{"id":2900,"date":"2017-09-14T11:59:39","date_gmt":"2017-09-14T15:59:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/?p=2900"},"modified":"2021-09-14T13:36:34","modified_gmt":"2021-09-14T17:36:34","slug":"how-and-when-to-share-your-medical-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/2017\/09\/14\/how-and-when-to-share-your-medical-story\/","title":{"rendered":"How and When to Share Your Medical Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t<section class=\"section\" id=\"section_1474448159\">\n\t\t<div class=\"section-bg fill\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<div class=\"section-content relative\">\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"row row-collapse\"  id=\"row-1745122779\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1670661425\" class=\"col small-12 large-12\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div id=\"gap-1739989414\" class=\"gap-element clearfix\" style=\"display:block; height:auto;\">\n\t\t\n<style>\n#gap-1739989414 {\n  padding-top: 30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p class=\"lead\">Sharing your medical story with a new friend, partner, or acquaintance can feel a little daunting. How do you broach the subject? When is the right time? What will they think?<\/p>\n<p class=\"lead\">There isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all, this-way-always-works, perfect method.<\/p>\n<p>This conversation is about you opening up and sharing a very personal experience. Do what makes you feel most comfortable. Begin with humor, with all the medical facts, or with a frank,<br \/>\n\u201cI want to tell you about my medical challenges,\u201d that leads into your story. Take your time and share when you feel ready to have a full conversation. Allow your new friend to participate by asking questions,<br \/>\nexpressing emotion, and potentially sharing their own experiences. This discussion will draw you closer\u00a0and give you the opportunity to verbally process your medical story.<\/p>\n<p>Vita Collective members shared their personal experiences below. Take it from people who have been there \u2013 the how and when of sharing your medical story is totally up to YOU.<\/p>\n\t<div id=\"gap-1525467129\" class=\"gap-element clearfix\" style=\"display:block; height:auto;\">\n\t\t\n<style>\n#gap-1525467129 {\n  padding-top: 30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row row-small\"  id=\"row-659316321\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1542825854\" class=\"col medium-8 small-12 large-8\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_107217915\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner image-cover dark\" style=\"padding-top:500px;\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image2-768x768-1.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image2-768x768-1.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image2-768x768-1-400x400.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image2-768x768-1-280x280.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image2-768x768-1-510x510.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image2-768x768-1-100x100.jpeg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_107217915 {\n  width: 100%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-21813509\" class=\"col medium-4 small-12 large-4\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_203581474\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner image-cover dark\" style=\"padding-top:500px;\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image1-450x800.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image1-450x800.jpeg 450w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image1-225x400.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image1-510x907.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image1.jpeg 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_203581474 {\n  width: 100%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Marcy, age 24<br \/>\n<\/strong><br \/>\n\u201cSharing your\u00a0medical story is something that is very personal, and everyone\u00a0approaches the task differently. However, I found that over the course of 2 1\/2 years of treatment, it was necessary to share with people what was going on in order to help myself. Inevitably, you will be met with sympathy or shock and endless questions about how you knew or how you got it as though you willed it into being. I found that telling my story could create discomfort if I allowed it to, or I could use it to redefine myself and who I am post-diagnosis. Now, I enjoy talking to people about my experience. It\u2019s weird that young adult cancer is on the rise! I think we need to talk about it more, not only to raise awareness, but to connect us to other people with the same experience so that we can experience empathy instead of sympathy for once.\u201d<\/p>\n\t<div id=\"gap-1433202411\" class=\"gap-element clearfix\" style=\"display:block; height:auto;\">\n\t\t\n<style>\n#gap-1433202411 {\n  padding-top: 60px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<div class=\"row row-small\"  id=\"row-318182978\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1513373164\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_241941067\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner image-cover dark\" style=\"padding-top:500px;\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"563\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image4.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image4.jpeg 563w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image4-400x400.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image4-280x280.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image4-510x510.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image4-100x100.jpeg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 563px) 100vw, 563px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_241941067 {\n  width: 100%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1153809383\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_1497424460\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner image-cover dark\" style=\"padding-top:500px;\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image3-768x768-1.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image3-768x768-1.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image3-768x768-1-400x400.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image3-768x768-1-280x280.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image3-768x768-1-510x510.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/09\/image3-768x768-1-100x100.jpeg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_1497424460 {\n  width: 100%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Kristi, age 20<br \/>\n<\/strong><br \/>\n\u201cI don\u2019t always share my story, but if I feel I can help another person by knowing I can empathize with them and support them in something, I am quick to share. Once one person shares, it helps build a stronger relationship and create connections that never would have been there otherwise. Even if it isn\u2019t a medical situation, it seems to generally come up even without myself bringing it up \u2013 either because of school, work or general conversations about life. My medical story is a big part of my life, so I don\u2019t really shy away from it. Rather than being sad or embarrassed about it, I\u2019d rather use it as a way to help others through my experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Share your medical story and give Values Clarification a try with us at the next Vita Collective gathering on September 18 @ 6:00. Email Janna at <a href=\"mailto:JSikma@ChildrensHealingCenter.org\">JSikma@ChildrensHealingCenter.org<\/a> for more details. We\u2019ll see you there!<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n<style>\n#section_1474448159 {\n  padding-top: 15px;\n  padding-bottom: 15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/section>\n\t\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sharing your medical story with a new friend, partner, or acquaintance can feel a little daunting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2903,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[73,75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-member-stories","category-aya-movement"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2900","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2900"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2900\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2947,"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2900\/revisions\/2947"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrenshealing.org\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}