ADVOCATING FOR YOUR HEALTH IS NEVER ASKING FOR TOO MUCH OR BEING TOO DIFFICULT… it’s your body, it’s your life and you only get ONE!
gone are the days when I was timid about advocating for myself, asking for the accommodations i need to best function in my life to be as productive as possible and as symptom free as possible. How many hours, days, weeks even I suffered unnecessarily because I didn’t speak up, or speak out.
Be gentle with yourself though, change is a process, and advocating for ourselves does not come naturally for many. For some reason the average rate for adherence to chronic medication treatments is only about 50% in patients.
Start where you are and take baby steps. Perhaps today it is advocating with your apartment complex that you require a designated handicap parking spot, next week it is advocating with your doctor that you will not take no for an answer on a new treatment protocol you wish to try, and next month or year you may be advocating with your local government officials to support more funding for research in your disease. I still remember the day when t was hard for me to advocate that I required a shaded spot at the beach with friends, and this year I accomplish d advocating for myself to receive a life-changing clinical trial medication.
I’ve been practicing self advocacy for 16 years however, so don’t judge yourself harshly… just learn to be your best love, your best friend, and practice fighting for what you want and need. You are worthy of the very best life you can achieve. God created us ALL for the abundant life so grab it whenever you can!
