Writing a Diary Day

[welshnut]

Something really positive to think about. Before my last visit to my specialist a friend suggested I wrote a day in the life of diary to give to my consultant. I decided to give it a go but was very sceptical about it even being read let alone being kept on file. So I wrote down a typical day with everything that I found difficult and how different activities made me feel and included my night time broken sleep as well. I kept it consise and tried not to ramble but I did include my emotional reaction to things.

Well the Dr read it and thanked me as he said it gave him a much better insight into how my disease effected my daily living, he not only put it on file but also sent a copy to my gp with his letter, my gp contacted me and has asked me to come in and discuss some options that he has thought about since reading my diary. I do not know if anyone else has done this but I would be very interested in hearing if you had a positive response and I would recommend others try it, after all what is there to lose?

nutty

[Hidden]

Hello BOB here

Good idea, used to do it. Should start doing it again as my specialists and GP has changed since moving to an area where I am not known

All the best

BOB

[cazzyme]

what a good idea though in my case I'd probably be better doing it over the course of a week as with my illnesses my moods can change from day to day. Thanks for the idea. Cazzy

[Hidden]

Its good advice ...maybe only when a doctor can see how it affects day to day living that they understand. So many seem to give advice to get on with life and not to focus on illness.....it is so unhelpful

[superannie]

Hi I have my six month appointment with the specialist tomorrow and have a list of key points to bring up when I see him. Your idea is very good. They have no idea how we mange on a day to day basis, so the more we can share the better!

[welshnut]

I am terrible about remembering points even when I write them down so doing this helped enormously. I always am so tense and pent up waiting to see a specialist it is like hoping for a crack of light at the end of the tunnel so every visit means so much. I always crash afterwards but this time I did feel I achieved something.

nutty

[teadrinker]

I kept a diary for several years. Initially it was to track my progress - or lack of! - following surgery, and was then just brief notes. It then turned into several volumes of descriptions about the pain, responses to medication and treatment & ramblings about how terrible I was feeling etc. It was also a good way to let off steam without burdening my family (maybe ?) I've never shown it to anyone but used to make notes from the diary prior to appointments so as not to forget anything important, and I found that this was usually well-recieved.

I stopped writing in it regularly last year as I didn't feel that I needed to focus on it so much, and it probably signifies my acceptance of the situation and also that things are a lot better now. I'll read it occasionally and wonder at how I actually got through it.

[nedd]

Do you know that is the most heartening n h s story I have ever heard. Bless you for sharing it and bless the men wot can, cos they did.