I wasn’t the kid who tried to stay up late to sneak peeks of TV or eat snacks in my bedroom. Not for lack of trying but rather because my parents ensured the house was kid-proof after 9 p.m. All snacks were out of reach after my mom cleaned and closed the kitchen, and neither of my parents was interested in Letterman or Leno. Instead, they watched M*A*S*H, a show I did not understand.
So, it wasn’t until I was a teenager that I saw David Letterman deliver one of his famous “Top 10 lists”, and I thought it was hilarious. After that, I tried to catch just enough of The Late Show to see Letterman deliver a list full of zingers so I could repeat them at school the next day. Nowadays, my favorite “Top 10 Lists” are much more boring, as I’m prone to searching for the “Top 10 places to take your kids on a rainy day”.
A few months ago, I shared my “Top 5 List” with the National Council on Aging in an article entitled “5 Tips to Be Prepared and Banish Fear of Hospitals while Living with Chronic Illness”. For people living with chronic or progressive illness, hospitalizations can be fraught with anxiety, and with good reason. Coordinating all the pieces of their care in a fast-paced environment with new providers, new equipment, and multiple changes in their medications, all while feeling sick, can be daunting. It is possible to decrease the fear and anxiety around hospitals if you can do a bit of preparation and keep your support system close.
In this article, I shared how you can be better prepared for hospitalization by
- Choosing a hospital where you have received care in the past
- Having an updated list of your medications
- Preparing legal documents to support you
- Having someone with you during critical parts of your hospitalization
- Keeping in touch with your friends and family while you are hospitalized
Click on the title below to get the full article.
5 Tips to Be Prepared and Banish Fear of Hospitals While Living with Chronic Illness
For more information on what to look for in hospital-based care, order a copy of Prescription for Admission, a Doctor’s Guide for Navigating the Hospital, Advocating for Yourself, and Having a Better Hospitalization.
