There’s a few folk lately that I have to thank [not] for the last wee period of darkness. Maybe if you are reading this and don’t really understand how PTSD may affect someone – you might learn something. Who knows.
This first one is to the person who was on the other end of the phone when I recently called to get an urgent medical appointment… the person who laughed back at me and told me they can’t help.
A whole afternoon of battles, confrontations and complete meltdowns, because someone ridiculing my medical knowledge and not listening to what I have to say is a major PTSD trigger.
That’s what I have to [not] thank that person for. FYI.. THAT person.. what I was saying did warrant an emergency GP appt (and they wanted to admit me to hospital also). Me and my PTSD worked l through this unnecessary battle to get HEARD and TREATED.
This second one is a thanks to the nutty trail of bureaucracy created by ACC and its contractors.
Where this started
Me: please can you organise for my massage stool to get a higher gas and locking castors. This will help me get back to work while I’m rehabbing from foot surgery.
Them: This will need a medical assessment I will write a referral.
Said referral calls me 3 weeks later. Can you come for an appt. Please bring your massage stool, crutches, wheelchair, knee scooter, knee crutch..
Me: no.. that is impractical I cannot drive because I have had foot surgery. ACC told me you would come to me.
Ah yes.. we can do that…. Some time later..
Me: I need a higher gas and locking castors for this stool
Them: I can’t do that.
To cut this short..
- Offered a solution I didn’t ask for without other options.
- Feel forced to take their solution.
- A few days later get offered two more solutions, one being the thing I originally asked for.
- Told to drop stool off to be altered. I ask doesn’t the shop need to order the parts – no, they say
- Call me back- shop needs to order the parts
- I drop off stool. Castors are wrong. Shop says I need to pay.
- I have to get staff from the contractor to sort this with shop.
5 weeks after my original question – I get what I asked for – FINALLY.
How many times throughout this was I ignored, not listened to?
How many times did this trigger my PTSD and set off battles inside my head that I did not need to be fighting?
How much of all of this was my fault? None of it.
How much could have been prevented – thus avoiding ALL of the extra trauma I have been put through – ALL OF IT.
THIS. IS. PTSD.
