Now for the culmination of our story.Find part 1 and part 2 here. Normally, I would just let this type of thing go. Is that sad? It happens SO often, I don’t even give being treated like crap a second thought. This time though, I could have had a reaction to medications simply because they couldn’t be bothered to listen to me. I was livid. I called the Director of the ER, the Administration, I even talked to the CFO. For weeks, I went back and forth with a Patient Advocate that told me nothing. Finally, in talking to the asst CFO, she asked me what did I want to see happen?

Good question! What did I want? I certainly didn’t want to sue them, but I (and thousands more like me)  desperately want to be heard, NEED to be heard and they do not get heard. Getting funny looks when I had to use a cane as a barely 30 year old woman with young children. I have friends that have handicapped placards and have had people say mean things to them when they get out of a car without a visible handicap. So I thought about it and when I talked to them again I had a decision.

I said what I really wanted to see happen was to allow me to create a presentation for the doctors about invisible illness. I would like to use my position as a psychologist and talk about something to hopefully give a new perspective and lay some knowledge on some folks. She said she thought that was a fantastic idea so that’s what we’re going to do! I don’t know how much red tape it is going to take or even how to incentivize (Is that a word? It is now!) as many people as possible to attend, but I do know I am going to use this opportunity to the best of my ability.

 

In case you’re not 100% sure, invisible illnesses can cover a wide variety of illnesses. Some examples are Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cancer, Migraine Headaches, other Neurological conditions, MS, Heart conditions, Fibromyalgia, Digestive disorders, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and many more. It is estimated over 125 million people have an invisible illness.One thing I know for sure is I will not suffer in silence any longer. I will not sit back while doctors become more jaded. This illness has already taken so much from me. I will not allow it to take anything more.