Health Stories

“I wanted to take the amount of leave that I am federally entitled to under law” states Dr. Jennifer Anderson who addresses her struggles with taking FMLA for maternity leave. She also discusses the often-untold experiences mothers face after childbirth (e.g., breastfeeding, postpartum depression, 4^th trimester for mothers) and how we—as a society—focus primarily on the baby and not the mother’s health. For example, a mother’s checkup is 6 weeks post-delivery versus a baby’s checkup a few days after delivery. Somber statistics reveal that the U.S. has one of the highest maternal death rates in the world, and, even more surprisingly, 60% of maternal deaths are preventable (CDC 2018 report). What advice does Dr. Anderson offer podcast listeners? Obtain and read the health-related HR policies for your organization, talk to your physician early regarding their philosophy and practices regarding maternal health, and be an active citizen regarding local, state and federal health policies.

Eric Zizelmann, Funeral Director, shares some of the shocking and surprising stories of what he has encountered over the past +20 years in the business. He shares how family disputes over funeral arrangements have resulted in legal battles and the need to identify a Power of Attorney (pre-death), Right of Disposition (immediately after death), and an Executor of an Estate (hint: they’re all different roles). Eric clarifies a number of misconceptions about funeral arrangements and offers extensive assistance for how to prepare (e.g., update your documents, save money for your funeral!). One of the most important documents everyone should complete is the Right of Disposition form—giving you the right to control what happens to your body/remains without interference or consent from others. And of course, the need to communicate with your family and loved ones about your wishes. Death is not an easy topic to discuss, but if you want your wishes met, tell those you know.

When Heather starts to bleed uncontrollably, it’s the first time she wonders if she is going to live. After being diagnosed with a fibroid tumor, a series of events leads to her hospitalization where she ends up gaining 40lbs in 4 days after an emergency surgery. Yet despite questioning the decision to release her from the hospital in the severely swollen state, Heather is released only to return the next day to discover the cause of her symptoms and the common, yet significant surgical procedure that changed her life, and led to a second emergency surgery. Heather walks listeners through the reasons for and questions to ask regarding a hysterectomy and the surprising connection with C-sections. The podcast concludes with insightful tips such as the benefits of physical therapy, advocating for yourself and “talk[ing] openly about female body parts and medical procedures…without whispering.”

 

 

When Dr. Kristin Reihman was bit by a tick and developed a characteristic bullseye rash, she knew she had Lyme disease. When it happened again seven years later, however, her reaction to the incident was quite different because during that time she had learned about the complexities of the bacteria, how it’s transmitted, the in/effectiveness of tests, and new treatment guidelines. After years of treating patients with Lyme disease and other complex illnesses, Dr. Reihman provides her personal and professional insights for how she addresses an illness that remains difficult to diagnose and treat. In this podcast she provides suggestions for how to have conversations about Lyme disease with your clinician and where to go for resources, a Lyme doctor, and treatment guidelines…hint, it’s all in one place!

For years, Archana Bharadwaj, struggled with migraines. As a patient, she experienced a variety of approaches her physicians took regarding her treatment, from medical paternalism—action limiting a patient’s autonomy—to shared decision making (SDM). Although Archana realizes that some patients prefer being told “what to do”, Archana was the type of person who wanted to be involved in decisions regarding her health care. In this podcast she provides suggestions for how we might engage in SDM with clinicians and how to enter into a one-sided, paternalistic conversation. Archana provides insight as both a patient and medical student for how to develop this important skill.

To ask a question or leave a comment for a future podcast on health insurance, go to nicoledefenbaugh.com/blog or Facebook @healthstoriespodcasat.

Claire shares with listeners how the patient-centered care she received impacted her health and healing. What started as an ovarian cyst quickly turned into an emergency situation due to a perforated bowel from the procedure. When Claire ends up in the emergency room, a doctor is able to diagnose the cause simply by watching Claire’s nonverbals. With a graduate degree in Communication Studies, Claire identifies how the communication styles and behaviors of her clinicians encouraged or discouraged her recovery and shares advise for how to be a more active participate in and advocate for your own care (e.g., tracking your own vitals).

 

In her mid 20s, Katie was unfamiliar with the pain that was happening to her.   Conversations about sexual health are uncommon outside of a sexual education class and remains an uncomfortable topic to broach for physicians and patients alike.   For Katie, the discomfort and uncertainty of her pain was initially difficult and embarrassing to explain to her doctors.  After three years without a conclusive explanation,  Katie was asked by a gynecologist to point to the location of the pain – identifying the location led to the diagnosis.  In the podcast Katie talks about the importance of talking to others about culturally taboo topics (e.g. sex, reproductive organs), asking a physician for the reason behind a clinical test (or blood draw), and remembering that a conversation with a physician about sex may be uncomfortable, but it may be worth the initial embarrassment for the sake of your health.

When her husband, Jordi, is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Hope assumes the role of his caregiver. When Jordi and Hope meet with the oncologist, he exclaims, ”Why didn’t you come see me five years ago?!” Hope struggles trying to communicate with the oncologist while encouraging Jodi to be more involved in his own care. As she states, “….[he] was relying on me to not just find the doctors or find the information but also relay that information to him and try to explain to him what was happening to his health…” During this time, Hope commits her professional time to teaching effective communication and observation skills to medical students as the Director of the Fine Art of Health Care program at the University of Miami (https://www.lowe.miami.edu/visit/tour/default-folder/index.html). The interview concludes with a reflection of her six years as a caregiver and the advice she offers others trying to communicate with a dismissive clinician and a partner who struggles to find his voice in the US healthcare system.

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In Part II of the special edition podcast, Dr. Jonathan Burke reveals new and, for many people, unknown information about how the health insurance system works. He answers a series of questions by the podcast host, so listeners can be more prepared for and effectively respond to health insurance issues. Dr. Burke offers insights and tips regarding claims (e.g., appealing a bill), prescriptions (e.g., lower medication costs), hospital/in-patient care (e.g., asking more questions), and out-patient care (e.g., questions to ask your PCP when s/he orders a test).

To ask a question or leave a comment for a future podcast on health insurance, go to nicoledefenbaugh.com/blog or Facebook. 

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