I'm Gonna Need You To Take Responsibility, People!

Ok, I've got a pop quiz for ya:

When (yes, exactly) was your last medical check-up? With WHOM was it? Do you take prescription medications? Do you know the name and dosage? Do you even know what you take it for?

Have you had any medical tests done? What is the ACTUAL name of the test, where was it, and what were your results? How about surgical procedures? Do you know the dates and places of those?

For instance - ladies, when and where was your last pap smear? Mammogram?

Do your answers sound like "Ummm, maybe a year ago? No, no, wait - it was a year and a half ago. I think. At that place, you know, by the hospital? Downtown? I don't remember the name of it. And nobody told me my results. I'm sure it was fine though." ??? Really?!?!?

Then listen up, because I'm only going to say this once!


IT'S YOUR HEALTH PEOPLE!!!! TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT!!!!!


As a healthcare professional, I ask patients questions like these all day. Just last week I asked a lady, "Ma'am, have you had a hysterectomy?" She said, "NO! The only surgery I've ever had was when they took my uterus out!" Whaaa?!? Here's some other gems that I've actually been told:

Me "I see you had a Bone Density exam. What were your results?"
Patient "FINE! My bones are in good shape!"
Me "Ok, and what medications are you taking?"
Patient "Boniva."

Really? FYI, Boniva is a prescription medicine used only to reverse bone loss - in other words, for patients that have been diagnosed with Osteoporosis or Osteopenia. But her bones were GOOD.


Me "When did you have your hysterectomy?"
Patient "Good lord girl, how should I know? That was YEARS ago!"


Me "I see you've written on your questionairre that you've had back surgery. What kind of procedure did you have done?"
Patient "They did something to L8 or 9. But I don't know what."
Me "Sir, there are only 5 Lumbar vertebrae."
Patient "Oh, right! It was D 8 and 9."

(Let's see - cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum/cocyxx - nope, no D spine!)


Me "Have you had any surgeries on your hips or lower back?"
Patient "No."
Me (while scanning the hip) "You have a rod in your femur. You said you hadn't had any surgeries on your hip."
Patient "I haven't! I broke my leg, not my hip. They put a rod in it that goes all the way up to the top." People, FYI - your femur and your pelvis work together to make your HIP. And if you broke it, you should've already known that!

Me "Do you take any medications for your thyroid?"
Patient "I don't have a thyroid!"
Me "So you've had it removed?"
Patient "No, I don't have one!"

Me "Have you ever had Hormone Replacement Therapy?"
Patient "No."
Me "So after your hysterectomy at 35, they didn't get you Estrogen? Or Premarin, maybe?"
Patient "Oh yeah, I take Premarin!"
Me "Ma'am, you're 76. You are STILL taking Premarin?!?"
Patient "Well, yeah! Every time I try to stop, I get hot flashes."

Me "Where was your last mammogram?" Patient "Here."
Me "Well, the last mammogram you had HERE was in 2005."
Patient "That's ridiculous! I have one EVERY year! I come here all the time!" Me "Ma'am, I pulled all of your previous exams here, and while yes, you have had several other types of exams here, your last mammogram here was 5 years ago."
Patient "Oh, well maybe it was at that place on Fredricksburg..."

Now, yes, these are humorous stories. However, now that you'd had a good giggle, tell the truth... Have you ever given answers like these? You can't depend on your physician to know about everything you've ever had done. Test results get lost, or don't get sent at all. You change cities, you change physicians, facilities close...I know of one that burned down - yes, with all of their patient's records inside.

So it's up to you to take charge of your own health! Keep a written master record, and take it with you whenever you go to the doctor's or to have tests done. That way, WHILE YOU ARE THERE, you can ask for the exact name of the medication or test, why it is necessary, etc. as well as note when and where! Let's face it, as we get older it gets harder and harder to remember things. Maybe at the time you went through menopause it was a big deal, but 20 years later is it still important enough for you to remember how old you were when it happened? I had a tonsillectomy when I was a teenager. It was PURE TEEN DRAMA at the time, but now? Come on...

It may not seem like the age you were when you had a hysterectomy will be relevant when you are 65, but it is! Did you know that early onset of menopause, even if surgically induced by a hysterectomy, can raise your risk of osteoporosis? Were you aware that certain kinds of medications can raise your risk of breast cancer? Did you know that excessive exposure to radiation can increase your risk of cancer in general? If you had a CT scan of your abdomen just last week, do you really need the additional exposure of another CT scan this week? If it's medically necessary, that's fine, but if it's because a different physician is ordering it because he or she has no idea you just had one.....

I'm not saying that you need to research everything yourself. But I am saying that it's vitally important to keep track of YOUR OWN RECORDS!!!! The Health Care Professionals taking care of you will know what's relevant to what, but they can't help you make intelligent decisions about your care if they only have half the picture.

So, the next time you are at a health related appointment, and your caregiver asks you, "Have you had a recent chest x-ray?" you can say, "Let me check my record sheet..... Why yes, I had a chest x-ray 7 months ago at ABC Imaging on Main St. I have it on a CD right here." Your health care provider will be able to give you much more thorough care, and that's all you really want anyway, isn't it??!?!?