I think it's good that the medical community is taking into consideration that we are people not just patients, or a numbered chart. And it might be helpful the next time you see your doctor to let them know that you wouldn't mind sharing with them for a few minutes how your illness is affecting your quality of life.

That doctor I mentioned who practices back in Reno, came to know not only me over the 5 years I saw him, but he got to know my husband, he knew when I had a miscarriage and followed-up with me via telephone to see how I was coping. He knew, and remembered, what I did for a living, and he generally just cared how I was as a person and that meant the world to me at a time when my colitis was flaring terribly and having just one more person care about my well-being made all the difference in feeling like I could move forward each day in the hopes of improving my health and my life.

I hope your quality of life is good. And that you are able to find a medical practitioner who cares about you. Hopefully this concept will take flight and infiltrate our entire communities.