Ep. 164: Simple Tips, Better Health (Part 1)

In this episode, Jaz, Linda, and Kathy give listeners tips on how to advocate for themselves in the hospital.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

You're now listening to a potent dose of three with your hosts Linda, Jasmine, and Kathy, and we're here to bring you your weekly dose. Hey guys, welcome back. It's your three favorite hosts of a potent dose of three. So this in this episode, we do want to bring it back a little bit. A few episodes ago, Jasmine gave listeners an update on her cancer scare diagnosis. Um, that was that was false. She's cancer free. But in this episode, we do want to talk about how, if you're ever in that position, how do you advocate for yourself? How do you um switch from one insurance to another and also give resources that your clinic may have that you don't know about? So let's get into this episode. Jasmine, Jasmine, Jasmine, Jasmine, the one that has been going through so much these past couple of months. I am happy that you are have not been actually diagnosed with cancer, even though that doctor had you all the way messed up. But I do think it's really important for you to give the listeners of how you felt in that moment as a patient, knowing you have a background in healthcare and medical. Because I do feel like it's important to know for an everyday person who just not who's not in healthcare. So let's get into it, Jasmine.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

No, yeah, um, I agree. It's it was rough. It was a rough time, but I did learn a lot too. Not only as a patient, but as a provider, I was able to sort of experience both roles. Um, I'm just gonna give like a quick backstory for those who didn't fully listen to the episode. Um, there was a few months where I just started to feel really sick and um had night sweats and um really fatigued. And no matter how much I slept, I just felt like I I didn't have the energy. And um I had been on medical insurance um because I, you know, obviously I don't have any income or any of that, and I'm in school full-time as a medical student. So I have Medi-Cal. And um, I was trying to get blood tests done. Um, and given that I had moved um from the Bay Area Um to Sacramento, um, there was um, I guess, I guess there was like a shortage of providers, or I don't know what was going on, but to even get a provider took forever. And then once I got that provider, um, you know, establishing care and then asking for blood work was a little bit of a hurdle. So I had asked for the blood work and there was just issues with the blood work. They didn't put in the paperwork. Then once they put in the paperwork, they didn't put it in right. So I I I had asked for the blood work and I didn't get it till I don't know, maybe like three, four months later. Um, at that point, I realized um I probably should get seen if just in case if something was going on with me. Um, you know, I I heard a lot of stories about um people pushing it off and then um they're getting really, really sick. So I just wanted to make sure my health was okay. And so I decided to, um, while I did have medical insurance, I wasn't getting the care I needed. And so I decided to um sign up for my school insurance. So I was now having dual insurance. I had medical and my school insurance, and then because I had the school insurance, um, I was able to go to other hospitals. And so then when I got released, when I had that situation where um uh my doctor thought I was bleeding internally because there was a lot of blood when I went to the restroom, um, I was able to use my insurance when I ended up going to the hospital. Um, and then that's where everything kind of started, and I was able to get better care because I did have that second or I had to rule insurances. So then after, you know, I went to the ER because my doctor was afraid I was bleeding internally, and then they um coincidentally found a tumor on my kidney. Um, you know, in retrospect, I realized that, you know, I feel because the provider, you know, knew I was a medical student, knew I had a medical background, um, I do believe I was treated a little differently. Um I remember when they first told me that they found that the tumor on my kidney. Um, obviously I was distraught and I had like an outer body experience and everything. Um, but right away, you know, I'm very upset and they start, you know, try trying to comfort me with what is the next step? Um and uh what do we do next? And you know, in that moment I couldn't even think. I couldn't even think of the word biopsy. I remember in that moment I was trying to think of how to say the word biopsy and I just couldn't think of it, you know. Um, so I it did feel like he was like testing my medical knowledge, but at the same time I felt I don't know, I felt like I couldn't advocate for myself because I couldn't really think clearly. Um and so fortunately I did have my partner there who was able to advocate for me. Um I remember a story where um Kathy had mentioned, you know, when she was giving birth, that you know, she had I guess prepped her fiance, had conversations with her fiance her fiance about, you know, like her needs, you know, that she she would be like her needs and her wants during the delivery. And I think that was something that I thought about, you know, after everything, after like really thinking through is like if you're if you're a patient, obviously not for everything you can't prep, right? But like if you can try to have a family member or like someone who can advocate with you because a lot of times, you know, you think that you can advocate for yourself, but when you're dealing with like an emotionally distressing situation, things don't go the way you think they're gonna go, you know, and you may not be able to speak up for yourself in that moment, and so um having my partner there to, you know, speak up for me, like I'm so grateful. And while I didn't prep him, you know, he knew my baseline, he knew, you know, what I was able to take and what I was not able to take. And so he saw that I just wasn't in a state to answer questions, and um and so he was actually answering some questions for me, which was kind of a relief because it was allowing me to grieve in that moment and kind of compose myself. And so that's what I would advise to patients, you know, if they're going through something difficult or to take someone with you. A lot of research does show that, you know, having um whether it's a family member or a companion go with you, that it does lead to better outcomes in your care and and um yeah, I I highly recommend it if you can.

SPEAKER_02 7:46

Um, and to also add on to what Jasmine is saying, um, say you're someone who doesn't have someone to go to the appointments with you to advocate for yourself, you're by yourself. Um, because that's that tends to happen as well. That what I've seen so far within my year, over a year and a half um working as a nurse practitioner. So some ways that you can show up to your appointment is have your main concerns written down, like your top two to three concerns written down. So when you go to the your appointment, you know what you want to address with your provide with your provider. I always also suggest to track your symptoms. If you say something is wrong, write it in your phone, write it down. This happened at this time on this day, and this was what the the outcome of that. Um, I also always says, say take photos. If you say, when I urinate, there's blood and in the stool, something, just take a take photos so then your provider can see actually how much blood it is. Um, so it's good to have evidence and stuff to present prevent prevent present to your provider um when you have certain certain concern. Um bring your list of medications, bring your list of questions. It's always good to come prepared so your appointment could be guided the way you want to be, want it to go. Because as a provider, you know, I may you come in. So what I was taught is that when a patient comes in, there's something I want to focus on. Say the pay patient comes in and their blood pressure is elevated. That's gonna be my concern, but that may not be the patient's concern. So I allow the patient to bring up two things that they want to address and one thing that I want to address. So we can all feel like we got something done for that visit and everyone is happy.

SPEAKER_00 9:38

Yeah, and even um if you because I have a lot of patients because I as a I work as an RN and I do a lot of like medic medication education, blood pressure, and so on and so forth. And because the population that we serve, they take a lot of medication because they have a lot of chronic problems. I have them bring their medication. Because, girl, I could barely remember the names of all the medications. They're complicated. I don't need my 70-year-old patient to remember like lithium or like no, they don't remember.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

I'm taking that little that little white pill, that little little over white pill.

SPEAKER_00 10:13

I was like, ma'am, you know how many little overwhite pairs. Yeah. So I'm like, bring the medications. I'm sorry, honey, but I don't want to like make a mess. Make the mess. I'll clean it up. Give me, give me your medications. That makes my life easier. And then uh the majority of my patients, they have bring it and they appreciate it, and I appreciate it because you can start like cleaning up the medical the medication list because sometimes they have so many medications that are not taken anymore, but they're just there. So when you bring your medications, you get to clean it up.

SPEAKER_02 10:45

Yes, but yeah, have medications that they're not even supposed to be taking, but they're still taking. Like, didn't I tell you to stop taking this last month? So bring bring the list. I always do um medication reconciliation.

SPEAKER_00 10:58

Yeah, so just bring the list or bring the bottles. Trust me, we as um healthcare workers, we don't mind you're actually doing us a favor because that way we could take care of you properly. So 2020.

SPEAKER_02 11:08

Yes, and we can also dispose of those medications for you as well.

SPEAKER_01 11:13

Look at the providers. No, you guys are right. You guys are right. Um, especially with, you know, I mean, I did I I haven't worked as a provider, but I do remember when I was working at the clinic, a lot of the patients did have a bunch of medications that they had on their chart and they weren't taking, they're like, I haven't taken that in 10 years. I was like, what? 10 years. So yes, it is really good to bring your medications and to consolidate your, you know, your medications. Okay. So yeah, I did feel like I was being treated differently um um at the emergency. Um, another part where I felt like I was being treated differently was um actually when I went to the oncologist, I remember when they were giving me the um full diagnosis, right? So like when they had already um looked at everything and looked at the scans, they had said, oh, um, you know, we think this is AML. And obviously I'm not a nephrologist, so AML to me did not mean a benign tumor, it meant um acute myelleukemia, which is what as a med student um I think one would think. And so AML, it um has like a 50% survival rate. So of course I went into a spiral when they told me I had AML. And so this just shows that, you know, when you treat someone differently um based off of their medical knowledge, right? If you don't treat them as, you know, just a regular patient, it can be dangerous when the patient, the patient with that medical knowledge and the doctor are not on the same background. Um, it can lead to just differences in in in perspective.

SPEAKER_00 12:56

So So I have a question. When they give you the AML, did she just give the abbreviation that she didn't explain that she just just say AML deuces? Like that's it?

SPEAKER_01 13:07

Yeah. So um when she first brought it up, she she just used the acronym. Yeah, she used the acronym. So that's why I went to a spiral because for me, AML means acute myeleleukemia. Um, so again, AML could could mean something like a benign condition, but if you're thinking AML, acute myeleleukemia, that's more of a life-threatening situation. And so again, that could be very dangerous. Um, and so again, even though you have a medical background, we all have different levels in our medical background. And so, you know, treating a patient with a medical background um as if they not not just like a regular patient, that could be dangerous, right? Because we're all on different levels. That could mean something completely different to someone else. And so, yeah, I feel like that poses a little bit of a concern when providing care for for patients.

SPEAKER_02 14:03

Yes, it's definitely um a huge concern. And we're taught to use, you know, we speak medical jargon to our colleagues, but we supposed to speak in layman's terms with patience. And I know for me, it's some I sometimes I talk so fast, I don't even realize I may throw in a medical word, but as a patient, it is important for you to speak up. Tell your provider, hey, I don't understand what that means. Can you make it into more simpler terms? Because as a medical, not a medical, as a provider, there's some stuff like I don't even understand. And I have to look up like, what does this medical word even mean? So I can only imagine someone who does not have a medical background, how confusing and overwhelming that interaction can be with your provider. But it's okay to speak up and say, I don't understand, because we won't think you're dumb. Like I said, I am been practicing for some time now, been in school for a long time, and I still'm still confused with a lot of things, a lot of words, even words I've seen before, but then I'll forget some, you know, forget it. But it's okay to say, hey, I don't understand what you're talking about. Slow down. I I need you to slow down, explain this to me. What do you mean? Because that that doctor who told Jasmine that she had, what was it? AML? AML, again, that provider shouldn't even view Jasmine as a med student more, but more so as like a patient, um, and just use layman terms when speaking to her as well. So it's okay to say, I don't understand. But sometimes I don't understand either.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

Yeah, or even like, can we just go back? Can can we just do that again? Can you repeat that? Um, yeah, no. I was like, what is AML? Which AML are you talking about? And then again, there's so many abbreviations, but yeah, so I mean, this was definitely an eye-opening experience for me. Um, you know, like thinking about my future care as a provider. Um, you know, thinking about like what am I gonna do when I do have um a patient who has a medical background. And I thought about just, you know, treating them like they're a patient because I mean, again, we all have different levels of knowledge in our medical background, and so I can't expect them to know everything I'm talking about. Um, additionally, I feel like, you know, when you work in healthcare, um I think you're expected to have a certain level of composure and a certain level of, I don't know, way of being, right? And so I feel when you treat a patient who has a medical background differently, it doesn't allow them to have that care, that the equitable care that an a regular patient or a patient without medical background would receive. Um, you know, does that patient with medical background feel like they're able to grieve, you know, their condition or or what's going on with them the way any other patient would be? And I don't know. I'm not gonna lie, there was a point where I was like, oh my god, you're a medical student. Are you handling I'm not gonna lie, are you handling this right? But you know what? I was. I I I was a patient. I wasn't a medical student in that moment, right? Um, and so yeah, I think that if you if you treat your patients who do have that background differently, it doesn't allow them to be a patient. It doesn't allow them to feel comfortable, get that full experience of, you know, what it is that they're going through.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Do you think that in the future, I hope it doesn't happen to you again that you will be like in the hospital. Uh, but when you do become go to hospital again, do you think you would disclose that you are you have medical background, or do you think you just you wouldn't disclose that information anymore?

SPEAKER_01 18:17

That's a really good question. So um when all this happened, I actually had my badge on my back. So they they saw it. Um, they saw like my medical student badge. Um I personally probably won't, um, just because I do feel like I got treated differently, and it just like I told you, it placed me in a situation where I didn't feel like a patient. I felt like I was being interrogated um and being asked questions, and I wasn't fully able to be a patient. Um, so probably not. And I it's weird to think of it that way, but I don't think I would. Um but yeah, that's something I learned. I probably will not not disclose it. Um, but it was a good, I think it was a good learning experience because if I me, someone who has actual medical background or training felt really uncomfortable and distressed in this situation, how does someone with no concept of how things run um feel? You know, there is, you know, they as as a medical student, they teach they teach me that there's like an imbalance between provider and patient, right? Um as a patient, you you feel like you're at the mercy of the doctor or your test results, your fate or your future rests in the hands of whatever the provider's going to tell you. It can fundamentally alter your life, right? So you you are sitting in the unknown, and that can be really, really scary. Um, and then the provider, you know, is seen as, you know, obviously they have all this wealth of knowledge, and and so there is this imbalance, and so I felt the imbalance as a medical student. I can only imagine um patients who don't have that knowledge, let alone don't speak the language, come from a different culture, you know, how they feel, and I already knew that, but I think experiencing it as a as a medical student, I think only exacerbated or intensified like how I feel about it, how like how how I realized that it's even worse than I thought, I guess, you know, that imbalance is worse than I thought, it's greater than I thought. So yeah, I think it just taught me that when providing care, I just have to slow down and just be okay with repeating things, and no matter how busy you may feel, no matter how like you know, overwhelmed we may feel as providers, the patients are a lot more overwhelmed.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

So hold that thought. Stay tuned for next week's episode. Thanks for listening to this episode of PD3 with your host Linda, Jasmine, and Kathy. Make sure you like, comment, and subscribe at a potent dose of three so that you never miss an episode and your weekly dose.