ByDeidra C Hall
Deidra C Hall
Level: Basic
At a very young age, Deidra learned the importance of compliance and living with chronic illness. When she was twelve, Deidra was diagnosed with Nephrotic ... Article Word Count: 738[View Summary]Comments (0)
Hey Patient!
All this month (if you haven't been aware) has been "Donate Life" month. A month out of the year where we set aside time to educate people about the importance of transplantation.
Did you know that over 110,000 people are waiting for a transplant? That's a lot of people. Are you one of them? Are you one, like myself, that has been blessed enough to receive a transplant? If you fall in to either one of these categories, then compliance is an important word to have in your vocabulary.
Compliance - Willingness to follow a prescribed course of treatment.(thefreedictionary.com)
Compliance - Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Proverbs 4:13
Remember that word for three reasons. First, how well you do it will determine if medical professionals are going to trust you with a "gift" such as a transplant. Second, you will certainly need to abide by it so that you can keep that lovely transplanted organ for as long as you possibly can. No one wants to see a good organ go to waste, not the donor (or their family), doctor, and I'm sure, certainly not you. Last, it keeps you alive.
What are you doing now to be compliant?
Let that question roll around in your head a bit. Now is the time to really sit and think about your health habits. Are you eating correctly? Do you take your medication as prescribed? Do you keep your doctor appointments? All of these things (among many others) are so important to think about, pre and post transplant.
So what keeps people from being compliant? I've heard many reasons, but there always seems to be a common thread.
Lack of support and communication is often either said or implied. For those who have been through the transplant process, you know one of the first things they ask are along the lines of "Who will you have to help you?" in other words, do you have an established support system? At first you will need it because with transplantation, you have major surgery. You will need people to drive you to your appointments, help you up and down, in and out, and all around. But, when the pain subsides, you start to heal, and become more independent, you will still need them.
Your support system will be there when you are needing to remember to go to your one-of-many appointments. They will be there to encourage you to take your medicines - even though you feel like a walking medicine cabinet. They will be there to push you to keep exercising and eating healthy - even though you don't feel like it. Yes, support is key to your compliance.
Do you know what else is key? Great communication. You are your best advocate! Never be intimidated to speak up on your behalf, especially if you don't "feel right" and you think something is wrong (no matter how trivial). Ask questions until you fully understand what ever it is you are seeking. If you need to reschedule so that you can have more time to talk, ask to do that. Bring a support person with you that can help you listen and take notes. Don't ever leave your appointment confused. Are the words too big to understand? Say so! You do yourself no service leaving your appointments unsure of what to do. That ultimately leads to noncompliance.
Last, to stay compliant, you must plan, act, re-plan, act, plan, act - wash, rinse, repeat. Planning for the "what if"s will help you overcome successfully if or when they happen. Often times, plans need repeating and reworking, and that's ok. You do what you need to do in order to stay healthy. What will you do if you are on a trip and you forget your meds back at home? Who will help you to remember to get to your 3 appointments you have back to back? - PLAN!
And that's what compliance coaching is all about - support, communication, planning, and living it all out to the fullest. If you need help with your compliance - seek help. Don't sit thinking "I'll do better next time". That line of thinking can lead you right back in the hospital or worse yet, right back on a list. Act now....your life is in your hands.
Deidra C. Hall is a two time kidney transplant patient and Certified Christian Life Coach. She is the owner of Champion's Coaching where she specializes in Medical Compliance Coaching, Communication Workshops, and Spiritual Growth Coaching. In her spare time she loves spending time with her husband, two children and their dog "JoJo". View her sites at https://www.champscoaching.com and http://churches.champscoaching.com
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