Being Abused when Ill

[Guest guest]

Lots of times life does not make sense to me at alll. Being alone, forgotten, housebound and primarily bedridden because of illness is surely not how I planned to spend my time. But here I am......

I think those of us in this situation offer others a chance to help, to be good Christians (if you are religious), and to develop as loving beings. When they fail by being unkind to us,

they have missed that opportunity.

Obviously you have a computer. I think you might write something like.....I did not choose to be ill and need your help. I'm sorry you chose to be rude to me. Perhaps some day you will be in my situation and someone will be unkind to you. Then you will know how deeply it hurts.........and print out a few copies. Take them with you and give them to people like that.

As for your vet, whether the office charges you or not, there are standards of care that have to be met, and you need to be unforgiving and fearless in that situation. To say they don't know what happened to your cat is unacceptable. Josie

[Guest guest]

Hi Josie ~

It seems to just continue from one day to another.

The standard of care issue is out of control with my cat's opthomologist. I am

going to address everything with her about what happened last Friday, not faxing

over findings to my vet, not returning my phone calls, etc.

We put my cat on all these medications to bring the eye pressure in line last

week because he's almost blind (he's only 12 months old), but it made him very

sick. Sunday I took my cat off of the medication. My regular vet knows nothing

about glaucoma'glaucoma meds and referred me back to the opthomologist on

Monday. I was told by the receptionist at the opthomologists office on Monday

that I could not bring my cat back, as the appts are for paying clients only.

The vet opthomologist had been cutting me slack on her fees and not charging me,

out of the kindness of her heart.

I have been calling daily since Monday but the vet opthomologist is not

returning my phone calls, which is odd because my cat is at risk for loosing his

eye sight and I wanted confirmation from this vet she didn't want me to return

to her practice, so I could make other plans. To go to a new opthomologist would

cost me thousands of dollars to start because I would have to go thru emergency

until they had an opening for a new patient. I don't have that kind of money. I

have had a real difficult time with the receptionist there and I suspect the

receptionist may be intervening and not delivering messages to the vet so I

needed to check it out.

I hope I can get things straightened out when she calls me tonight, if she does.

The last veterinarian that was treating my cat, when I had exhausted my savings,

maxed out on my credit cards, refused to treat my cat the day after his

exploratory (which was the day after I paid the final surgery bill) because I

had run out of money. So, my cat came home with a feeding tube, 33 staples in

his tummy and in pain. It's the worst thing to switch vets in the middle of

treatment of a seriously ill pet.

Then on Saturday I went to the food bank to select my food for the month. When

I arrived to have my food items bagged, one of the volunteers accused me of

being selfish and over selecting food. I have been going there for a year and

never had any issues with the staff there. They are always there to give hugs

and encouragement and I look forward to going. I immediately apologized and

asked her to select what I could have and I would help her put the rest back. I

told her I didn't appreciate her attitude and it's really all about how things

are delivered verbally, could she stop yelling at me. She didn't let it go

there, it got worse. On and on she went. She was very angry and started to

throw the food on the floor. The other volunteers came running just to see her

fling a bag of bread at me. The rules change moment to moment at this food bank

and I have always been flexible and understanding when the items I pick out, get

put back. But this was horrid. I thought I was going to faint I was soo upset.

After she flung the bag of bread at me, she yelled she hoped I enjoyed my food

and ran out the door slamming it hard. When I eventually got all my food bagged

the other volunteers helped me take everything out to my car and gave me a hug.

Monday I called in to speak to the pantry manager about this, no one mentioned

what happened but she will look into this because I am afraid to go back there

to be judged so harsly again by this volunteer.

Oh......... the list goes on. I never want to get out of bed in the morning and

face the day because I never know just how deep the abuse will cut that day.

When I had a sufficient income to support myself, vet bills, groceries, etc,

none of this crap happened. Now that I have to live with my hand out at times,

I get soo much abuse. I didn't ask for my disability.

I have had people call me a mooch on society, being manipulative to get people

to help me, trashy, worthless not worthwhile........... need I say more? the

list is pretty extensive, but won't say anymore.

Thanks for listening to my rant today.

Debbie

>

>    Lots of times life does not make sense to me at alll.  Being alone,

forgotten, housebound and primarily bedridden because of illness is surely not

how I planned to spend my time.   But here I am......

>  

>     I think those of us in this situation offer others a chance to help, to be

good Christians (if you are religious), and to develop as loving beings.   When

they fail by being unkind to us,

> they have missed that opportunity. 

>  

>    Obviously you have a computer.  I think you might write something

like.....I did not choose to be ill and need your help.  I'm sorry you chose to

be rude to me.  Perhaps some day you will be in my situation and someone will be

unkind to you.  Then you will know how deeply it hurts.........and print out a

few copies.  Take them with you and give them to people like that. 

>  

> As for your vet, whether the office charges you or not, there are standards of

care that have to be met, and you need to be unforgiving and fearless in that

situation.  To say they don't know what happened to your cat is unacceptable.  

Josie

>