As a Health Professional I have worked with many clients who have lost all hope when it comes to regaining their health. They may have been given a negative diagnosis or previous attempts to get healthy have failed. This can result in a loss of faith in their body’s natural ability to heal and believe they are destined to battle on through their lives in a state of pain, illness, disease or suffering.
From personal experience the feeling of walking away from a specialist’s clinic being confronted with “bad news” is one of the worst feelings I have ever experienced in my life! It wasn’t even for me, it was for my husband who has MS, I can’t even imagine how lost he felt! For me it was not the shock of the negative news so much as the feeling of pure hopelessness, despair and fear of the future.
This experience has given me a deeper insight to the relationship of the patient and the health professional. The delivery of such news to a client can be done in a way in which leaves them informed, educated and hopeful for the future. For some hope is all they have left!
Professional Human Beings
As a health professional, family member or friend is it irresponsible or unethical to give people hope? Or is it necessary to instil faith and motivation to make the positive changes to create health? I believe it is our duty to reassure and lead the way to make health a priority for our clients, family and friends in their time of need. Hope is a very powerful and necessary emotion or belief we can encourage to empower and support them! Are we afraid they may be let down or of giving them false hope! I would rather an optimistic opinion about my condition, regardless on how bleak the future may be! After all, no one gets out of here alive, so let go of the outcome. If I had an opportunity to stay a little longer with a better quality of life, I would do whatever it takes!
The Gift of Hope
I have seen clients transform in front of my eyes when I give them the gift of hope and faith in their bodies. Moving from feelings of sheer despair to a spark of excitement of a possible future which involves a healthy body, extended life or a new normal. A shift in perception is all it takes! As our perception creates our reality. When we draw our attention to what is good in our life rather than the negative, we start to feel a sense of hope and gratitude arise. This is the beginning of a shift in our energy, on a new pathway of healing.
Be the Change
In modern medicine we focus on science, evidence, results, statistics, treatments, conditions, side effects, surgery and medication. My view is to work in conjunction with modern medicine and to understand we are also there to assist human beings heal. Humans with feelings, hearts and emotions who are going through a challenging time in their lives. They need to be heard, held, supported, nurtured, encouraged, educated and guided to their true state of wellbeing. Let us use compassion and love to help guide these people back to health. Starting with restoring hope and faith back into their mind and physical body. Using this “bad news” as an opportunity to make a change to thrive. We are in a privileged position to potentially have a positive impact on their current condition. Let us empower people with knowledge, medicine and hope for a healthier future.
Earlier this year my father, now in his early 70s wound up in hospital after discovering his 15-year-old hip replacement was harbouring a slow-growing infection that was eating away at the bone. He was bed-ridden for weeks with a needle in his heart delivering strong anti-biotics, while they removed the old hip and replaced it with a temporary (antibiotic infused ‘block of wood’) hip. He and my mother had an overseas trip booked around three months later, and everyone, except Dad and his doctor, said there was no way he would fight off the infection, get a new hip replacement and recover on time. We encouraged him to cancel the trip before it was too late. The doctor, while privately probably thinking it would never happen, always projected hope that my Dad would recover in time, while everyone else thought it was a lost cause. In the end my Dad proved himself victorious, fighting off the infection (which some predicted could take months), getting a new hip (which the doctor kindly did after hours to fit him in) and recovering enough so that he and my mum had a lovely overseas holiday. Never again will I doubt the power of his self-belief and I am grateful that the doctor encouraged my Dad to believe he could heal in record time.
Shannon, you have made my day! Thank you for sharing this personal experience of the power of hope and belief! My Mum has survived two liver transplants and is still with us today, 20+ years later! The Dr’s called us into say our goodbyes countless times but her will to live was too strong! All my love