Evidence of symptoms

I'm purging my collection of books, magazines, notes, etc. I have too much stuff around.

During the purge I came across a notebook from my old job, before the brain tumor. In the notebook I would write a date at top and a list of things I needed to do that week. I would also write extra notes in the margins or on the back of pages.

Here are notes I wrote when I had a conversation with a Kaiser advice nurse and what I was communicating to him about how I felt physically.

May 12, 2008
Me: "hot" feeling in face; trouble sleeping, like anxiety; when sleeping, still tired; dead
try yoga, massage, reverse anxiety process
Nurse Barry: chill out for a bit; water, protein; talk, walk, nature

I can't believe what I am reading. It was the me I was a year ago asking the nurse about symptoms I now know were due to a brain tumor.

Liz Salmi

Liz Salmi is Communications & Patient Initiatives Director for OpenNotes at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Over the last 15 years Liz has been: a research subject; an advisor in patient stakeholder groups; a leader in “patient engagement” research initiatives; and an innovator, educator and investigator in national educational and research projects. Today her work focuses on involving patients and care partners in the co-design of research and research dissemination. It is rumored Liz was the drummer in a punk rock band.

https://thelizarmy.com
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