Each doctor’s visit begins with a question: “How do you FEEL?” They see and quantify symptoms and side effects by observation, lab results and imaging reports. They want to know how I rank unobservable measures such as pain and nausea on a scale of 0 – 10, zero being normal and ten being the worst imaginable. Many elements, experienced individually with varying degrees of intensity, contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing or gloom that in itself influences perception. Here is my current self-assessment compared with the last taken ten months ago.
Each item is assessed by selecting a number representing how I feel at that moment from the 10-point scale. When the list is complete, I check back and compare the current reading with the previous one to see what, if any, changes occurred. The periods between assessments are long enough that the likelihood of carryover influence is minimal.
PAIN 4 (↓ 1)
NAUSEA 3 (↓ 2)
FATIGUE 4 (↓ .4)
STRENGTH 5 (↓ 1)
DIARRHEA 6.5 (↓ 1.5)
RASH 2 ( ↔ )
EDEMA 1 (↓ 1)
SKIN SENSITIVITY 2 (↓ 4)
SIGNATURE 2 ( ↔ )
TASTE 0 (↓ 3)
APPETITE -4 ( ↔ ) 0=norm;<0=high;10=none
DRY MOUTH 3 (NA)
POSTURE 2 (↓ 2) weakness on left
SLEEP DISTURBANCE 3 (↓ 1) distress, insomnia
ANXIETY 3 (↓ 1)
DEPRESSION 5 (↑ 1)
This exercise may appear to be an obsessive infatuation with numbers. However, it is in my own interests to attempt to accurately communicate these criteria to the doctors so as to balance the information found through accepted scientific methodology. My self-assessment becomes one factor in their prognosis. The professionals have their tools; these are mine.
Stay well!
Copyright 2009
Lynn Chapman-Adler
www.lindalater.blogspot.com
Posted: July 9, 2009
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