Cindy Throop’s personal story of Participatory Medicine

October 24, 2009 · Filed Under e-patient stories · 7 Comments

Like our contributor Sarah Greene, DC resident Cindy Throop was moved by Paulo Freire’s book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. “The patient revolution must come from patients,” Cindy says. “We can educate and inform patients, but ultimately only patients can speak for themselves.” Here is her personal story of participatory medicine in action in her own life, years before she heard the term.

Several years ago, after dealing with glasses and contact lenses for more than 20 years, I decided to have vision correction surgery. I went to the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, where I was confident I would get the best care possible. After committing two thousand dollars to my health savings account (HSA) to pay for a good part of the surgery, I made an appointment and went in for an incredibly comprehensive eye exam. Read more

Tags: Clinical Judgment, Corrective Surgery, Dc Resident, Eye Exam, Eyesight, Health Savings, Irregularities, Kellogg Eye Center, Keratoconus, Michigan Kellogg Eye, Paulo Freire, Pedagogy Of The Oppressed, Personal Story, Pupil, Risk Category, Sarah Greene, Throop, Topographic Maps, Two Thousand Dollars, Vision Correction Surgery