It Took Me Months But…

I finally was able to file my complaint to Fort Polk about their hospital. There are folks who say not to complain about the treatment at Fort Polk, to just not go if you don’t like it. But then there’s this line that’s too far. And my complaint is about a day the hospital went too far.

Several years ago a mole on my right breast turned purple and ugly. Frightened, I contacted clinics and doctors trying to have it checked out again and again. The reward I got for the effort everyone tells you to take was a phone call from a nurse at the Mayo Clinic. She yelled at me that day. She berated me. How dare I try to seek help out of a mere fear of breast cancer. I had to be diagnosed first, and for that I had better just see the family doctor I didn’t have and couldn’t afford. It was a very humiliating experience, and an eye-opener too. The medical profession couldn’t care less about me as a person.

Since then I’ve learned things and been around. A family doctor did finally look at the purple mark and tell me not to worry about it. My braziers have caused the issue, nothing more. I’ve also in life been pushed around, raped, abused, and developed a healthy dislike of people – especially medical “professionals” who think they can bark commands and have me beg to comply.

So when the family clinic at the hospital began to pressure me to have a breast exam, I was more than reluctant to even deal with them. I mean, here is a clinic that when I went in for severe sinus migraines over numerous occasions either talked to me like I was a small child, ignored why I was in near tears to yell at me over a breast exam, never looked at the issue, and told me to lose weight and drink more water as if that was some magical cure for a chronic sinus infection and blockage issue. And your hospital emergency room hasn’t treated me any better. Instead your nurse slammed the door on me because I felt paying for insurance only to not be able to afford the co-pay was crap. My HUSBAND barely gets to touch me there, what on Earth makes your people think they’re so special to get privileges he doesn’t after I’ve been treated like garbage?

But there was one nurse at the clinic who listened to me when I told her why I balked. She recommended that instead of putting me into the iron maiden out-of-date machine you guys have I could have a sonogram. I could handle that. It was a way to dip my toes in the water, to get used to this. So I agreed.

While my husband was in surgery, I went to the clinic to set up my sonogram appointment. The receptionist sent me to the x-ray department, so off I went. And this is where my complaint truly begins.

I went to the desk, I gave the woman my ID, and told her what I was there for. The first thing I was told was that I had to have an appointment to have one. But I had to go to the family clinic, where I had just been, to make the appointment. Then, rather than give me my ID back and let me go handle things, the b**** started drawing dots on paper to lecture me about breast cancer. And when the other nurses there found out why I was being singled out IN FRONT OF EVERYONE IN THE WAITING ROOM, they all joined in. I had five medical “professionals” very unprofessionally berating me in loud voices, pushing at me, and telling me that getting a sonogram wasn’t good enough that they weren’t even going to let me have one. It was their way or the highway.

I asked for my ID back so I could leave on more than one occasion and I was completely ignored. These horrible women just kept going at me. Over and over. When I finally got my ID back I escaped as quickly as possible.  What a waste of my time!

I don’t care to hear about so-and-so’s back surgery and how it somehow compares to my entire life experience as a reason to comply with her wishes. I don’t care about her at all period! And if they think I’m not familiar with cancer, they should think again. I saw it with my grandmother. The cure is horrible. And yes I know cancer hurts. I know a lot of other things hurt, too. Like child birth – that thing the nurse told me she WANTED me to feel when I was experiencing it. When she refused to arrange for the anesthesiologist we’d made arrangements for months in advance.

I also know trauma, which my OBGYN diagnosed me with. Over pain. And I know bullies.

Something else I know those horrible women did not know I know. It’s a special back condition I was diagnosed with when I was pregnant with my youngest. You see, when it comes to pain killers I have that 1 in 10 window to pain. To top it off, I feel things at a greater magnitude than other people because of how my back is wired. So why those bullies thought they could convince me to step into their iron maiden with the careless forceful attitudes they have and trust them to at least try to be gentle is beyond me.

I left your hospital shaking and never wanting to see a doctor ever again. It’s months later and I’m still bothered by it. And it has taken me this long just to be able to articulate my complaint.

Your hospital is HORRIBLE! The way they treat people is TERRIBLE! The only good treatment I have ever received over four years was the kindness of your cafeteria manager and that one, single nurse in the clinic. This is unacceptable! I, and other people like me, need our dignity. We need to feel safe with you and know we can trust you. So far no one can.

This issue isn’t about breast cancer. If I feel safe I’ll get checked, and frankly so far no dice. I now have a policy that at the first hint of being berated or lectured, my clothes go back on and I’m walking out the front door. I may die, and breast cancer may hurt… but for now I think I’ll stand for my dignity being as the medical unprofessionals can’t mind their boundaries.

And if you think this is the only place I’m sending this complaint, you’ve got another think coming.

P.S. We solved the majority of the migraine issue ourselves by doing some herbal research and using a treatment of grapefruit seed extract and apple cider vinegar. It’s too bad your people couldn’t be bothered to do something along the same.

And folks. Don’t use this place to berate me about the terrifying fears of breast cancer, and how much it hurts, etc. Don’t sink to the hospital’s bully level, because I won’t stand for it. I’ll delete your post in a jiff. I’m fully aware of the risks in standing up for your dignity and freedom. And right now I don’t care.