It saddens me to say this, but some people get better medical care than others. I know it's not fair, but I have watched myself and other providers consciously or unconsciously deliver care differently to different patients. It is NOT a simple calculation of the nice vs the obnoxious, the truly sick vs the people we think are full of shit, nor white v black. Prejudice is but a small part in the myriad of choices we must make in a 12 hour shift. That being said, I propose the following syllogism.
If you are: poor, homeless, unintelligent, not-white, have a psychiatric condition, are abusive to the provider, have poor hygiene, or are old and demented without good care - you are less likely to get the same care/work-up/attention that anyone who is any of these things. Why? Because the more of those things you are, the less likely you will follow the plan of care to cure or aid in healing process, and if you won't bother, then more oft than not, the provider won't bother either. You will still get good decent basic care, but no one will go looking beyond the things that will kill you; which is at the core of what we do in the ER. This is multiplied exponentially by the number of those characteristics that pertain to the you and the number of people in the ER at any one time. This is reality.
And I truly don't believe that people understand what we do in the ER. It seems self evident enough, and still I have had plenty of people tell me what my job is - and they are mistaken. We work in the emergency room, so if you have an emergency, then you come in and we make sure nothing is going to KILL YOU. We make our best efforts to change the unstable patient into the stable patient, and if we can do that and send you home, lovely. If not, we admit you and doctors continue to care for you until you ARE well, and can go home. If you want to leave before either of those things can be done, then why did you come in the first place? This ain't McDonald's, or KFC, or Taco Bell. You don't order what you want, it won't be fast and YOU CAN'T DO OUR JOBS.
It is true, you can always sign out AMA (against medical advice), but don't get pissed when you're work-up is in progress and you're tired of waiting. I thought this was an EMERGENCY?
Our job is to make sure nothing KILLS YOU. In order to do this, we "rule out" the things that might kill you. To "rule out" means we have ran tests and diagnostic studies (ultra sounds, cat scans, xrays, etc) and used our big brains to conclude you DON'T have anything that will KILL YOU, and then we tend to what we can, and give you instruction for proper follow-up care WHICH YOU MUST TEND TO, because contrary to what we'd like to believe, we don't cure everyone and can't fix everything. So despite what many people would LIKE us to do, our jobs are not to figure out what's wrong with you (though we do from time to time), but to care for you and rule out that anything might KILL YOU, including yourselves. Capice?
So, if you have a medical problem but not a medical emergency and you walk into an ER, any ER and see the place is packed - go home, see your doctor in the morning. If you don't have a doctor, go to the local clinic, we have many of them. If you don't know they exist or where they are, or it's the weekend, or after 7pm, then either sit patiently and wait your turn or go home, tolerate your discomfort awhile longer and come back at either 4 am when every patient in the ER is asleep or at 8am, just after shift change when everyone is fresh and the ER has been emptied as best is possible.
A do NOT think you are slick by calling an ambulance to bring you in, under the false premise that you will be seen quicker. Everyone, and I mean, EVERYONE get's seen and triaged by a qualified registered nurse and will be placed in the order of the severity of their MEDICAL EMERGENCY. So if you don't have one, and you came by ambulance, don't be shocked to find your ass in a chair in the waiting room. I kid you not.
Let me qualify medical problem vs medical emergency. A medical problem is something anyone can have BUT you are someone with NO ongoing medical diseases, are relatively healthy and you state: 'yo, my eye be hurting for a month and I can't take it no mo', or "I've had this rash on and off for a year", or "I got in a fight with my boyfriend/girlfriend and my heart felt like it was gonna beat out of my chest, so I just want to get checked out" or "Sometimes my feet swell and they hurt." (but they aren't swollen now) or my personal favorite "I have this terrible pain in my back and I was in a car accident...10 years ago". Get the picture?
This is not an emergency. You are a healthy person, you are uncomfortable, the likelihood that your constellation of symptoms amounts to a condition that will KILL YOU is around the order of 1 in a BAZILLION. Use your brain, or someone else's, and seek medical care at an appropriate facility like a doctors office or clinic. Here's a hint - they are open Monday through Friday from 9-5/6/7pm. Generally they like it if you call and let them know you are coming, although some do have walk in appointments, but then you have to WAIT YOUR TURN, because there WERE people who called ahead and they get to go first.
Medical Emergency: You are old and anything is wrong with you. You have chest pain. You suddenly begin to slur when you talk, can't lift one arm or leg, or lose your vision. One of your limbs begins to swell up for no reason and the rest look fine. There is blood coming out of any orifice that is NOT your nose (which you've been picking)...or it is your nose and you haven't been able to stop the bleeding for 4 HOURS, and you have high blood pressure. You've been shot or stabbed (this does not include paper cuts, wounds from plastic knives or welts from paint-gun pellets that didn't break). You fall over when you walk. You have been in any motor vehicle accident where some part of the vehicle was CRUSHED or ROLLED OVER. Scratched bumpers, paint chip off the side and the desire to sue the shit outa someone else who cut you off do not count. You fell on your head, at all. You were hit in the head with something that weighed 10 lbs or more. You can't remember anything and someone else brought you here. You have a cut and see fatty tissue down below (deep enough to merit stitches), or some white thing that looks like a thick string (tendon that allows some muscle to stay attached to the bone and move the joint - like say your finger, or foot, or knee)or the bone is poking out. You can't breath - really. I don't mean you can give a monologue with a hoarse voice or can shout at me for 5 minutes that I'm not helping you and you have asthma/a cold/walking pneumonia. I mean you can't string 3 words together without taking a breath, or you're leaning over with your hands or elbows on your knee's and can't walk because you can't catch your breath, or you truly feel like you throat is closing, or I can hear you wheeze without my stethoscope, or you feel like someone is sitting on your chest and or your windpipe is pushed to one side, or you're lips are BLUE. These are but a few examples of a 'true' medical emergency.
Remember, an 'emergency' to you may not be the same as a 'true medical emergency'. You may just need some xanax or a slap.
17 November 2008
16 November 2008
patients, patience
The last two nights at work a few of my patients tried my patience. It is an exercise in control and I can say with confidence that trying to have any type of rational, useful conversation with someone who is intoxicated from alcohol, is a losing proposition. So, what to do? How do we protect the inebriated from themselves, protect ourselves from them and not lose our cool? It ain't easy, although any bartender can tell you that. Of course the bartender has the option of tossing their patron - I do not.
Fortunately in one case, I was in the position to sedate the spittle spewing screaming woman who wanted to: call her barely-teenage-son at 2:30am/leave/call her lawyer/sue my ass for holding her hostage. It began like this: 60-something woman went on a bender, broke her ankle in two places, and appeared in the hospital - son and ex-husband in tow - with her ankle wrapped in a pillow. She couldn't tell me who wrapped her ankle, what happened to her, where she was, or what kind of medical problems she might have - only that she was sobbing because her husband left her for another woman (last year) and would then suddenly stop crying, state casually that she thought she only twisted her ankle and, if I didn't mind, she would just go home. When I tried to explain she couldn't just "walk out" because she broke her leg - not to mention that she was confused and I was concerned about head trauma from her fall, she waved me off saying it wasn't broken, she doesn't remember falling and that I should just tell orthopedics to go away (the doc standing at the foot of the bed who tried to set the break when our patient really started screaming in earnest). Earlier she tried to leave before we realized what an unreasonable joy she would be, so she fell in the hospital once - fortunately I had already examined her and could say for sure she incurred no new injuries. To this end, we placed a restraint vest on her.
I love the "posy" (restraint vest). This device allows a patient to be secured to the bed but still have full use of their arms, it simply keeps them in the seated or supine position. The ironic thing about the "posy" is that any reasonable rational person who was in one and wanted to leave, would simply untie it and take it off - It is designed for the confused patient because it doesn't seem to occur to them to untie themselves, verifying to us that they truly merit it as well as keeping them from falling. It also brings to mind an entertaining visual and new meaning to the phrase: "pocket full of posy's".
My lady screamed at me and in general until I thought the blood vessel in her temple was going to pop. So I gave her something to help her SHUT UP. She slept like a baby after that for the better part of 4 hours, which benefited her for the fracture would surely be painful when she woke, and for the sake off all our other patients.
But screaming lady number 2, she wasn't my patient. She was in the stretcher next to one of my patients who had severe abdominal pain and profuse diarrhea. When he was trying to get back into his stretcher from trip number bazillion to the bathroom, I had unlocked the break on screaming-lady's stretcher and moved her half a foot to allow him to get into bed, and then moved her back. She had been lying with a sheet over her head prior to this and suddenly whipped herself in my direction to accuse me of unnecessarily moving her stretcher. I explained why I had and she told me that I needed to ask her to move her bed, that this would be the "polite" thing to do. I don't know where she learned this word "polite" but I assure you it's not the same word I learned, nor the same one that Miriam-Webster has described in decades of dictionaries. She repeated - ad nausea - and in no uncertain terms, I needed to ask her if I wanted to move HER stretcher. I told her I did not. I didn't say it with any emotion, I did not raise my voice or say it any differently than the way one might say "do you have the time?". This prompted a series of explicatives and a slurring, condescending diatribe on "respect", at an impressive and escalating volume, of which I was the first recipient. My personal favorite was "faggot-ass-bitch".
My father and I recently had a conversation about the use of the term "respect", particularly used in the common vernacular of "you need to respect me" or "she disrespected me" in reference to someone not kissing your ass.
Suddenly I was recalling all the lovely folks I'd encountered as an EMT when I wanted to curse the guys who brought her in. Yes, your tax dollars hard at work. I continued to care for my guy and replied to her spew one or two more times, without anger and a wee bit of sarcasm, until one of the other doc's smiled at me and told me to go take care of another patient. She knew I was just fodder for this - also very drunk - person and that she might settle down if I walked away. It was half true, and I steered clear until she passed out.
Still, I wanted to stick my face in hers and tell her to SHUT THE FUCK UP. That no one in the ER should have to take her abuse, be subject to her vile and ignorant rants, and why the would I ever respect someone who is loaded and lying her own piss?
Yes friends, it is difficult to have patience at times - even when I know I have a significantly better life than those borrachos who come in and push us with their behavior. I know they have problems I would not wish on anyone and I have plenty of pity for them and their situation. Still, I wish we had a special room where all the screaming assholes could be together, where they could take one big TIME OUT, and when they could control their mouths, I would happily take care of them.
Fortunately in one case, I was in the position to sedate the spittle spewing screaming woman who wanted to: call her barely-teenage-son at 2:30am/leave/call her lawyer/sue my ass for holding her hostage. It began like this: 60-something woman went on a bender, broke her ankle in two places, and appeared in the hospital - son and ex-husband in tow - with her ankle wrapped in a pillow. She couldn't tell me who wrapped her ankle, what happened to her, where she was, or what kind of medical problems she might have - only that she was sobbing because her husband left her for another woman (last year) and would then suddenly stop crying, state casually that she thought she only twisted her ankle and, if I didn't mind, she would just go home. When I tried to explain she couldn't just "walk out" because she broke her leg - not to mention that she was confused and I was concerned about head trauma from her fall, she waved me off saying it wasn't broken, she doesn't remember falling and that I should just tell orthopedics to go away (the doc standing at the foot of the bed who tried to set the break when our patient really started screaming in earnest). Earlier she tried to leave before we realized what an unreasonable joy she would be, so she fell in the hospital once - fortunately I had already examined her and could say for sure she incurred no new injuries. To this end, we placed a restraint vest on her.
I love the "posy" (restraint vest). This device allows a patient to be secured to the bed but still have full use of their arms, it simply keeps them in the seated or supine position. The ironic thing about the "posy" is that any reasonable rational person who was in one and wanted to leave, would simply untie it and take it off - It is designed for the confused patient because it doesn't seem to occur to them to untie themselves, verifying to us that they truly merit it as well as keeping them from falling. It also brings to mind an entertaining visual and new meaning to the phrase: "pocket full of posy's".
My lady screamed at me and in general until I thought the blood vessel in her temple was going to pop. So I gave her something to help her SHUT UP. She slept like a baby after that for the better part of 4 hours, which benefited her for the fracture would surely be painful when she woke, and for the sake off all our other patients.
But screaming lady number 2, she wasn't my patient. She was in the stretcher next to one of my patients who had severe abdominal pain and profuse diarrhea. When he was trying to get back into his stretcher from trip number bazillion to the bathroom, I had unlocked the break on screaming-lady's stretcher and moved her half a foot to allow him to get into bed, and then moved her back. She had been lying with a sheet over her head prior to this and suddenly whipped herself in my direction to accuse me of unnecessarily moving her stretcher. I explained why I had and she told me that I needed to ask her to move her bed, that this would be the "polite" thing to do. I don't know where she learned this word "polite" but I assure you it's not the same word I learned, nor the same one that Miriam-Webster has described in decades of dictionaries. She repeated - ad nausea - and in no uncertain terms, I needed to ask her if I wanted to move HER stretcher. I told her I did not. I didn't say it with any emotion, I did not raise my voice or say it any differently than the way one might say "do you have the time?". This prompted a series of explicatives and a slurring, condescending diatribe on "respect", at an impressive and escalating volume, of which I was the first recipient. My personal favorite was "faggot-ass-bitch".
My father and I recently had a conversation about the use of the term "respect", particularly used in the common vernacular of "you need to respect me" or "she disrespected me" in reference to someone not kissing your ass.
Suddenly I was recalling all the lovely folks I'd encountered as an EMT when I wanted to curse the guys who brought her in. Yes, your tax dollars hard at work. I continued to care for my guy and replied to her spew one or two more times, without anger and a wee bit of sarcasm, until one of the other doc's smiled at me and told me to go take care of another patient. She knew I was just fodder for this - also very drunk - person and that she might settle down if I walked away. It was half true, and I steered clear until she passed out.
Still, I wanted to stick my face in hers and tell her to SHUT THE FUCK UP. That no one in the ER should have to take her abuse, be subject to her vile and ignorant rants, and why the would I ever respect someone who is loaded and lying her own piss?
Yes friends, it is difficult to have patience at times - even when I know I have a significantly better life than those borrachos who come in and push us with their behavior. I know they have problems I would not wish on anyone and I have plenty of pity for them and their situation. Still, I wish we had a special room where all the screaming assholes could be together, where they could take one big TIME OUT, and when they could control their mouths, I would happily take care of them.
14 November 2008
marriage for gay people
I have never dreamed of getting married. I value my relationships deeply, but I've always felt cynical about the "institution" of marriage. Maybe it's because my parents are divorced (though I believe that was the right thing for them), maybe it's because people get married without thought or care, sans "sanctity", it is often not honored as a commitment, and in general made a joke of. I know, there are many happily married people who honor that commitment, and to you I apologize - in fact, it is these kinds of folks who make the "rest of us" ie queers,lesbians, gay men, WANT to get married.
Would we be fighting over it if there weren't legal benefits? And why do married couples get all these legal benefits regarding taxes, healthcare, property rights anyway? What does that have to do with the "sanctity of marriage"? If I take care of a sick family member for years, pay for all their care and tend to them, why shouldn't we be legally allowed financial benefits? Perhaps some history on marriage is appropriate here. "Most ancient societies needed a secure environment for the perpetuation of the species,a system of rules to handle the granting of property rights, and the protection of bloodlines. The institution of marriage handled these needs." Hmm, property rights, bloodlines - sounds pretty economic to me.
Despite all this, my not wanting to get married (and I am a lesbian) doesn't mean I don't think I should BE ABLE to have the option. Everyone else can get married, hell sometimes even more than once at a time! To me, this is an issue of equality, of civil rights. And excuse the tangent, but why do the people who aren't gay CARE? What's it to you? I find that most of these folks don't know anyone gay, don't have any contact with gay people and therefor how can you have issue with, or a problem with someone you don't even have a direct discourse with? I really don't get it - why do you care? I don't care what you do. I'm not out protesting polygamy, even though I disagree with it. I'm not protesting marriage in any way, even though it is abused by non-gays ALL THE TIME. I mean really, just bugger off.
I hear the religious folks proselytizing - it is a sacred bond between man and woman, a right given by God. Oh really? Did God mean for only WHITE people to be allowed to marry, because for most of America's history, those black folks, your neighbors, they couldn't marry - why? Because they were considered PROPERTY. Did your God tell you that shit was ok with him?
But hey, this was a constitutional ban - a government affair - a little too closely bullied by Religious Money and Power - but whatever - let's just ignore that bit about separation between church and state - let's stick to the people who passed the laws, I mean BAN. So marriage is a bond between a man and woman, and we don't have (legal) slavery anymore, so ok, really? Any man and woman? In point of fact, until 1967 - yes, only 40 some odd years ago, a black person could not marry a white person in SIXTEEN STATES in the US, that's 1/3 of the country.
So don't tell me that queers are trying to redefine marriage. Don't tell me the foundation of our society is based on marriage when 50% or more end in divorce (thought that would explain the current SHITHOLE we're in), don't give me any more excuses why the homophobic people of california, arizona, arkansas and florida - say that no, we are not equal, we can't marry - they are just bigots, so BE BIGOTS and TRY and defend that shit because NOW you have pissed off many, many people who love their partners and will defend that love - just as you would, homophobic america, if I passed a ban on you telling you your marriage was NULL and VOID.
Yeah, you can expect me on the steps of city hall, and writing letters, and protesting in every way possible until this gets resolved. Because this is AMERICA, land of the free and home of the brave. So I'm taking my brave free ass out there and telling you NO, I will not sit in the back of the bus.
Would we be fighting over it if there weren't legal benefits? And why do married couples get all these legal benefits regarding taxes, healthcare, property rights anyway? What does that have to do with the "sanctity of marriage"? If I take care of a sick family member for years, pay for all their care and tend to them, why shouldn't we be legally allowed financial benefits? Perhaps some history on marriage is appropriate here. "Most ancient societies needed a secure environment for the perpetuation of the species,a system of rules to handle the granting of property rights, and the protection of bloodlines. The institution of marriage handled these needs." Hmm, property rights, bloodlines - sounds pretty economic to me.
Despite all this, my not wanting to get married (and I am a lesbian) doesn't mean I don't think I should BE ABLE to have the option. Everyone else can get married, hell sometimes even more than once at a time! To me, this is an issue of equality, of civil rights. And excuse the tangent, but why do the people who aren't gay CARE? What's it to you? I find that most of these folks don't know anyone gay, don't have any contact with gay people and therefor how can you have issue with, or a problem with someone you don't even have a direct discourse with? I really don't get it - why do you care? I don't care what you do. I'm not out protesting polygamy, even though I disagree with it. I'm not protesting marriage in any way, even though it is abused by non-gays ALL THE TIME. I mean really, just bugger off.
I hear the religious folks proselytizing - it is a sacred bond between man and woman, a right given by God. Oh really? Did God mean for only WHITE people to be allowed to marry, because for most of America's history, those black folks, your neighbors, they couldn't marry - why? Because they were considered PROPERTY. Did your God tell you that shit was ok with him?
But hey, this was a constitutional ban - a government affair - a little too closely bullied by Religious Money and Power - but whatever - let's just ignore that bit about separation between church and state - let's stick to the people who passed the laws, I mean BAN. So marriage is a bond between a man and woman, and we don't have (legal) slavery anymore, so ok, really? Any man and woman? In point of fact, until 1967 - yes, only 40 some odd years ago, a black person could not marry a white person in SIXTEEN STATES in the US, that's 1/3 of the country.
So don't tell me that queers are trying to redefine marriage. Don't tell me the foundation of our society is based on marriage when 50% or more end in divorce (thought that would explain the current SHITHOLE we're in), don't give me any more excuses why the homophobic people of california, arizona, arkansas and florida - say that no, we are not equal, we can't marry - they are just bigots, so BE BIGOTS and TRY and defend that shit because NOW you have pissed off many, many people who love their partners and will defend that love - just as you would, homophobic america, if I passed a ban on you telling you your marriage was NULL and VOID.
Yeah, you can expect me on the steps of city hall, and writing letters, and protesting in every way possible until this gets resolved. Because this is AMERICA, land of the free and home of the brave. So I'm taking my brave free ass out there and telling you NO, I will not sit in the back of the bus.
12 November 2008
rules of engagement
I just returned from the dentist. It was six months since my last cleaning- what a good patient I am. Um, not. I suppose I get credit in the "good self help" category for making a cleaning appointment before having a infected tooth pulled - which I'll do in two weeks. But I should have had that done last winter when it first started. Pain is what usually drives us to the doctor, dentist, emergency room - but I had the luxury of a disgusting little fistula along the gum line of that tooth, where the pus was draining all this time. So there was no pain, and despite being a medical provider myself, I put it off - for a year. The apex of the irony here is that my partner fears the dentist the way small children fear the dark or things that go bump in the night. That there is lurking probability that there will be tooth decay, cavities and perhaps root canals laying in wait. That going to the dentist will result in pain, so while pain-free, why go? And did I say "oh, I know, I don't like going either. Put it off?" No. I encouraged (harassed) her to go get a check up and tend to her teeth; why? because I love her. Does this mean I love myself less? Hardly. So why didn't I go sooner.
We do not live in a culture of preventive care, of healthful living, or self care. Certainly in the current healthcare system that the US has (for some), many people do little or nothing until they have to because they can't afford it. Certainly I delayed my own treatment knowing it would cost me almost two thousand dollars for this one tooth to be completely and well repaired. It's not small thing. In fact I had a family member recently spend two days in the ICU after a bad fall, a five minute bout of unconsciousness and a bleed on his brain. Can you even imagine what that cost? Out of pocket? No small surprise he didn't go for the follow-up head CT, but even when I recommended he see the Neurologist to evaluate his headaches and functional ability, he agreed that would be a good idea. Do you think he went? Nope. Why?
Why do people wait until the last minute? Why do they wait days after an injury, a first sign of illness, a leaking wound, a sure sign that there is a problem, a serious problem, a life threatening problem? Replies to this question I have heard:
1. I am afraid of hospitals/doctors.
- translation: I afraid something might be wrong with me and yet when pain or a sense of impending doom strikes, people find they fear death more than the doctor or hospital and they still end up there when they need to, and perhaps could have been (better) helped sooner.
2. It's inconvenient. I don't have time to go. My doctor never has appointments.
- translation: I can't be bothered to take care of myself. Now, doesn't that sound stupid?
3. I can't afford it.
- ok, this is the only good reason I know. Which is why I feel hopeful with Obama about to take office and why I advocate for affordable healthcare besides just being a clinician.
4. I didn't want to know.
- that doesn't make it go away, though facing ones mortality to even the smallest degree can sneak up on you and freaks out plenty of people. Still doesn't make it go away - deal with it.
5. They'll find something wrong with me.
- um, if you're getting medical attention, you already knew that.
6. My (insert family member here) was killed (insert hospital) here.
- you're family member was probably already on their way out, or maybe they wouldn't have died (yet) if they'd seeked medical attention sooner.
7. I was ok (until I wasn't).
- well duh.
8. I didn't think anything was wrong.
- denial anyone. Oddly, it doesn't stop the illness or injury from getting worse. If you get some care when you need it, maybe you can sleep well at night knowing this is actually true.
9. I don't want to see just anybody, I want someone good. How do I find someone good?
- this one takes effort, maybe some education or at least some sense of entitlement, but it can be done, and if you want to live a healthy life, it just might be worth it, no?
10. I already know there's nothing anyone can do for me.
- ah yes, the know-it-alls. Even you will end up in a doctors office or hospital. Or there really is nothing wrong with you, stay home. Or you don't care of western medicine, ok, don't dial 911 when you have that sense of impending doom. Or get over yourselves, those people that spent 6-10 years in medical school might just know more than you about your health. Really.
We do not live in a culture of preventive care, of healthful living, or self care. Certainly in the current healthcare system that the US has (for some), many people do little or nothing until they have to because they can't afford it. Certainly I delayed my own treatment knowing it would cost me almost two thousand dollars for this one tooth to be completely and well repaired. It's not small thing. In fact I had a family member recently spend two days in the ICU after a bad fall, a five minute bout of unconsciousness and a bleed on his brain. Can you even imagine what that cost? Out of pocket? No small surprise he didn't go for the follow-up head CT, but even when I recommended he see the Neurologist to evaluate his headaches and functional ability, he agreed that would be a good idea. Do you think he went? Nope. Why?
Why do people wait until the last minute? Why do they wait days after an injury, a first sign of illness, a leaking wound, a sure sign that there is a problem, a serious problem, a life threatening problem? Replies to this question I have heard:
1. I am afraid of hospitals/doctors.
- translation: I afraid something might be wrong with me and yet when pain or a sense of impending doom strikes, people find they fear death more than the doctor or hospital and they still end up there when they need to, and perhaps could have been (better) helped sooner.
2. It's inconvenient. I don't have time to go. My doctor never has appointments.
- translation: I can't be bothered to take care of myself. Now, doesn't that sound stupid?
3. I can't afford it.
- ok, this is the only good reason I know. Which is why I feel hopeful with Obama about to take office and why I advocate for affordable healthcare besides just being a clinician.
4. I didn't want to know.
- that doesn't make it go away, though facing ones mortality to even the smallest degree can sneak up on you and freaks out plenty of people. Still doesn't make it go away - deal with it.
5. They'll find something wrong with me.
- um, if you're getting medical attention, you already knew that.
6. My (insert family member here) was killed (insert hospital) here.
- you're family member was probably already on their way out, or maybe they wouldn't have died (yet) if they'd seeked medical attention sooner.
7. I was ok (until I wasn't).
- well duh.
8. I didn't think anything was wrong.
- denial anyone. Oddly, it doesn't stop the illness or injury from getting worse. If you get some care when you need it, maybe you can sleep well at night knowing this is actually true.
9. I don't want to see just anybody, I want someone good. How do I find someone good?
- this one takes effort, maybe some education or at least some sense of entitlement, but it can be done, and if you want to live a healthy life, it just might be worth it, no?
10. I already know there's nothing anyone can do for me.
- ah yes, the know-it-alls. Even you will end up in a doctors office or hospital. Or there really is nothing wrong with you, stay home. Or you don't care of western medicine, ok, don't dial 911 when you have that sense of impending doom. Or get over yourselves, those people that spent 6-10 years in medical school might just know more than you about your health. Really.
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