What would you do?

 So, I have concussion syndrome. It sucks that I have to not only navigate this TBI(traumatic brain injury) but also Neuropathy. And recently I had a doctor’s appointment from hell. This was not in part the doctor’s fault but the staff. Yeah, the staff made my appointment go from ok to down right uncomfortable. 

How did this happen? Well let me tell you.

The appointment started this way, I went in to the appointment with anxiety and stress. I was also sick. I was masked. And whenever I meet new people, like the front desk lady, I always now warn people about my TBI and how it affects my speech. Because the judgement you get from people when you talk and sound like I do. She shared with me about her family and how someone in her family has similar issues. Things were going good until she mentioned one thing. GOD. UGH. Yes, she said “I believe in god and I know you do too!” I chuckled uncomfortably because it was super uncomfortable. And she said “if you don’t know god, you should. Because he is so awesome” or the awesome bit is something to that effect. Ma’am, that is not the way you should talk to new patients. Not everyone believes in what you do. If that is your vibe, great, but it is NOT mine. Nor many other people. She seems like a nice lady, and I was being polite and humoring her. It is a bad start.

Then I get into the room with my technician. He was the next part in the downward spiral in this appointment from hell. He told me my weight, I am a recovering anorexic. I am not supposed to know my weight but benefit of the doubt. New office, even though I did put it on my paperwork, so I was like “ok, new here to this office.” 

Then, it came to my meds. And he argued with me on why I was taking certain medicines. I had been on this beta blocker since I was 17, yes and I am also almost 40. I have neurocardigenic Syncope and I take the meds for that. He says “It is because you have high blood pressure.” So, my blood pressure was taken and then. I shit you not,he started to tap on the damn blood pressure cuff with his pen or finger and said “see?! You have high blood pressure! That’s why you are toprolol.” He was tapping on that stupid cuff while telling me why I am on my meds. Like I do not know why my cardiologist put me on this medication? Are you serious? I was taken back. And said again, NO, I am on it for the sycope. He was not listening. Then again we came to the condescending attitude when I told him I have Neuropathy. “ oh you have diabetes, type one or type 2.” I said neither, I got Neuropathy when I had covid the first time. I went to the neurologist over it. My blood work was normal, it always was.But, again he acted as if I had no idea what I was talking about. I even said, “yes, I know that it often goes with diabetes, it isn’t in my case.” He didn’t listen to me. And then went to question my medications again! Why I stopped gabapentin, which I said my last doctors took me off it because it made me sick. “So, why did you stop taking it?” Guys I just said why and he didn’t listen! This was never ending, my stress was off the chart now. OF COURSE MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS high!!!! I was having anxiety! I was also sick with a virus. I wore a mask, mind you, he was hacking up his lung and it was wet and rattled. He said “I am not sick, it isn’t due to being sick.” COVER Your damn mouth sir! It was hit or miss him covering his mouth. I was exhausted. My brain was malfunctioning at this point. I wanted to crawl out of my own skin.The doctor came in and I didn’t say anything. Because it was taking every ounce of brain power to do this. NEXT TIME, however, I  will mention what happened. I know that if I was a guy, he wouldn’t have done that. If my spouse was with me he wouldn’t have DARED to speak to me like I was a total idiot. But, he did, because I was alone. Because he knew I wouldn’t be able to argue about it. SO, now next appointment I will have to make sure that my medications are listed right and for the right reasons. And will I be by myself? NO.

But, should I even go back?

What do you think? Have you experienced this before?