That's what I learned
from my first appointment.
In preparing a blog entry about the
beginning of all this, I was going to write about the detail in the intake
forms. I was going to talk more about
the zillions of questions they use to formulate a strategy
to help me. FYI the strategy is officially
called a Treatment Plan - and I was going to talk
about Treatment Plans. I was going to
describe how the vibe is warm and welcoming as opposed to the clinical, rushed
feel of my various MD's offices.
But I was reading through what I'd written and it sounded
like something from a newspaper. Or a
love story about a girl who meets a naturopath and all her dreams come
true. (Yawn.) Here's what I really want to say...
The appointment was way over an hour long. An hour!
You know you're getting somewhere when your doctor wants to talk about
your problems for that long. It's darn
therapeutic just to have a medical professional really acknowledge that you feel like crap and need help. Hurrah!
I have fabulous fake-radar.
I absolutely cannot stand people who come across too charming and who
lack any shred of genuine sincerity. If
you are trying to con me, I'm out. But my
radar floated right out the door as soon as my appointment began. These people obviously care about good health
- even if they just met you.
I also got the sense that naturopaths get a thrill
over new patients. It seems like a new set
of symptoms and history, along with a new personality and perspective are
challenges that these folks get a little jazzed about. It's like they really dig solving the puzzle
of each patient, and a new patient is
perhaps even a little enticing to them.
Maybe they aren't all like that, but I'll bet it's common.
Another thing...I
like to think I'm unique. I'm a little
different than the next girl. Yes, I
have all these conditions and symptoms that make me super-average, such as my adrenal issues and hormone complaints, and what with the weight I'd like to
lose - I'm average! But I'm proud of the quirks and habits that
set me apart from the next person in line.
Everyone should be.
I felt like some of those quirks became part of the
process. I'm not saying that an ND
treats me a certain way because I prefer purple shoes over black ones.
Rather, my naturopath notices where I veer off; she sees outside my
lines. I had shingles as a teenager,
which is apparently not that common.
When I told Dr. Birr, she made one of her thoughtful "Hmmmm"
noises. You will come to love it when
your ND makes those little sounds; expressions of consideration, comparison,
& connections made. When you hear, "Reaalllly? Innnteresting....", it means one of your
quirks probably just helped your doc to
help you. Whatever sets you apart will be
factored into what makes you healthier too.
At my first appointment, it was apparent that this was not
going to be quick, or easy. But one
really nice thing? I could tell I was
going to be able to let go of the reigns a little. Clearly, naturopaths have the ability to
decide what I need to get better. I just had to do what I was told (not my
strength). And be a patient patient
(also not my strong point). But I was willing to try.
I want to repeat this - it takes commitment. You can't just pop a pill and go back to what you were doing beforehand and expect your health to change. But the time spent with a naturopath is so inspiring and invigorating that I left knowing I was going to be successful because I had a partner in my ND. Yes, there was going to be a lot involved in this
process. And while an ND knows when to
beef up or shrink a treatment plan based on what you can handle, they can't do
the work for you.
But that's ok; I've always had a good work ethic. Being a naturopathic patient has taught me
how to apply that value to my health....from the very first appointment.
More on
the hard work & how to make it less so, coming up!
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