Mind Macros 64: Triangulating your views, intelligence and pessimism, and self-observation
thescipioniccircle.com
"The only way someone can be of help to you is in challenging your ideas. If you’re ready to listen and if you’re ready to be challenged, there’s one thing that you can do, but no one can help you."
Hi! I could totally relate to your experience; Lessons learnt! I am a doctor in New Delhi, India & was told I had a very high risk of retinal detachment on a routine eye examination one day in 2018. The doctor suggested a laser to prevent any blinding emergency vide retinal detachment; however, the skeptic in me decided to take a second opinion at a top hospital to confirm. Incidentally, the doctor here suggested I wait & report if I experience any symptoms like flashes of light etc suggesting imminent detachment. Happy with a wait & watch policy, I decided to wait and even presumed that the first doctor was probably more interested in making money by scaring me! Unfortunately, I suffered a retinal detachment & there was no warning! What happened next was a nightmare & 2 yrs down the line, I'm still not having a normal vision. Had I listened to the first doctor or went for a third opinion, I'm sure I would have gotten a better perspective of best management course for my retinal condition called lattice degradation. All what was required was a simple office procedure called laser. I was basically scared of anyone touching my eye since I had no symptoms & it was a routine discovery. The lesson is that one is often blind, if we are biased & tend to believe what narrative we want to hear. A triangulation would have certainly opened my case management with a clearer picture and I would probably have chosen the wiser way of a laser which would have prevented a blinding detachment and permanant disability. I eventually got a laser in the better eye ASAP since a laser prevents a detachment. I had read somewhere that a laser can sometimes provoke a detachment & so my heart wanted to not do any intervention & was happy with the watch & wait policy of the 2nd doc despite the first doctor warning me of grave consequences in such an approach. Lesson is- always take atleast 3 opinions; triangulate!
Hi! I could totally relate to your experience; Lessons learnt! I am a doctor in New Delhi, India & was told I had a very high risk of retinal detachment on a routine eye examination one day in 2018. The doctor suggested a laser to prevent any blinding emergency vide retinal detachment; however, the skeptic in me decided to take a second opinion at a top hospital to confirm. Incidentally, the doctor here suggested I wait & report if I experience any symptoms like flashes of light etc suggesting imminent detachment. Happy with a wait & watch policy, I decided to wait and even presumed that the first doctor was probably more interested in making money by scaring me! Unfortunately, I suffered a retinal detachment & there was no warning! What happened next was a nightmare & 2 yrs down the line, I'm still not having a normal vision. Had I listened to the first doctor or went for a third opinion, I'm sure I would have gotten a better perspective of best management course for my retinal condition called lattice degradation. All what was required was a simple office procedure called laser. I was basically scared of anyone touching my eye since I had no symptoms & it was a routine discovery. The lesson is that one is often blind, if we are biased & tend to believe what narrative we want to hear. A triangulation would have certainly opened my case management with a clearer picture and I would probably have chosen the wiser way of a laser which would have prevented a blinding detachment and permanant disability. I eventually got a laser in the better eye ASAP since a laser prevents a detachment. I had read somewhere that a laser can sometimes provoke a detachment & so my heart wanted to not do any intervention & was happy with the watch & wait policy of the 2nd doc despite the first doctor warning me of grave consequences in such an approach. Lesson is- always take atleast 3 opinions; triangulate!