ontheedgeofeverything

Anyone who has spent any amount of time in a medical setting can arguably attest to the fact that doctors are some of the worst people who dabble in the God-complex, meaning they are under the impression that they’re superior to the rest of us. Are doctors tremendously important? Absolutely. Does their regard need to be held above other professions? Absolutely not.

Thanks to my knee injury, I’ve spent more time in hospitals and doctors’ offices over the past couple of weeks than I have in a long time, and it hasn’t been pleasant by any means. The day it happened, I spent about two hours in the emergency room in a local hospital. Not bad at all, really, considering how bad some wait times are. I had an X-ray done, was told I needed an ultrasound, and was sent home. I hardly even saw a doctor, and I wasn’t given anything for pain or walking assistance – thank God I have my own pair of crutches.

I had the ultrasound done, and then received a phone call regarding the results. I was told to return to the same emergency room I was already in to be triaged and then meet with an orthopedic surgeon. I went back to the same hospital the following day, spent upwards of five hours in the emergency department, only to not see a surgeon and be told that I now have an appointment with one at a different hospital the following week.

Why this couldn’t have simply been communicated over the phone, I have absolutely no fucking clue.

I was initially told that my injury was not severe, and I was feeling rather hopeful. Upon finally meeting with a surgeon, however, I was informed that everything I had already been told by doctors was wrong, and my knee is in far worse shape than I was led to believe.

This entire process has been emotional warfare, and I have yet to be offered any pain relief, walking assistance, or even what the actual extent of my injury is.

Doctors need to do better.

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