BethU
Extremely helpful member
- Joined
- May 11, 2008
- Messages
- 2,646
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 05/2008
- Country
- US
- State
- California
- City
- Los Angeles
Just finished my annual check-up, and at the end, the doctor said (AND I QUOTE), "Aside from the ALS and the heart disease, you're in very good shape."
Wonder what I have to do to be considered "sick"? :shock:
(And, aside from the engine and the transmission, my car is in great shape, too, except for the brakes and the tires.)
But speaking of awareness: My PCP is a resident, closely supervised by other doctors. During the exam, she asked how my ALS is doing, and I said it was OK. Then she said cheerfully, "I know nothing about ALS." While I was mulling this over ... that one could be an MD, finish your internship and almost finish your residency, and still know nothing about ALS ... she said, "The most important thing is that we don't trigger a flare-up of the ALS."
Flare-up? She was confusing ALS with MS ?!?!- This is scary. She also had me stick out my tongue, and she looked at me very worried and said, "Your tongue is really atrophied."
Well, yeah.
Her residency ends next July. My personal goal for increasing awareness of ALS is to tutor my PCP on this disease. I may be the only PALS she sees for a few years, but some day another PALS will walk into her office, and I want her to know enough to at least send them to a neuro.
How can MDs know nothing about ALS? And how can I tactfully bring her up to speed on this? I think when I get one of Jimmercat's T-shirts, I'll wear it to the next appt.
I did take the time to show her the atropy on my hands and arms, and gave her a few moments to study them, which she did. It's a start . . .
Wonder what I have to do to be considered "sick"? :shock:
(And, aside from the engine and the transmission, my car is in great shape, too, except for the brakes and the tires.)
But speaking of awareness: My PCP is a resident, closely supervised by other doctors. During the exam, she asked how my ALS is doing, and I said it was OK. Then she said cheerfully, "I know nothing about ALS." While I was mulling this over ... that one could be an MD, finish your internship and almost finish your residency, and still know nothing about ALS ... she said, "The most important thing is that we don't trigger a flare-up of the ALS."
Flare-up? She was confusing ALS with MS ?!?!- This is scary. She also had me stick out my tongue, and she looked at me very worried and said, "Your tongue is really atrophied."
Well, yeah.
Her residency ends next July. My personal goal for increasing awareness of ALS is to tutor my PCP on this disease. I may be the only PALS she sees for a few years, but some day another PALS will walk into her office, and I want her to know enough to at least send them to a neuro.
How can MDs know nothing about ALS? And how can I tactfully bring her up to speed on this? I think when I get one of Jimmercat's T-shirts, I'll wear it to the next appt.
I did take the time to show her the atropy on my hands and arms, and gave her a few moments to study them, which she did. It's a start . . .