Day 07 – Solutions: chicken soup or chemo

(3-Way Meeting:  Me, my Inner Coach, and a Map)

Coach:  Let’s play doctor-patient for a moment.  I’ll be the doctor, you be the patient.  You come to me with two kinds of problems on this map, one at a time.

Take 1

Norm:  OK.  I believe I have a common cold, Doc.  What can you do for me?

C:  Yes, you do have a common cold.  I’m going to recommend at least one round of chemo, and perhaps some surgery on your sinuses if they don’t clear up.

N:  Hold it, doc!  Don’t you think that’s over-kill?

C:  Perhaps, you are right.  How about drinking lots of chicken soup, and wait 3 days with lots of rest.  Then call me if you don’t feel better, OK?

N:  Thanks, doc.  That seems to be a match.  By the way, are you going to charge me for today’s visit?  That’s my Grandma’s prescription as well.

Take 2

N:  I hurt when I swallow, Doc.

C:  Let’s get some tests to see what’s happening in there.

(the test results come back)

C:  I see you have cancer, Norm.

N:  What do you recommend?

C:  I recommend that you drink lots of chicken soup, and wait 3 days with lots of rest.  Then call me if you don’t feel better, OK?

N:  Hold it, doc!  Don’t you think that’s under-kill?

C:  Perhaps you are right.  How about you going to see an oncologist and a surgeon to see what plan of treatment they have for you?

N:  OK, Doc.  If you are right about my problem, your solution seems to be a match.

[End of meetings]

_____________

I’ve always been triggered emotionally (my shadow side emerges) by bringing my Level 3 problems to helpers and receiving a Level 1 solution from them.  What a disappointment!  Is that all there is?  Where’s the beef?

And I’ve also been triggered by bringing my Level 1 problems to helpers and receiving a Level 3 solution from them.  Why so strong?  Why so punitive?  Why so much effort and cost?  What are we afraid of here?  Do we have to burn the village to save it?

I’ve experienced these mismatches in many settings and events of my life.  I’m sure you have as well, perhaps not in health care, as the above fantasy dialog portrays, but certainly in some important problem-solution stories of your life.

I want to fully participate in the Best-Match between my maladies and my medicines, to the extent I can, along the High Road of recovery.  So, I’ll need to meet the Zone 4 Challenge to travel that road.  I don’t want Over-Kill and Under-Kill to turn me into Road Kill.