Friday, April 24, 2009
i went to the emergancy room for severe stomach pain. my mother began to explain that i take medication ao that the doctor would be aware. when my mother to the doctor i am bipolar, the doctor pulled her out of the room and said i probably just wanted attention. she told my mother to take me home without the doctors looking at me. i never really realized that people could assume things just because of a "disorder". i was astounded but after i really thought about it, that happens to people all the time.
Last November I went to my local ER due to something not right with my feet.
The doc & nurse asked me what meds I took? I told them.
They wanted to know what the reason was for me taking them?
I told them.
They left my bed and went around the curtain that was drawn (wasn't in a room).
A few minutes passed and I heard the doc telling another doc what I was in for, and what meds I take, and then said "she has some psychiatric problems." There was some mumbling at that point and the doc then swung the curtain back and looked at me.
He then asked "So, do you want some pain medication?"
I looked at him and said "No."
He, visibly surprised and taken aback asked "are you sure (mrs tabby) that you are not needing pain medication?"
I said : "No. I can tolerate what pain I may be having. I didn't come in here for pain or due to pain. I told you why I was here, that my Primary Doctor told me to come here cause he didn't have the scanner, and I'm only here to make sure I have no blood clots as I did last year per his instruction."
So, when I was discharged, after having the scans done on my legs... a nurse came in and said I could go home. I asked then what my diagnosis was or what they thought might have happened to cause the issue with my feet?
Nurse: "You came in here with a complaint of ----. We scanned you. You have no clots. So, we've done what was needed. You can go home now."
another time
I was being prepped for Hernia surgery. The anesthesiologist wanted to know what meds I was taking and had taken. I told him. He asked, for what? I wouldn't say.
He left but then came back in, waited for my prep room to clear of everyone, and leaned over and asked again, what for? He knew. So, I told him very quietly about the Bipolar.
He leaned back in the chair, crossed his legs, and asked why I didn't tell him that earlier? I said "because people have a stigmatised generalized view of folks with Bipolar and it's not positive in any way, shape, or form. Most of the medical community I've come in contact with also share and have this same generalized view."
He nodded and said "well, I don't. Bipolar is a medical disorder, treatable with meds and therapy just as if you needed meds and cardiac therapy for your heart. It is merely a medical disorder and doesn't note what type of person you are."
I said "Well, I'm glad to hear that from you but many of your colleagues do not share your view."
He got up to leave and said "yeah, I know."
i really appreciate the doctors that do not autamatically label me. i have had a number of surgeries where i had to put it out there that i am bipolar. most said nothing negative of this. but other times (such as the time i mention of going to the er) doctors nearly dismissed everything i was saying. it's as if they belive that we can feel no pain, have no illness, or anything else. yet like "normal" people, we can feel pain, be ill, and everything else. of course at times there could be exagurstion, but we deserve fair treatment i believe. most of it to seems to be from a lack of knowledge and understanding of the disorder. even in your common everyday people other than doctors are that way. last year someone found out about me being bipolar and she went around shcool telling everyone i was going to kill them all. thats not me at all. i have somewhat come to accept that people are this way and that i will have to deal with there lack of knowledge for the remainder of my life. i also try to look at it in a positive way rather than negative. (when i look back on it that is)