You Should See a Doctor

You should see a doctor.

You should see a doctor who will listen to you, and not just tell you what to do. You should see a doctor who will explain to you what is happening to you, clearly and without jargon, condescension, or judgment.

You should see a doctor who will not just look at your tests and then barrage you with drugs to get your numbers down. You should see a doctor who will not insist on surgery without informing you of all the dangers and exhausting other possibilities. You should see a doctor who will not ignore your stories about how the meds or the procedures aren't working for you, and in fact seem to be making you worse. You should not see a doctor who seems profoundly unhappy about being a doctor.

You should see a doctor with an open mind, who has experience and confidence but not overconfidence. You should see a doctor who treats you like a person and not just another appointment.

You should see a doctor who, first, does no harm, and then, second, actually helps people. That's what they're supposed to do.