Steps to Deal with a Health Crisis

As you get older, there is a good chance you will face a health crisis. It could be an illness that comes on gradually or one that happens without notice. You could be going about your normal routine and the next moment find yourself lying on the ground. You may notice that you are not as energetic as you usually are and have difficulty breathing. You may find yourself in the hospital emergency room plugged into several devices to determine your pulse, blood pressure and the state of your heart.

This is all a frightening scenario for anyone. You wonder if you are going to live or die. You are free falling in unchartered waters and you don't know what the next step will be. If you are fortunate enough to have adequate health insurance, you can put the worry of how you are going to pay for your health crisis out of your mind. However, at this moment of the beginning of your health disorder you are in a state of shock and not sure of what will happen next.

Perhaps one of the most terrifying experiences in life is to know something is terribly wrong with you, but you have no idea what is causing you to feel so awful. The time between feeling like you may die at any moment and being diagnosed is nothing short of sheer agony.

Once you are diagnosed, you can take the following steps:

• Don't be afraid to ask your physician questions. If you are unsure of what he is talking about, let him know that you desire clarity and a written diagnosis and treatment plan. It will be helpful to have a partner, relative or close friend with you so they can also ask questions that you may be too overwhelmed to ask. You can also discuss this meeting afterwards with your support person to validate what your diagnosis and treatment plan are.
• Talk about your fears and apprehensions with friends and loved ones. It is easy to become isolated in this situation. Sharing your feelings is a way of processing your trauma as well as developing a plan for dealing with it.
• Exercise as much as you are medically cleared to do. Exercise will help alleviate stress and make you feel more positive about your health.
• Make sure you eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep. Eating and sleeping right will enhance your recovery as well as give you a sense of well being.
• Don't spend too much time investigating your medical condition on the internet. You can eventually find the worst case scenario for any illness and this will only increase you worry.
• Have faith that you will eventually recover from your illness.
• Understand that your recovery isn't necessarily a linear process. It is possible that the journey to getting better will be filled with extreme ups and downs. You may discover that other medical issues come up during this time. Being patient with your self is imperative here.