jenny cares 

 

MAY IS...
 -- CFS/CFIDS Awareness Day & Fibromyalgia Awareness Day 12th May
-- National (U.S.) Mental Health Month visit the Mental Health America site for information: http://www.nmha.org/ "Live Your Life Well" http://bit.ly/b4wHlb
-- May is Lupus Awareness Month - Learn about Lupus -Lupus Foundation of America site: http://www.lupus.org/ | http://www.causes.com/causes/1510 | http://www.lupus.org/newsite/pages/lupus-awareness-month.html 
-- 9-17 May is European Congenital Heart Awareness Week
-- Psych Week : Awareness for Mental Disorders http://tinyurl.com/27nu3vx
-- May is Better Sleep Month - Get some sleep tips at The Better Sleep Council: http://www.bettersleep.org/OnBetterSleep/sleep-tips.asp
-- May is American Stroke Month: ...Every Minute Matters!
 http://bit.ly/cp1VkF Heart Attack Warning Signs 
Stroke Warning Signs Cardiac Arrest Warning Signs
-- May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month U.S.
National High Blood Pressure Education Program 
National Heart Lung & Blood Institute: http://bit.ly/cjXJrd Heart and Vascular Diseases Lung Diseases Blood Diseases Educational Materials 
-- BloodPressure Awareness Find out if you are at risk.  
www.heartandstroke.ca/bp 
http://ww2.heartandstroke.ca/hs_bp2.asp?media=bp
-- May is Better Hearing & Speech Month - The Communication Health of an Aging America: http://bit.ly/bS9yvN  www.asha.org/bhsm  
Warning signs of speech, language, and hearing problems http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/04/prweb3924764.htm
-- Water Safety Month: To learn how you can protect children from drowning, go to www.joshuamemorial.org  
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  Most of the above came from http://twitter.com/Care_Aware 

Are you a good patient? 
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How you can take charge of your own health and become your own best health care advocate.
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Do you make some of these common mistakes with your doctor? 
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1 - Do you fail to clearly state the problem?
...and leave out important details, expecting the doctor to figure it out? The time allotted with the doctor is often very limited. Make good use of your time by communicating your concerns clearly. Doctors are mere humans, with no extra talent for mind reading.
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2 - Do you play loose with the facts?
...by saying that you don’t drink or smoke when you actually do
...by saying you take the medicine as prescribed when you don’t?
...about your diet and about your exercise regime?
Lying to the doctor is not in our own best interest. We entrust our doctors with our health, but we can’t expect to get the full benefit of their knowledge and experience unless we tell the truth -- no matter how uncomfortable it may be. Your doctor has little choice but to trust what you say.
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3 - Do you come to visits unprepared?
...not knowing the names and dosages of any medications you are currently taking... not being able to say when and where the problem began... It doesn’t take long to jot down a few key facts on a piece of paper that you can bring to doctor visits. When you are unprepared, you tend to take up more time unnecessarily, contributing to the wait times of other patients, and you are more often apt to leave with questions unanswered.
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4 - Do you fail to ask follow-up questions?
...such as what are the potential side effects or drug interactions of prescribed medication... when and how can you expect results of tests... warning signs... next steps...
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5 - Do you take a passive role rather than an active role?
...by waiting for your doctor to mention something and, if he doesn’t, letting it go? It’s your health we’re talking about here. If you think a second opinion is in order, ask for one. If you wonder about an alternative to the recommended treatment, ask about it. If your doctor doesn’t treat you with respect and compassion or does not encourage you to be an active participant in your own health care decisions, it’s time to find a new doctor.
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If you answered "YES" to any of these questions, you are not doing all you can to foster patient-centred, compassionate care -- but these problems are easy to fix. If you are doing your part, then you need a doctor who will do the same. If you’ve got that, you’re in pretty good shape.
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(Taken from Care2's Are You Guilty of Making These 5 Mistakes With Your Doctor? author Ann Pietrangelo)
Related material:
What Happened to Patient-Centred, Compassionate Medicine?  Doctor/Patient Relationship Poll Twitter:@AnnPietrangelo

Writing, phoning and emailing congressional offices (USA)

Letters, Faxes and Emails
Personal handwritten letters are still the most effective means of communicating with a member of Congress. But if you don't have the time to write and mail a letter, consider sending a fax or email instead. Whichever method you choose, the same suggestions apply for composing your message:

>>..State the reason that you're writing in the first paragraph.
If you're writing about a particular bill, refer to the bill by its number, for example, S. 1020 or H.R. 1100.

>>..Make two or three strong factual points to support your position.

>>..Briefly state why this issue matters to you. If it affects you, a family member or your community directly, say so.

>>..Make a brief connection to the member
(if applicable). For instance, if you voted for him or her, worked for his or her campaign, or would like to support this member of Congress in the future, include that information.

>>..Clearly state the outcome you expect
e.g., that you want your senator or representative to support a project in your state or district, or to vote a certain way on a bill.

>>..Be courteous (but of course you already knew that).

>>..Above all, keep it short -- preferably no longer than one page. Members of Congress and their staffs are extremely busy, and lengthy messages are less likely to be completely read.

Phone Calls
Don't expect to speak to your actual senator or representative on the phone; instead you'll most likely speak with a member of his or her staff. When you call:

>>..Ask to speak with the staff member who handles the issue or bill in which you have an interest.

>>..Identify yourself, and identify the issue with which you are concerned. If it's a specific bill, identify the bill by its S. or H.R. number.

>>..Briefly state your reason for calling.
e.g. "I'd like to know Representative X's position on H.R. 1100." Or, "I'd like Senator Y to know that I strongly oppose S. 234 because ______."

>>..If you would like a reply from your congressperson, let the staff member know.

>>..Keep the call short and courteous.
Remember to thank the staff member for his or her time.

Where to Send Your Messages
You can find your senators' and representative's contact information (mailing and email addresses, phone and fax numbers) in this online Congressional directory.

2. Communicating with the White House

If you'd like to write a letter to the president or vice president, the rules are similar to those for writing to members of Congress. Identify yourself and your issue. State your point of view. Explain why it's important to you. Be courteous and get to the point quickly.

Where to Send Your Messages
The President (or Vice President) of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Phone: 202-456-1414
Fax: 202-456-2461
Email: president@whitehouse.gov
          vice.president@whitehouse.gov

REFERENCES, LINKS:
Camilla's smilies: http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys_generator.html
Congressional directory: http://www.care2.com/dailyaction/primary.html?da%5Btoday%5D=2009-06-10 
Action Tips and Tools: Communications Tips: http://www.care2.com/dailyaction/primary.html?da%5Btoday%5D=2009-06-10