Words Can Kill!

I am in a place in my life where many people feel comfortable sharing their health stories with me and I feel honored with their trust, however, the longer I hear the intricate details of how the medical world treats some of these people, the more frustrated I become with the system.

The ones I am most challenged by are the individuals who are facing potentially life threatening diagnosis. The one ironclad piece of health puzzle is that hope and optimism to healing however I continue to hear stories of medical professionals who pull the carpet of hope out from patient after patient and I simply cannot understand their actions. Many times their negative words can sentence a patient to their death.

Bernie Siegel MD wrote a book in 1990 titled “Peace, Love and Healing” which details a patient who had a seriously deadly disease and this person recognized the dangers of negative attitudes in the medical community on his disease and wrote what he called “Edward’s Credo”. He gave this to every new physician on his case.

Edward’s Credo
What I know:
1. I have a bad disease and I know it may kill me.
2. I know all treatments involve risk, including death.
3. Many people die from what I have and I know the statistics.
Therefore:
1. There is no need to repeat the above. I have heard it many times from the well-meaning people who feel it is the physician’s duty to level with the patient on the dark side, particularly when I have appeared too hopeful at times.
2. Good thoughts, friendship, advice, encouragement, hope, love, energy, smiles, are all gratefully accepted. Please leave pessimism, downers, bitterness, pity and negative preachiness at the door, without of course being dishonest.

Please Know:
1. I know you can help me in a positive way if you want to but remember that my life belongs to me, those I love and those who love me.
2. My wife and I are convinced that good medicine is more than just knowledge, skill, chemicals, and protoplasm. We also believe in the body’s mental powers and immunological abilities as well as the spiritual. We need all the help we can get to bring all of these resources to bear on my problem and to help you help me.
3. I have much to live for and I am trying very hard to do whatever I can mentally and physically to make my treatments as effective as possible.
4. I personally know of people with what I have who have done well despite the poor odds. I intend to also, by buying as much good time as I can for me and those I love. Perhaps we can do even more. That is why I am here. Otherwise, I would not be here.
5. There is hope in my heart. DO not do anything to encourage its replacement with pessimism or bitterness, for it will inevitably lessen my comfort level and worsen my condition.