Thread by @LelenaPeacock

It's time to do another one of my dumb threads, so here goes:

I'm SO GLAD life is so simplistic for you. Guess where I was this morning? At the #PainClinic with my elderly mother who suffers from #dementia. She had an early AM appointment, which is unusual for her. Mom is

https://twitter.com/EmJaye32/status/1174940824599031808

more confused earlier in the day. She often has trouble getting to sleep because of pain & the dementia. We had to plan carefully, bathing her, & laying out clothing yesterday. Despite this, mom changed back into her nightgown 3 times, then finally put the gown on OVER her

street clothes. ANYWAY, we arrive ON TIME & the shenanigans begin. The kind receptionist greets us warmly, & I explain that mom is especially confused this AM. The mean receptionist (on a massive power trip) attempts to prevent me from accompanying mom to the appointment. She

asks my mom to come pee in the cup for her while I am writing the check for her copay. I politely asked for her to let me finish & come with mom, as this task is clearly overwhelming for her without ME. She states that it's Clinic Policy (AGAIN) that my mother go alone, & I

firmly state the law is pretty clear about family, advocates, or people with POA like me are ALLOWED to accompany a patient to appointments. The receptionist proceeds to humiliate my mother in front of a full waiting room ^You can't pee in a cup for me Mrs. J?I think you can!"

5) My mother looks mortified, bewildered, & stares at me in terror. Now I have to reassure her I won't leave her alone while she is in this unfamiliar place with this demanding woman. I look at the receptionist. She knows what she is doing, & she's enjoying it. "We can't let you

have your pain meds unless you pee for us Mrs. J! I'm sorry, those are the rules!"

The kind receptionist shoots me a stricken look, & is now mouthing "I'm so SORRY" at me. I smile at her & turn to the mean receptionist. "LOOK, my mother is VERY CONFUSED today. Someone will

have to make sure she does the U/A correctly. I WILL be accompanying her to this appointment as she cannot remember what's being said to her. I'm her memory. I don't understand why we go thru this every month. Either me or my husband MUST accompany her, your pick." Then I turn to

the waiting room and say: "I'm very sorry you had to hear all these personal details." I turn to my mother who is now visibly shaking with fear, & she grabs me and says in a tiny, helpless voice: "Please don't leave me." My heart sinks.

This is her PAIN DOCTOR, & we now go

through this humiliation every single month since my dismissal for an INCORRECT U/A, which was at the end of Februrary. I don't want to destabilize her by throwing her into #withdrawal. My mom IS in fact #dependent on #opioids. She isn't #addicted, they simply VASTLY IMPROVE

her #QualityOfLife. Because I dare to still go with mom to her appointments, which is against the Office Policy. Now I am simply viewed as the ^junkie^ daughter that brings in her confused mother, & in her eyes, I deserve to be punished.

YES, I am looking for another doctor.

Here's my point: abusive behavior continues BECAUSE of simplistic narratives & myths like these. It's so bad, I'm having to put up with it, even though I'm no longer their patient. It's a FIGHT every GOD DAMNED TIME because of bs like THAT. The worst part of it all is watching

my sweet mother be treated like DOGSHIT in public. It's her worst fear. YES, I'll be reporting this woman. Who do I tell?

A 75 year old woman with severe spinal stenosis & ankylosing spondylitis should NOT BE TREATED THIS WAY at a doctor's office just to get 90 pills a month.

Thank GOD for #dementia, because she has already forgotten the whole incident. But I haven't. I'm sitting here in shock & shame, despite being in the right.

Anyone spouting #stigma like this is causing tremendous harm, & it's high time we start telling the truth & complaining.

This has all become so ridiculous, I can't even begin to understand it anymore. #CruelDisregard carries the day in American Medicine.

Despite all of this, my mom is lucky to have those 90 pills, & for those of you with nothing, I AM SO SORRY.
It's wrong! 💔

~~~End Rant~~~