By agebuzz Contributing Editor Julie Buyon But if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need. (**Wisdom courtesy of The Rolling Stones) Sometimes there’s a disconnect between what we want and what we need. What makes us better and what makes us feel better. In…
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By agebuzz Contributing Editor Julie Buyon BOOM! A few words from your doctor can make it feel like your world is imploding. Suddenly, the path you’ve been on has a big detour or may change altogether. Learning that you have a serious illness can feel like suddenly waking…
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By agebuzz Contributing Editor Julie Buyon The first question I asked my doctor following my third cancer diagnosis was, “What will happen if we do nothing?” After the doctor picked his jaw up from the floor, his answer was, “Well, I’m not really sure.” We then discussed what my treatment options…
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By agebuzz Contributing Editor Julie Buyon Let me cut to the chase: Get a second opinion. And even a third if the first two providers disagree on your diagnosis and/or course of treatment. As an agebuzz reader, you are clearly someone who wants good information from a reliable source. And…
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By agebuzz Contributing Editor Julie Buyon As a wise friend said, “The unexpected happens when you least expect it, so being prepared can bring great peace of mind.” Folks who live in areas that are regularly at risk for natural disasters, such as hurricanes, seasonal flooding, or tornados, know to have…
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By agebuzz Contributing Editor Julie Buyon Often in my work as a patient advocate, I find myself in the position of being a translator – not from a foreign language into English but rather from medical jargon into plain words. It’s always challenging to understand a lot of new information, especially…
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Julie Buyon is a palliative care patient advocate who assists people who have serious and complex illnesses navigate a challenging health care environment. Her focus is on making patients feel empowered and powerful. She has worked in hospitals and nursing homes, and run many community programs for seniors about health care. She is also a potter and most of her clothing has mud on it someplace. Julie is a graduate of Northwestern University (BS) and Sarah Lawrence College (MA Health Advocacy). Her favorite question for the patients she meets with is “What can we do to make this better?” and her favorite – and most frequent – answer is “I think we can help you out with that!
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