At Thu, 21 Dec 2000, Mary Wade wrote:
>
>Feeling good...oh so good...after my recent surgery with Drs. Reich and
>Redan. Now it just needs to stay this way! Grrrrrrrr.
>
>During this recuperation period, my mind has been working overtime thinking
>about the circumstances that have brought us all together here. Over the
>years, I could've/should've done SOOOO much better in advocating for my own
>care. It is tough because our problems are so little appreciated by the
>medical community. The fact that ARD is not widely recognized by the
>medical community keeps me from being bitter now about some of the
>assessments of my condition that were tossed my way over the years.
>
>I have been thinking about how I should've/could've followed up on all of
>these...ahem......"helpful" assessments. Here's my idea. Read through the
>following list of comments that I have received from
>professionals....mostly physicians....some physical therapists....over the
>years. I was STUpid to have let some of these assessments slide. But
>then, you know how it is when you hurt. I do know how I would handle this
>sort of drivel now, but maybe by throwing light on my own ineptness, this
>can serve to help others. Send me your ideas about how I
>could've/should've handled these comments that would not have left me
>stuck...for months and years....before once again reaching out for help.
> Get the idea? This is like a page in a workbook....a practice session in
>nudging our fellow fallible human beings, who happen to be in the medical
>profession, toward responsibility for their sometimes less-than-stellar
>dismissals of our complaints. Here goes! (I'll try to collect comments
>and put them all together in some sort of coherent fashion if you all send
>me ideas.)
>
>"You are just a tight-assed woman with a little myofascial pain."
>"The barium enema shows that you have the gut of an 80-year old." NOTE: I
>was 45 at the time.
>"You just need to get up and get moving."
>"All women have pelvic pain from time to time."
>"You have a Type A personality...more susceptible to stress."
>"Your problems are postural....stand up straight."
>"You just need to work on your abs and stretch out those tight hamstrings."
>"We don't really if the pain is physical or mental. Either way, you need
>help."
>"You need the pain to feel alive."
>"How is your relationship with your husband?"
>"There is a pain loop in your brain...you feel a bit of pain when you are
>stressed and you feel more stress when you feel pain. It's a vicious cycle.
> You need to break the cycle."
>"I have nothing to offer you."