Healing Through Compassion: My Journey with Tuberculosis and the Power of Effective Health Communication
The author with his family and kids
By Victor Mushimbami
Purpose Beyond Borders
October 1, 2024
Introduction
Our health often feels like something we can control, until the unexpected happens, and we find ourselves at the mercy of medical professionals, relying on their guidance and compassion. This reality struck home for me a few years ago when I was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), an illness I contracted unknowingly from a family member. My journey through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery has taught me powerful lessons about the role of effective communication in health care. While supportive interactions with health professionals can instill hope and resilience, unhelpful communication can lead to stress, fear, and unnecessary hardship.
In this narrative, I’ll share my experience with TB, highlight both positive and negative interactions with health workers, and offer insights into the ways communication can be improved within health care. My goal is to illustrate that health care communication must extend beyond mere treatment to embrace the whole person, social, environmental, and emotional aspects included.
The Illness and Its Impact
A few years ago, my life took an unexpected turn. My brother unknowingly had tuberculosis, and despite no initial signs, I soon contracted the infection. At first, I dismissed the symptoms as a minor illness, but within days, the signs became impossible to ignore. I began experiencing night sweats so severe they would soak my bed sheets, a relentless cough, and an unexplainable feverish sensation in my feet. These symptoms were soon accompanied by significant weight loss and a complete lack of appetite.
It was a terrifying experience, as I did not understand what was happening to my body. My friends Anthony and Elijah, along with Dorcas, who was my girlfriend at the time (now my wife), were quick to notice the changes in my health. They urged me to seek medical help, voicing their concerns about my well-being and making me realize that I could no longer ignore my condition. This journey toward recovery would reveal the crucial role that compassionate, well-informed communication plays in a patient's healing.
The Power of Supportive Communication with a Health Worker
When I finally visited a clinic, I was fortunate to encounter a health worker who immediately recognized my symptoms as signs of tuberculosis. Her approach was encouraging and compassionate. Sensing my fear, she addressed it with assurance, saying, “TB is curable; you don’t have to be afraid.” That single statement relieved a great deal of my anxiety and gave me hope.
But her support went beyond her words. She took the time to connect with Dorcas, educating her on TB and providing her with essential instructions to support me through the treatment process. Dorcas, who would later become my wife, took her role very seriously, making sure I took my medications consistently and stayed on track with my treatment plan. This empathetic and informative approach from the health worker helped me feel cared for and motivated me to adhere to my treatment plan.
This experience underlined the significance of health workers seeing patients not just as individuals with symptoms but as people with unique relationships and needs. The relationship built with Dorcas became a critical aspect of my recovery, showing that health care is truly a partnership between the patient, the medical professional, and the patient’s support network.
A Contrasting Experience: The Consequences of Unhelpful Communication
Sadly, not every medical encounter has been as positive. In 2022, Dorcas and I faced a challenging situation while seeking prenatal care at a private medical center. After conducting a scan, the health professionals informed us of a serious risk of miscarriage due to high stress levels but offered no support or guidance to address the root cause of her stress. Instead, they simply sent us home with no plan for addressing her anxiety or reducing the risk factors that might endanger our unborn child.
This abrupt communication left us in a state of panic. Aware of the potential consequences, we felt helpless and distressed. (Ogden, 2018) Luckily, my education at the University of the People had taught me about the importance of environment and stress management in health outcomes. I hypothesized that Dorcas’s stress might be exacerbated by her surroundings, and I took steps to improve our environment. This change made a noticeable difference, and pregnancy made it to 9 months, healthy and strong. The health workers we encounter are often surprised by her well-being, frequently inquiring how we’ve managed to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
This experience highlighted how vital it is for health workers to address not just immediate symptoms but also underlying social and psychological factors affecting patients. The lack of compassionate communication and understanding left us feeling abandoned at a time when we needed guidance and support.
Improving Communication Between Patients and Health Workers
Reflecting on my experiences, I believe that health care professionals must go beyond treating symptoms and consider the broader social and environmental contexts that affect a patient’s health. Health outcomes are often influenced by various factors, where a person lives, works, eats, and socializes, all of which can impact their physical and mental well-being. Dr. Manchanda (2014) emphasized this point by explaining that illness does not begin "in the four walls of a doctor’s office, but where we live" (What Makes Us Sick, TED video).
To provide more effective care, health professionals should adopt a biopsychosocial approach. This model considers the biological, psychological, and social aspects of a patient's life, fostering a more comprehensive and empathetic understanding of their needs. By building relationships with patients that go beyond surface-level interactions, health workers can help address the root causes of health issues and work collaboratively with patients and their support systems to promote long-term wellness (Ogden, 2019).
Conclusion
My journey with TB and my experiences with health care interactions have taught me that communication is not just an accessory in medical treatment, it is an essential component of effective care. Supportive communication can instill hope, strengthen patient compliance, and even promote faster recovery, as I experienced with TB. On the other hand, impersonal or dismissive communication can have detrimental effects, leaving patients feeling overwhelmed and unsupported.
In health care, every conversation with a patient has the power to impact their emotional, physical, and mental journey. When health workers take the time to understand the broader context of their patients’ lives, they not only provide better care but also empower patients and their families to be active participants in their own health journey.
My hope is that, through sharing my story, health professionals will be encouraged to foster empathetic and informed communication, enabling patients to feel seen, heard, and cared for in the way they deserve.
References
Ogden, J. (2019). The Psychology of Health and Illness. https://my.uopeople.edu/pluginfile.php/1644822/mod_book/chapter/389532/Ogden%20-%20The%20psychology%20of%20health%20and%20illness_2019.pdf
Manchanda, R. (2014, August). What makes us get sick? TEDtalk. [Video]. https://www.ted.com/talks/rishi_manchanda_what_makes_us_get_sick_look_upstream
This is so helping thank you for sharing your experience
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