Dreamer's World August 1 2015 - Small Changes, BIG Results

Sometimes the smallest things that we do can have the greatest impact on our lives and on how we feel about ourselves. Too often we are just going through the motions of life, when in reality we are sitting on the sidelines and not actually in the game at all. Change does not have to be huge or dramatic to make a big difference. I have found that small changes actually lead to other changes and the process snowballs into something positive. The hardest part is upsetting our routine with that tiny initial change. We will always rationalize, and that is a very dangerous word, our lack of action. We will convince ourselves to "play it safe" rather than take a risk. This is how we start to die on the inside.
As I said, the change that starts the process can be something minor, even insignificant at first glance. Like a flower in the garden, it has to be allowed to grow and it has to be supported in a very basic way to let it take root and succeed. I made such a minor choice a few weeks ago when I realized that I was getting nowhere with my diabetes treatment according to the readings that I got every single day when I measured my blood glucose. It didn't matter what I did, the numbers were always too high. I knew that I didn't feel art all like I should if my system was so far out of balance, but the numbers were right there in front of me. I made the decision to get a new meter that used different test strips. Lo and behold, my numbers were actually very good! I did a few side-by-side comparisons, and sure enough the old meter and/or the test strips for that meter were the problem.
I immediately threw out the old meter and the remaining test strips and am now very content with the new one. I know that some of you are probably thinking, this is just common sense, why would i NOT make a change like that if I suspected something was wrong? The answer to that question is something that I mentioned earlier in this post and that is the initial resistance we all feel towards making a change in the first place. I had almost convinced myself that something was terribly wrong with me and that my nexgt doctors visit would being some awful news, or at the very least, news that my treatment regimen had failed and I would have to try something else. I "rationalized" that I had already spent the money on the meter and test strips that I was using, I wanted to be the fiscally responsible adult and not spend money frivolously. I actually, and I cannot believe that I did this, resisted the thought of replacing my meter.
Now that the meter and test strip problem was behind me, life got better. I was no longer worrying about something else being wrong with me. I was able to relax and focus on other things. Eventually, I was about to schedule my next quarterly physical with my doctor, or rather my doctor's office. I thought about my time as a patient there and I decided that another change was in order.
After we moved from Maryland to Virginia in 2011, actually from one side of DC to the other, I located a doctor's office that accepted my health coverage. When I made my first visit there, I was seen by a doctor that was not the one named on the door. Since this was a group practice, I didn't think much about it. I saw this doctor for my next 3 quarterly physicals before she went on maternity leave. She never came back. I thought it was a shame, but I then saw another doctor who lasted for 2 visits, and then I began a series of one-timers. It turns out that I was being seen by younger doctors who were establishing their credentials prior to moving on to their own practices or to become actual partners in other group offices. I expressed my concern about this to the office staff and then I actually saw the doctor whose name was on the door. That was a total disaster! He was texting on his crackberry as he spoke to me! This was the last straw, I was convinced of that. The office called and said that I would see another partner in the practice from then on. Of course, that led to 2 more visits each having a different doctor.
After I took the decision to replace my blood glucose meter, I felt empowered to tell the doctors office that I was taking my business elsewhere. I called around and found another office within walking distance of the apartment. I spoke at length with the office manager on the phone and stressed how important it was for me to find a regular doctor that I could build a relationship with. I have been assured that this practice is much different from the old one. There are only 2 doctors on staff, and they do not train new graduates at their location. This sounds perfect to me, I only hope that the doctor and I can establish that relationship that I mentioned and everything will be fine. I will not continue with the new doctor if there is any sign of conflict or lack of attention on his part, but from all of the reviews, that should not be a problem.
The key point here is that one decision to make a change led to another. The second change is much more important than the first, but without the first, I would still be stuck in the rut and things would not improve. Don't let fear or comfort dissuade you from making those small decision, they often turn out to pay huge dividends.