Doctor wrong or right?

I heard about this on my way into work this morning...so I am going to throw this out here and get your opinions...

An angry woman in New Hampshire has filed a complaint because her doctor told her she was obese.

I listened to many callers call in on both sides of the issue. Apparently this doctor's patient has been seeing him a while (they didnt say how long), and has dealt with many weight related effects (i.e. diabetes, acid reflux, hypertention). When she was not doing anything about getting healthier he took a more direct approach and just laid all the facts out there bluntly to get her attention. She did not tell him that she was offended at the time, but later filed a complaint, and he sent a formal apology.

I feel like sometimes people need a shot of reality about their situation. Maybe he could have potentially chosen his words differently, but I feel as though the woman was at the doctor to seek medical advice, and was continually refusing to put into practice the advice she was paying for. I have heard counselors say that one of the most frustrating thing is when people continually seek their counsel, yet never listen and use the experienced counsel that they offer.

I was once in her shoes...my doctor in Tennessee told me I was obese...and I needed to lose weight for my health. I was dealing with diabetes, and headed down a similar rode. My situation was amplified because of the heart defects that I was born with. It took a lot of blatant laying out of the facts to make me wake up my third year of college...I finally decided to do what the doctor had been telling me I needed to do. And you know what...my health got better. I was able to stop taking medication for my diabetes and I felt better.

I understand about doctors with poor bedside manner...I have had those in the past as well. But it seems as though this doctor had tried everything else to get her attention, and she wasnt listening to him...so the direct approach that he used was somewhat of a last resort. If they shared how long she had been seeing him, I think that could effect my opinions on the matter.

I dont know...share your thoughts...was the doctor wrong to tell a patient that she was obese in the direct approach that he used?

Take an educated guess...

Okay...I received an itemized bill for my heart procedure (hopefully all of which will be covered by my two insurances...we shall see), so I wanted to take a poll and get your educated guesses.

Interactive question: How much do you think a heart procedure like what I described in my last entry cost?

If I have already told you...be fair and dont answer.

This is what it all included:

One night in the hospital
A cardiac cath (the actual procedure itself)
The device that they put in my heart
A Trans esophogeal exam
Two echo cardiograms
a few ekgs
and a few chest exrays.

I will post the answer in a few days...let you know if you are close.

It has been quite a while...

Man...I didn't realize I had gone almost three weeks since my last entry.

I have had a lot of stuff happen in my life since my last entry...here is a little update for those who read my blog to be kept up with my life a bit.

The main thing that has happened was my heart procedure last week. I was unfortunately born with two birth defects in my heart. Of the two, the more significant one at this stage in my life is the Atrial Septum Defect...commonly referred to as an ASD. A way to repair this defect was developed in Minnesota around 2000 or 2001. A team in Minneapolis developed a tiny metal thing called an AMPLATZER® Septal Occluder (you should check it out...its pretty neat...it looks like a hamburger bun when its opened up in your heart). At any rate, they put a small hole in my leg...traveled up to my heart...placed the metal thing to fill the hole...and now the defect is closed. I have a tiny metal thing in my heart...beating along with me. After six months, the metal thing will actually be covered by skin, and become a part of my heart. How cool is technology. I was out for a few days last week...and I am unfortunately still limping around some. However, in about three weeks, all restrictions will be lifted. I will be free to continue on, and maybe push myself harder and farther than I ever have in my life. I truly look forward to the next several months...I want to train and run in the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon.

Beyond the heart procedure, school starts this weekend. I am taking a Friday night Saturday morning Hebrew class.

I have also still been very active with church, ministry, work (which has picked up a lot lately) and friends.

I do intend on trying to update my blog more regularly.

Have a great day and a great weekend.