Turning Point-Cracking My Family’s Mysteries

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Post your comments here and let us all know what you think! Meanwhile, here’s my miracle mom!

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1 Language_and_Mind // Jun 16, 2008 at 6:27 am

Thank-you so much, Carol, for your poignant portrait of family life on NPR. Your cancer work will always be linked with, as your mom says, your remarkable courage. You’ve got truly massive amounts of it. But two other “c” words are just as prominent in your work: creativity and candor. And both are vividly displayed in those engaging minutes of radio–you artfully transport the listener into some very personal spaces in your world and your mom’s. At the same time, you show with grace and insight how grave diseases invade and transform our families, not just our bodies. Your storytelling is important to me for another reason, too: it captures—uncannily—very many echoes and familiar themes in my own life. You might well have been describing my 82 year-old mom and me! Thank-you again for sharing so much, and for creating in cyberspace an invaluable oasis…. .

10. Don’t go alone-Witnesses inspire dialogue and takes notes

9. Be Positive-Communicate eagerness for mutually satisfying resolution

8. Pencil and Paper-Don’t trust memory!

7. Know Your Stuff-Review patient education you’ve been given

6. Set a Goal-By end of meeting, you’ve agreed to ___?

5. Bring Reprints-Bring copies of info you want to share with Dr.

4.Prepare Questions-Don’t let the mtg end until your questions are answered

3. Stop the Clock!-Don’t accept medical gobbledy gook. Ask for clarification

2. Rules of Treatment-Do you understand risk-benenfits, complications, alternatives?

1. Preserve Nuclear Option-If your dr. won’t compromise, ask for a referral/second opinion

*Dr Bill Lloyd–CNN colleague and all around good guy!