Sunday, April 10, 2011

A Person First, A Patient Second... HAWMC #8

A Person First, a Patient Second...

I am a person first, and a patient second and I'm looking for help, so why must I struggle so hard to find a doctor who understands me?
I am a person first and a patient second, so why do I only merit 8 minutes to talk about a chronic illness that's stolen my life from me and my family?
I am a person first and a patient second, so why don't you tell me what you're thinking about my condition so we can discuss it openly?
I am a person first and a patient second, so why must I play games and get angry just to get a copy of my lab reports?
I am a person first and a patient second, wondering- what do I need to do to have my pain appropriately treated?

I am a person first and a patient second, so where am I to go if you don't help me?

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As an online community leader as well as a first responder in my community, I am constantly amazed at how people so easily become charts, or conditions instead of living, breathing beings with lives they want to lead with purpose.  Somehow they are too often being dismissed and disrespected by the doctors and medical staff they are paying to help them.  Why is this happening?  I don't have the answers, but these are some of the questions I hear from others and I ask myself on a daily basis.  Why the disconnect?

Where have all the real people gone?

This is my attempt at a "poem" composed of only questions.  This was really tough!  Thanks for a great bunch of creative ideas for blog posts this month!!

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