Lost Sheep wrote:It has been mentioned that have shared my thoughts on the "Implants" forum without actually having an implant myself. I thought I would explain myself.
The medical profession has a history of treating patients as passive recipients of cures and advice. Many people do not want to get into the "nuts and bolts" of treatment, whether or their car, furnace, computer or health. "Let my expert deal with it, I am only interested in results" is a perfectly valid and functional attitude.
I reject that attitude. When I was hospitalized for sciatica I spent a month flat on my back and during that time, I researched everything I could get my hands on. In the end, my Doctor and I came to the same conclusion on treatment and I have no lingering doubts or second thoughts disrupting my sleep to this day.
I seek the same degree of certainty with regard to my E.D. I do not intend to wonder, "What if I made a different choice"? So, I am spending considerable time and energy in research, which I seek to share here for the benefit of any who wish to partake.
If I were not so determined to be informed and participatory in my medical choices, I would have had an implant in September, 2016. Done and done. Instead, I delayed surgery and researched and found authoritative sources which influence my thinking.
Included in those sources are communications with the very helpful Doctors, Dr. Eid and Dr. Kramer. Dr. Eid even thought to compliment me on the quality of my questions to him.
So, I regard the absence of an implant as no impediment to having opinions, or of expressing them.
Where I misunderstand or am simply wrong, I invite correction. I am always seeking more, reliable and specific information.
I see value in the research I have done and opinions I have formed. My research makes me believe I am in a position to receive my implant with less discomfort, better odds at an optimal outcome and more prepared for post-op compliance with my Doctor's recommendations for rehabilitation than if I had not done that research.
This is the philosophy I bring to FrankTalk. I hope I bring value to the forum.
Thank you for reading and for considering my motivations, for they are sincere.
Thank you, also, for overlooking my failing that brevity eludes me.
Lost Sheep
I commend you for what you are doing, and for everything you are adding to the forum. I think you are as an asset to this cyber community!
I am too a very involved patient. However, sometimes we fall short of getting all relevant information. On top that, we can be deceived by unscrupulous physicians.
Any ways, thanks for your great work!
54 years old, happily married for 30 years to a beautiful & outstanding lady. Onset ED at 49. Finally fixed on 11/08/2017 by the master Dr. Eid with a Titan XL 26, no RTEs! Previously had 3 AMS implants (LGX & CX), all botched.