Healthcare gone wrong!
Today, I had the (dis)honour of being at the receiving end of the healthcare system and being an “insurance claim” after being involved in a car accident (not at fault). Resorting here to write with my non-dominant hand and voice recognition, I’ve finally been able to get a referral to a hand surgeon to get my wrist reviewed after enduring 4 months of extreme pain and limited mobility.
After overhearing the nurse handing over to the surgeon within earshot and explaining about my Assistance Dog – NO NOT ALL ARE GUIDE DOGS! I beg the question, at least consider a “bedside handover” if the client can at least hear you. Then, arbitrary questions about my medical history and mental health that has nothing to do with my wrist was then explored. Finally, a pain relief protocol lecture was then provided by the surgeon in a condescending tone. Not giving me the chance to explain that DUE TO FIBROMYALGIA I have been on panadeine forte BD (which is minimal) and upped to TDS after the MVA. Not once was this explored. Moreover the assumption was made that my Assistance Dog was obtained AFTER the MVA. Hmmmm so many assumptions from the surgeon. I wonder how many inaccurate histories have been taken by him? Scary at best and dangerous at worse. To make matters worse, I was then bullied into demonstrating on a diagram how improved my pain was on my body at this point in time. Yet by then I was exhausted at defending my position.
An interesting sociological or more like discourse analysis could also be considered at this juncture. The nurse asked whether I was “a Dr. Dr.” or another kind of Dr. As in a medical doctor is the real kind of doctor. I’ve seen more compassion and empathy coming from the fleas from dogs in a rescue!
Let’s now not forget this current day notion of “conservative management”. As a writer Dr. in Nursing and Canine Behaviourist, well. Yes! I need my hands! But hmmmm. No apparently as an insurance claim, I must be perpetuating some kind of fraud! So let’s just jam a cortisone injection in and see. “Oh you faint when you have them!” Laughter. “A lot of people get that. When would you like us to book that in?” Again where is the compassion. The empathy? Professionalism? Did I mention fleas? So now I am faced with enduring further pain, passing out and no offer of sedation or pain relief. What world are we living in here guys?
I also made the mistake of bringing a non medical support person with me, who left me to defend myself through the interrogation. And interrogation it was – with the surgeon even taking his patient notes by dictaphone throughout it, mispronouncing my surname and I had to correct his notes throughout his dialogue. From the speed of the accident, to the hospital I was taken to, to the injuries I sustained (I name but a few). Seriously???? Although at least I got a hand physiotherapist referral I guess?
So now I am part of the system. Financially struggling but choosing to stay away from the welfare system as well. I’ve seen too much already! I don’t particularly care for any of these one iota.