You ever watch shows about international homes and the homes don’t have addresses, they have names. My house is called “The House of 16 Legs”. Why you might ask? Because I am blessed to have two dogs and two cats who seem to rule the house…humans are only there to provide kibble, recreation, and treats.
Over the past four or five years my black lab, Tashi, has been fighting a variety of infections. She got diagnosed with MRSA (a very stubborn, often drug resistant virus), and if that weren’t enough she is allergic to a bunch of plants, weeds, and assorted other allergens.
It’s odd when my dog and I both have our own dermatologists. It’s odd to even type those words, but it’s true. Tashi’s dermatologist is also an allergist so she’s got two specialists rolled into one. This week it was time for our semi-annual check-up to see how she’s doing and to adjust her medications if necessary.
During her routine examination the doctor asked if anything has changed since her last visit. Fortunately, nothing really changed; her health, her appetite, and her resolve are all flourishing. She’s getting older and has developed some new maladies, but nothing out of the ordinary.
The next question was specific to her allergies. The doctor wanted to know how she was doing because here in Colorado we’ve had a tough allergy season. I commented the only thing I noticed is that she, and my other dog, Bella, have been doing that internal sneeze that sounds like a snort. When I mentioned that my other dog was also engaged in this snorting the doctor’s ears perked up. She asked me some more questions and offered a provisional diagnosis. She believed that both dogs had nasal mites and both needed to be treated of they’d continue to pass it back and forth.
So where am I going with all of this? Had I not mentioned that my other dog was having the same symptoms, the vet wouldn’t have been able to pursue this line of questioning and detective work. It never dawned on me that they could have something other than a simple allergic reaction to something in the yard.
How does this translate to you following your diagnosis of a chronic or life-threatening illness? It is imperative that you share all that’s happening with you to your doctor/medical provider, no matter how insignificant you believe it may be. After this experience, I have restructured how I will prepare for my doctor visits. I am more likely to mention things that I previously would have attributed to a medication side effect, change in weather, or exhaustion. I believe I’ll be more forthcoming with information about my concerns because as I learned, small things can actually be something more serious or complicated than I would have assumed.
What small factoids have you not divulged to your medical provider? What tidbits of information do you think if you shared would give your medical provider greater insight into your actual health status? What problems could you possibly avoid if you tell the whole story?
Have you had an experience like this? (Ok maybe not at the vet) I’d love to hear what happened…share you story in the comment section below and let’s learn from one another!
Pilgrim Pathway/Surviving Strong 