I Think We Need to Talk!

A good start begins with communication. It’s an important part of accessing quality healthcare of any kind.

So why is it so hard? Well, for some of us, we don’t want to come across as unreasonable or demanding. Some of us may be afraid to speak up. We may feel uncomfortable talking about intimate matters. We just may not know what is important to us.

To care for and properly meet your prosthetic needs, your prosthetist needs to know what is important to you. Think about the answers to questions like these... what do you want to be able to do? What do you hope to do in the future? When you think of what lies ahead, what worries you the most? What are your different prosthetic options, and the pros and cons of each? Here are some important tips for good communication with an eye on feeling a little bit more in control of your prosthetic care.

1. Get clear on what you want.

We are not single dimensional beings. We are multi-dimensional. We need to consider all aspects of self, including areas such as spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual and even financial.

2. Ask for what you need.

We cannot be expected to anticipate all of our needs. Yet, it is no one else’s job to read our minds and figure out our needs. It is our responsibility to make our needs known and ask for what we need.

3. Come from a place of integrity.

It’s more than everything we do, it’s who we are. Coming from a place of integrity means being truthful, honest and reliable.

4. Praise more.

Look for the good first. Fight that habitual tendency to bark out the first negative thought. You may have to look deeper, harder or longer, but it will be worth it to find something positive.

5. Share.It’s the right thing to do.

We often seek information by reading books, searching the internet or talking with friends who have been through similar circumstances. So, share what you have learned. The resulting information may offer new hope or suggest a different approach.

6. Be a problem solver.

Shift from asking “How come...?” to asking, “How can…?” How can we find another way to look at a problem? How can we gather more information about this? How can we create something better? The masses can point out the issues, but the movers do something about them. Shift from being a problem observer, to being a problem solver.