Escaping Multiple Opinion Madness / by Juhi Kunde

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Escaping Multiple Opinion Madness

August 13th, 2012 - by Juhi Kunde

http://blog.lungevity.org/2012/08/13/es ... n-madness/

My shower door has a leak. So, I called a handyman for an estimate to repair the seal on the door and patch a section of dry wall that has minor water damage.

The handyman explained that he’d have to cut a huge exploratory hole in the wall to make sure the leak wasn’t coming from any place else.

His approach seemed excessive. I needed multiple opinions.

A realtor friend inspected the shower. “Oh, this is simple, just screw in a new seal.”

It wasn’t simple. I wasted several months finding and then installing the seal only to discover that the leak was still there. Not only was I frustrated, but I was also getting very tired of using the guest shower.

The next guy to see the shower stall was a plumber – he shook his head mournfully as if the whole bathroom would have to be remodeled. “I can’t fix it,” he said. “You’ll need a general contractor.”

Asking a general contractor to fix a leaky shower door felt like using an axe to slice a strawberry. So I asked another plumber to take a look. “First get a water softener then you can fix the shower.”

Next, I had a local glass company give me an estimate for a fixing the leak. “Ideally, we’d just replace the seal but there is also some hardware missing,” he said. “Finding parts for these shower stalls just isn’t an option anymore. I suggest you replace the door.”

At this point, I was thoroughly confused.

Everyone who saw the shower agreed the wall damage was easy to fix. When the multiple opinions all agree, the next step is clear: patch and paint the wall.

But when it came to addressing the leak, each person had different advice. Everyone was an expert and everyone suggested a different approach.

My head was spinning. I had no idea what to do. Finally I realized there was only one way to escape this ‘multiple opinion madness’. I had to get informed.

After spending several hours reading up on contractor licenses, shower seals and water quality reports, I decided to replace the shower door. It wasn’t the cheapest option or the most expensive. But I’d read-up enough on the subject to know the solution made sense.

Obviously, fixing a shower stall does not compare to the frustration, anxiety and confusion that many patients face as they decide on a treatment plan for lung cancer. But it does highlight the benefits and drawbacks of seeking multiple opinions before making a decision.

Did you encounter ‘multiple opinion madness’ in the course of your cancer journey?

How did you handle it?