Panel: Being an adaptive health care provider // Health Care Series Pt. 1

Shout out to the 2nd Year Wayne State Med Students!!! This two-episode health care series is for you - or truly anyone in the health care industry listening to this - thanks for wanting to be curious and learn more about caring for patients with physical differences and disabilities. (And med students, we'd love to process this more with you! Send us a DM on IG at @moxieadaptive or email hello@moxieadaptive.org)

Listeners with physical differences and disabilities: We hope you feel less alone and more seen by listening to this discussion!

In this panel discussion, you'll be hearing from:

- Megan, who was born with amniotic bands in her hands

- Christiana, who was born without a left hand and forearm

- Lisa, who was born with arthrogryposis in upper extremities

Some main topics/takeaways we discuss:

- "I was always a medical auditee"

- Asking permission to touch and assess our bodies

- "I don't want to go to the doctor to explain myself, my body, or make someone else comfortable because they haven't educated themselves"

- "As someone with a disability, we do the emotional labor of making people feel comfortable around us, and that's no different with medical practitioners."

- "A doctor once asked me how my surgeries impacted me emotionally, and a doctor had never asked me that before."

- the power and impact of asking really good questions (and avoiding sharing stories of other patients to deal with uncomfortability)

- "When I go into a new doctor, I have to be the expert on my own body, because I go into that assuming that they don't know my diagnosis."

- "I don't feel comfortable giving you a treatment plan, can you come back in a few days after I research this?".... so powerful and appreciated. The humility is appreciated.

- Having humility, truly listening, and asking permission.  

- "Human first, person first, and don't be surprised on what they're bringing to you or what their body looks like."

- Making a permanent claim over someone's life - when you're not sure or it's temporary - can be harmful. 

- Learn how your specialty interacts with disability - AND BE ADAPTIVE!

We love you, health care providers!