. I always like to bring my mom with me for appointments. Over the 27 years of my life, medical terms, thinking of questions, and helping me prepare for appointments in advance has become second nature to her. She brings a notebook with her to all appointments and writes down everything that is important in case I miss something due to the stress of the visit.
My mom makes sure to pack something for an overnight bag, double checks to make sure I have all my medications and medical equipment, and always tries to make each appointments and visit as enjoyable as possible. We usually will get ice cream or lunch after the visit is over and recap what was said.
My mom had to learn what is helpful during appointments for me and had 27 years to learn this. I can imagine that it must be difficult for a significant other or someone who isn’t familiar with going back and forth to appointments and testing. I can see this with my own boyfriend and how easily overwhelmed he can get. The truth is, these types of skills aren’t second nature to most people. They need to be told exactly what is helpful. As patients, we can’t expect others to just know what we need.
Who do you bring with you to appointments? In what ways are they helpful for you and what things do they do that you really appreciate? What tips would you have for a caregiver looking to be as supportive as possible during appointments or testing?
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