Emotionally Charged

As emotionally charged as my last post was, and also long winded, I need to post an update.

There is wisdom in speaking up and trying to defend yourself. I left many of the details out of my last post, so maybe it was hard to understand why I was so motivated to do something, but, trust me there was a lot to my surgery difficulties. Most people would have just said that was bad and put it behind them, I couldn't. I was very disappointed by my medical care. I was suffering from the carelessness of a medical hospital I trusted and a doctor recommended to me by another doctor to repair my shoulder. My surgeon seems to be running a production line of patients in and patients out. I was the "odd" one they missed. Not to be overly dramatic, but I can't help but wonder what would have happened had the missing anti-depressants drugs been for the heart and not just for my brain? Both the hospital and the doctor miss my other  medical issue stated in my records. In an era of data technology, it turns out someone needs to read the medical records too. My trust of doctors will be forever changed and I have to say, my doctors for the most part have been wonderful.

So with my letter in hand from the hospital stating what the investigation found, and a personal letter to the doctor in hand, I expected us to have a discussion about the problems last week. My doctor refused to even look at the letters, and said he had already been told. He made another alarming remark to me and then things went down hill from there. I assumed he would discuss my problems but suddenly walked out of my exam room and I didn't know what to think. Was he discharging me and was I never to return?

I dropped off copied letters with the office manager and spoke to several people in the office briefly.
I asked why I couldn't at least get an apology from the doctor when things were so clearly messed up.
They said they could not make the doctor do anything because he paid their salary.

The very next day at dinner time, my doctor's assistant called to talk about what had happened because she was unaware of the situation and that she and the doctor had just read the letters (finally)
and they talked about it and she said she and the doctor wanted to apologize.

There was much resistance by me, but I thanked her for the apology. Then, she tried to get me to return to their office for follow up care. I said I was blown away by the doctor's attitude and had never been treated so badly by a doctor. I will probably find a different doctor after all of this, but I am not certain.

What I learned from this was to never give up. Expect that the medical team treats you with respect and even though your medical history including allergies is on file, repeat it to them verbally.
In my letter, I cited three examples of my doctor dismissing my concerns and making a joke of them.

Mental Illness needs to be supported by all doctors. Remember you have the right to question your care plan and give yourself a supportive environment.

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#mental illness    #medical care   #depression   #medical records    #patient relations   #apology