Feb 20, 2024
Since I consider women's healthcare a pressing issue, this episode is longer, coming in at just under an hour. Listening to it is a worthy investment of your time.
In this episode of She's Not Done Yet: Conversations with women over 50, I (Becky Berry) talk with Susan Salenger, author of Sidelined: How Women Can Navigate a Broken Healthcare System.
Sue's publicist reached out to me about her book. Since I, like most women, understand how broken our healthcare system is in the United States, I was intrigued.
After reading Sidelined, I couldn't wait to interview Sue. In her book, she shares her research and knowledge about women's health, providing actionable strategies that can improve our health outcomes immediately. I particularly appreciated the context she created for this conversation in her chapter on how women have been regarded throughout history. It was both enlightening and disconcerting given how little has changed.
At 81, Sue serves as both a role model and inspiration.
In our conversation, Sue talks about the reluctance of many women to seek healthcare for themselves while not hesitating to obtain it for our families.
The most powerful actionable strategy she shares is writing down a numbered list of what we want to cover when we see our doctors. Taking that list (a copy for them and a copy for us) will yield a more productive appointment - particularly if the doctor sees something on that list that is of more concern than we realize.
One of my favorite parts of the book and our conversation covers the importance of getting 2nd opinions, particularly for complicated diagnoses. Sue points out that there are over 40,000 diseases and many of them have symptoms in common. She notes that it's not realistic to expect doctors to be familiar with all 40,000+ diseases, so obtaining that 2nd (or 3rd) opinion increases our chances of receiving the correct diagnosis.
She also talks about one of my particular struggles with going for that 2nd or 3rd opinion, I don't want to hurt the doctor's feelings. Which by the way, is right in line with not wanting to bother the doctor, or impose on the doctor when we're not sure what's going on with our bodies!!
SMH (smack my head)!!
It was an enlightening and educational conversation. I hope you enjoy it.
You can find Sue on her website: https://www.susansalenger.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suesalenger
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-salenger-a4a02716/
Instagram: @susansalenger
Tiktok: @grandma.gains
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