Brianna Parkins: What’s the secret to being taken seriously the first time by doctors? Is it wearing a suit? Having a strong handshake? Maybe I’ll know after my overdue surgery...

A year and half ago I fell over and broke my wrist. Sentence syntax is key here. I fell over. Not “I had a fall.” The first suggests I had a merry accident after a night out dancing on tabletops as a promising young woman in the prime of her life. The second suggests it’s time to start looking at retirement villages and assisted living facilities. As much as I would thrive in an environment of aqua aerobics, bingo, naps and the good kind of pharmaceutical prescriptions only grannies seem to b...