As I write this blog, I am sitting in the waiting room at my daughter’s dentist office. This is her first root canal and she is scared. When she asked if I would go with her, my first thought was, why? She is 26 years old. After all, it’s just a root canal. However, to her it was more than that. It was the not knowing what to expect, being alone and the potential pain that frightened her. Having somebody with her, especially somebody that was knowledgeable (I am a nurse) and having somebody that loved her made all the difference.
If you find yourself apprehensive about an upcoming procedure, especially one that may involve pain, ask somebody to go with you. Even if you think you’re too grown-up to need somebody to hold your hand, why go through anything uncomfortable if you don’t have to? Moral support gives you the peace of mind you deserve. Life can be challenging. Don’t go through these challenges alone.
Advocacy can be like that. Having a knowledgeable, caring human being with you or your loved one as you experience new procedures and tests can alleviate fears and provide the moral support needed to push through the fear. If you don’t have a loved one or friend to accompany you, consider a patient advocate. You deserve to have somebody advocating and supporting you through life’s challenges.
My daughter went through her root canal without complication, without a lot of pain, and with the comfort of knowing her mom was just 20 feet away. Such a simple thing to me, but a really big thing to her - moral support.
Take care and be well
R. Thompson, MSN, RN
To find out how advocacy can help you or your loved one, please contact the advocates at Uppta www.uppta.com.
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