To be reframed…

Everywhere I go, I talk about the most unsexy theme that exists. Long term sick people. How can I reframe so people see things differently?

REFRAME

Yesterday I attended the first Norwegian TED-event, TEDxOslo. Again, a wonderful way of meeting people who want changes and dare visualize them.  I always strongly believed that you, and I, can’t save the world – but surely we can change it!

At meetings like this, people tend to talk about needed actions like environmental issues, poverty in underdeveloped countries and women/children issues or Norwegian drop-outs dropping back in again. FERD sosiale entreprenører support different projects. All good and more than important projects!

When I speak in general about seeing each other as part of ourselves, and I encourage people to grab the idea that there is something called «we», I know that this is the truth. It’s a universal need that human beings have for being part of each other, to belong, feel love and care for other people. Being needed.

I know that there is only one idea that might save the planet: If we understand this «we» and what it applies. Most people can relate to this vision. Men and women who understand this, all nod, knowingly. Despite this, when I’m referring to long term sick people, their vision seems to become blurred. In a way.
Is that because sick people are invisible? Too visible? Sick people should help themselves? Is it difficult to see the impact of illness on peoples lives because «everybody has been ill, why should I care about you?», and therefore think that they know something about «everyday trauma and illness and just cope with it!»?
(Are you getting bored reading this now?)

It’s hard to imagine that the situation of becoming so sick that you can’t cope with your working situation anymore, is closer than you want to imagine. It can happen to anyone. Even yourself.
I know that I was thinking like this myself, even though I was a medical doctor and meet sickness all the time. That was before I became too ill to function at all.

There’s a huge difference between «understand» and «recognize». The first implies that you stand outside looking in. The second that you have experienced something yourself. The latest implies using more than your brain – you need your heart in it as well.

One of the speakers at the event, Anders H Lier, with his project Naandi Foundation, opened his speech by telling about his close Indian friends and that he was a father himself and that this was his heartfelt reason to get involved in Indian girls education. Angela Morelli surely has a passion for her planet. In a clear and understandable way, she explained overwhelming facts beautifully. You can see both speeches and more at TEDxOslos homepage.

Returning to my main concern: When you loose work, you often loose a part of yourself and track of who you are. For society as a whole, both economical and ethical, this is an unwanted situation. How do we keep sick people as healthy as possible through an equal partnership between patient/helper, and the patient as workable as possible on their own terms?

On TEDxOslo’s pages you can share your idea.  Click in and have a look. Share yours, as I have done.

I described my idea like this:

I was a helper, a medical doctor on a mission. I didn’t know that I was also going to become a patient – with another mission. After being longterm sick, I discovered through this blog, that my newfound patient colleagues often became more traumatized during their search for the right diagnose and treatment by their helpers.
If you haven’t been in need of health care for a longer period, you would think it is functioning and everything is fine. Those of us who have tried it, know that this is not the case.
When Martin Luther King spoke, he spoke of his dreams, not his nightmare. To change, one need visions.
What if the health care system started defining their values, their visions, their path?
One tend to define the longterm sick in one of three categories: 1. The Lazy One 2. The Victim; The person who becomes the illness and otherwise is useless. 3. The Hero(ine); who has inhuman strength, positive thinking beyond imagination and despite the worst illness you can think of, goes to work every morning at 6.

There are a huge group of longterm sick people who want to, and are able to, work if the working conditions are compatible with what their illness requires. Instead of equal partnership for finding solutions that work in the long run, many patients find themselves living «outside» society, becoming second grade citizens filled with shame. No one benefits from this situation.

What if I acknowledged that every human being has a part of themselves that is similar to me and thereby understand that there is something called «we». Would I become more willing to trust and help the «other me», because it in the long run availed me?
What if the doctors, the patients and the welfare system established an equal partnership, where both partners contributed with their specific knowledge for the same goal; to facilitate the significant elements as dignity, belonging and autonomy; work?
I would like to establish an arena that enhances this dual understanding between the equal partners, the patient, the members of the health care and the welfare systems. Because it’s needed – both for economical reasons, and because we need a society which includes you, on your terms, also when you are sick and able.

EDIT: Posten kan leses på norsk med Google Translator her