How to Deal with a Medical Crisis
Medical experts answer more than two dozen key questions—about second opinions, clinical trials, the limitations of insurance, and other significant topics—to help patients map a road to recovery
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Everyone’s life crashes into a serious illness sooner or later. Maybe it happens to you, maybe your spouse, or maybe someone else close to you, but no one is immune. Fear and uncertainty arrive at the moment of diagnosis, weighing down patients with an overwhelming question: What do I do next?
This article is meant to guide patients and their loved ones and friends through the frightening maze of questions, choices, and challenges following the diagnosis of a serious illness. Several of the points made here refer specifically to cancer, but most of the information applies to all major illnesses.
To put this together, we’ve collected advice from doctors, social workers, insurance experts, psychiatrists, and lawyers—and from personal experiences, including my own. Before we were married, my wife battled Hodgkin’s disease twice, through chemotherapy, radiation, and a stem-cell transplant. We’re now in our fourth year of happy, healthy marriage.
Use the links below to jump to the answer to the medical question.
2. Who am I going to be dealing with?
3. Should I always get a second opinion?
4. Should I seek an opinion from a doctor who specializes in my disease?
5. What if the first and second opinions disagree? Should I get a third? Where does it stop?
6. Will my insurance cover a second opinion?
8. Is it worth getting an opinion from a well-known doctor at a hospital outside of Chicago?
9. What is a clinical trial? How do I get into one?
10. What questions should I ask my doctor after diagnosis?
11. How am I going to remember the answers to all these questions?
12. What are some good resources for learning about my disease?
13. I feel like this whole thing is completely out of my control.
15. So my family and I should watch for warning signs that I’m not coping well?
16. Should I update my will? And when should I assign power of attorney to someone?
17. How do I keep people updated as to what’s going on with me?
18. How should I tell my children about my diagnosis?
19. What records should I keep?
20. What should I know about my insurance coverage and how should I find out?
21. How can I find out how much treatment will cost and what I personally will need to pay?
22. What resources are there for financial support?
24. What’s going to happen with my job? And what legal protections do I have as an employee?
25. What do I do if I have to leave my job?
26. How should I tackle the insurance bills that arrive?
27. What should I expect during follow-up care?
illustrations: Harry Campbell
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Reader Comments:
I purchase Chicago Magazine from the news stand nearly every month. On the cover page for this article in the magazine, it says "To access Last year's Top Doctors List, visit chicagomag.com and enter the code chicagomagdocs".
And, on the cover of the magazine, it says "TOP DOCTORS Get Access to our List see p.61".
This is very misleading, as your web site does not allow access to the list, even with the above stated code, unless you are a subscriber. Is that correct or am I doing something wrong?
We're having some technical difficulties with the passcode. If you can please create a free online account at https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/My-Account/ you'll be able to access the Top Docs list right away.
We apologize for the difficulties.
If you have any questions please email us at feedback@chicagomag.com
I am entering "create an account"
I created an online account and I still can't access the doctors list.
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I ordered the top docs magazine for the list of top docs because my son moved to Chicago. I was trying to find out what docors were good. I paid seven dollars to have the magazine sent to me in Michigan and I have not one doctors name. I read the above comment and I also can't access the names. I get Hour Detroit and they always have the list in their magazine and I thougt you did the same thing.
I have a subscription to Chicago Magazine, but cannot access the top doctors'list. Please tell me how to proceed. Thank you. Ellen W.
I also tried to access the list and am having no such luck. Why can't you just publish it every year like you used to. I found it very helpful and have saved these magazines for years. I am now trying to access the list. Are you going to fix this problem?
hello