Keys to Medical Patients: Breaking Through Roadblocks Like an Olympian

I love the Olympics. There are just oodles of personal victories stories that give people hope and inspiration. Take for example double amputee athlete Oscar Pistorius. What an inspiration this young gentleman is to all of us. He has literally taken the impossible and made it possible.

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Can you imagine the pressures he must have faced to overcome not only this physical feat of becoming an Olympic Athlete, but also the mental challenges along the way too? Not only has he been able to keep his internal confidence levels in check, but he has also managed to block out the outside factors such as critics who complain that his amputee status gives him an unfair advantage.

Oscar has had years to build his mental muscles of overcoming emotional hurdles. He knows that by doing so, it will lead him to greater victories. Rather than concentrating on what he can’t do, his actions have proven that he is a person who chooses to aim at what he CAN do instead. The ability to gain control of over his attitude and actions are powerful skills to posses not only in sports, but in life as well.

The mental hurdles that Oscar has faced are similar to what patients who are faced with unexpected expensive medical conditions go through. These patients not only face the physical aspects of seeking treatment for their conditions, but they are also faced with the emotional aspect as well. This includes the stress associated with worrying about their health as well as outside stress factors including finances, (especially being that the number one cause of bankruptcy is due to medical related issues).

Talk about some emotional roadblocks – patients facing all the issues related to medical can be overwhelming.

In our own family’s situation, it felt like a hurricane touched our lives literally overnight when our 7 year old son was diagnosed with a lifetime medical condition. We were stunned emotionally as parents, but also crushed financially. Along with this, we had talks of possible job cuts at my work. It got to the point where we literally were paralyzed with fear and didn’t know how were going to “feel normal” again. 

Unlike Olympic athletes that have had years to hone their physical and mental skills, many patients today are burdened with facing the emotional and financial hurdles immediately. The stressed out feelings of being alone, lost, and/or scared is all too common in our medical world today.

In our book, Living Beyond Rich, our story describes not being able to afford not only our medical bills, but also our day to day bills that were raining down on us. My readers will see where we were at and more importantly how we became victorious in overcoming our hurdles. We would go on to not only pay our medical bills in full, but also to pay off a whooping $150,000 worth of debt AS WELL as over $30,000 worth of medical related expenses in 3 years. 

Why do we share our story? 

Because it gives hope, encouragement, and knowledge to people who are going through today what we once faced not long ago. 

So what are some keys to medical patients that help them overcome the emotional stress when facing  medical related expenses?

1. Practice PERSEVERANCE
2. Choose a positive ATTITUDE
3. Have FAITH
4. Intentionally take ACTION towards a plan

Please know you don’t have to be an Olympian to become triumph in facing the emotional turmoil of medical debt. The above keys will help people realize that:

1. The impossible IS possible.
2. Ordinary people CAN do extraordinary things.
3. We can take our worst days and turn them into our best days. 

Question: For those that have faced or are facing medical debt, what are your secrets to overcoming those emotional hurdles that have come your way? 

Live Beyond Awesome.

Jen McDonough

Twitter: @TheJenMcDonough

Website: www.theironjen.com

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