You’ve been putting this off for at least a week. Your heart feels like it’s going to burst out of your chest as you dial the phone. Your heart thumps so loudly in your ears you can barely hear the phone beeping back at you. Your eyes suddenly develop tunnel vision, focusing only on the calendar in front of you and your notes for the doctor.

It’s a hard phone call to make. When you’ve reached the point in your treatment where you’ve unmasked some additional problems, progress is slow and difficult to measure. You want to discuss some more treatment options, and perhaps some fears and concerns, for your program. You’re ready to take the next step.

But sweat drips from your temples as you wait to hear a voice on the other end of the line. How will you tell her about your new problems? How will you discuss goals? Are your goals even reasonable anymore? You wonder how you got to this point. You question if you can still see a positive side to treatment. Is it too late for you to progress? What if these problems continue for the rest of your life? How will you deal with them? What quality of life will you have?

I know the pain of making these difficult phone calls. I’ve been there. But I want to assure you there is power to be found in making these phone calls. In fact, it shows great strength.

By making the difficult phone call you show yourself and your specialist that you are involved in your care. By being the strong person you are on this end of that phone, discussing your struggles and your dreams,  you assume an active role in your treatment plan. Being active in your treatment plan gives you more treatment options.

It is never easy to assume an active role in any situation, especially when we’re talking about issues that relate to health and well-being, when every new stake is higher than the last. It also is hard to make the jump when you’ve had parents or other caregivers who assumed the active role for you.

But you know yourself and you know your body better than anyone. You know what you hope for, what you’re capable of, and what you will and won’t do. You can plan an active role in your care and what happens to you. By placing yourself in an active role, you not only know more about yourself, but it makes you more willing to do things for yourself and work to improve yourself. I don’t think a chronically ill person could ask for more from life.

So, put yourself in your driver’s seat and make the call. 🙂

Note: Cerebral Palsy News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cerebral Palsy News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cerebral palsy.