Get a 2nd opinion, we always tell people.
Sounds great, but guess what? The 2nd opinion won't always agree with the 1st opinion. Okay, ask someone else. Oops, now there's a 3rd opinion. And who gets to adjudicate these differences of opinion? Yay, me!!
The problem is that I don't do like uncertainty. It makes me anxious. I love science because I love problem-solving. But, one thing I've learned in my years of health communications, is that it's rare for a problem to be truly solved to everyone's satisfaction. Google "research reproducibility" to see what a huge issue this is for the research community these days. Or read the popular press to learn that something we thought was good for you... eh, not so much (hormone replacement therapy, for example). Dozens of examples come to mind. Read what different reviewers say about publications submitted to peer-reviewed journals. Or just read some of the letters to the editor. Colleagues--all with impressive credentials--will criticize methodology, interpretation, or implications of most studies.
It makes for interesting communications work. But when you're the subject of disagreement, it sucks. We're looking for THE answer. We want to do anything that will save our lives. We don't want to look back and regret choices that could impact life or death.
I'm a huge believer in being my own advocate. I consider myself lucky that I have the kind of professional and personal experience to understand the vocabulary enough to hold a relatively intelligent conversation with my medical team and to be able to read and interpret scientific articles. I want to be actively involved in my treatment decisions. But there's a piece of me that wants to go hide and make all these experts go into a room, figure it out, and then come tell me the decision. Pat my pretty little head, and tell me not to worry, they will take good care of me.
Guess I can't have it both ways.
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