Ah, the '80's...many of us recognize the phrase "Charles in charge" from the sitcom made famous by an in-house, male sitter. Although we may not select someone like Charles to make decisions for us, it can be tempting to have someone else take responsibility for big decisions.
It is wise to realize early that each of us is our own best healthcare provider. If we stop to think, it is ironic that we make many decisions about our health without consulting anyone: whether to smoke, floss our teeth, or overeat. Because the physicians, nurses, and doctors we see are caring individuals, we can sometimes fall into the habit of expecting them to "fix" whatever problems we may have caused through our decisions or lack of discipline. Our healthcare providers will even try to meet whatever reasonable expectations we have, however, make no mistake: we are responsible for our own health.
So next time you see your doctor or nurse to discuss any treatment, make sure you understand what is going on, that you have all of your questions answered, and especially that you make the decision for yourself.
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