Daily Archive for March 11th, 2009

To Medical Professionals Lest You Forget

Published on March 11, 2009 in Medical, Mental Health, PTSD and Soapbox. 5 Comments Tags: .

I know very well when I step into certain hospitals my physical health is in good hands but I think you’ve forgotten I’m more than a disease. Today when I walked into the emergency room with a blood clot I did so in one of the best hospitals in the state. I expected to be well cared for physically and I was but one of your techs forgot the a test was being run on a HUMAN BEING. She ran the test like a pro like I’m sure she always does but information didn’t reach her that I’m a rape and incest survivor. Despite the fact that I was very upfront about it that information didn’t make it to the tech that really needed to know it. So, I was wheeled down the hallway to have a Doppler in my leg. She asked if I’d ever had the test done before. Without fully getting the answer out of my mouth she opened my legs and shoved a hand towel in side my underclothes. Her finger nails raked across my vaginal area. She then took a bottle of gel which had been warmed and squirted it on my leg. She took the round tipped Doppler head and ran it over my leg in the gel. Technically that is how the test is run HOWEVER she did not give me half a second to tell her not to put her hands in my pants nor to part my legs. She didn’t give me half a chance to tell her I might be tearful through the entire procedure. She got the point when I lay there sobbing. She was even a bit irritated because I told her not to hold my right leg down as she examined the left. After I was unable to speak at all she realized I wasn’t just some annoying patient demanding this and that for the sake of being demanding. But must we patients be reduced to tears before you realize a test can tell you one thing but the human being it’s being run on can tell you much more. At least wait for the answer and please do not forget your clients have to survive not only the test but the flashbacks that may result. Please don’t make it harder to go in to see you when we really need it. If we know a professional will get the test right but leave us spinning what are the chances we’ll follow a doctor’s orders and come to the emergency room when needed? Think about it, if you’re in the medical profession because you care then it would do you good to remember your clients are more than their body. We are mind and spirit. If you can’t see that then you’ve failed us, you’ve failed us miserably.

I AM MORE THAN A BODY.
I AM MORE THAN MY DISEASE.
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SEE ME THAT WAY.
I WON’T SETTLE FOR LESS.

Austin of Sundrip Journals – not just another patient
To Medical Professionals Lest You Forget – Wednesday, March 11, 2009 – 11:08PM EST

Gracie Where Are You?

Published on March 11, 2009 in Depression and Pets. 3 Comments

For several hours yesterday I couldn’t find Gracie. I found her but she gave me quite a scare.

I looked and looked but couldn’t find her. I wondered if she got out but that didn’t make sense at all. Any time she’s wandered onto the porch she realizes she’s out of her safety zone and runs back in. Three hours went by and no Gracie.  I was already tired and emotionally warn out so I just sat on the sofa and put my head down and cried. She’s been here forever it seems so for her to suddenly not be here for hours at a time was heartbreaking. Then across the street at the golf course some animal was getting killed. I knew it wasn’t mating because the sound was only about two shrieks then nothing but rustling. There’s been a coyote in the area for a bit now, it even made the news. I just knew it was Grace. Long story short she was stuck under the bed. She didn’t’ call to me or anything at all for quite some time. I’m not even sure why but she didn’t.

When Brody breaks out I never know if I’ll see him again. It makes it difficult to rely on him. As much as I’m annoyed by Gracie and her spring and summer time antics I can at least rely on her. She’s predictable. When it’s hot she’s angry when it’s cold she’s a love bug. Maybe that’s not the kind of predictability a person wants but for someone who changes identities all the time predictability is accepted in the smallest of forms. I’m happy she’s okay. I don’t know what got eaten last night. I didn’t go look.

We have major thunder storms this evening and lots of power outages in the area. I’m going to curl up in bed and sleep to the sound of the rain. I have therapy tomorrow.

Me