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The original was posted on /r/twoxchromosomes by /u/VanGoghPro on 2023-08-10 09:27:58.
My family has went to the same practice starting with my grandmother as a young lady. Eventually doc had to retire as he is getting older. He trained a nurse practitioner alongside him for 10+ years, with doc running things behind the scenes after “retiring”. He’s since retired completely and there are a couple of nurse practitioner’s that work in the office now including the one he trained. Let’s call her Karen for today. I love Karen and have always trusted her. She’s very knowledgeable and actually listens to you. Over the last couple of years she’s become a little rough and tough but what healthcare worker hasn’t? I am a nurse myself and she’s known me my entire life basically. I don’t go to the doctor too often as I’m generally pretty healthy. I have some female issues and have been diagnosed with diverticulosis. This combo makes it hard for me to know where the pain is actually coming from at times. Three years ago I was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD, by a licensed psychiatrist. I didn’t believe it at first and don’t talk about it much as people don’t generally take it well. Usually they don’t believe someone like me could have Autism.
Fast forward to Monday and I wake up a little dizzy, fevers, chills, just feeling terrible. I rarely don’t get out of bed. I have to be very sick and people know when I’m down, I’m really down bad. I nursed myself the best I could and kept hydrated. Was vomiting, and sweating so bad my sheets were drenched multiple times. Couldn’t hold food down. Only other symptom was a flare up of this lower left abdominal pain and an earache. I’d been swimming several times over the weekend and figured I’d got water in my ear and now it’s infected. My nursing knowledge told me probably an ear infection or maybe diverticulitis flare up again. I went to the urgent care Monday night as I couldn’t hold fluids down anymore. They couldn’t find anything wrong and said there’s a stomach virus going around. Gave me some Zofran. I had already made an appointment with my regular NP for today to follow up on this abdominal pain.
Arrived at the office on time and only one car in the lot. Thought should be good to get in and out which is what usually happens. I’ve often narrowed down symptoms and it’s easy breezy visit. Today I waited two hours. Thought that was off but whatever, no biggie. She’s usually bubbly and you can hear her greet other patients as she enters their room. Didn’t hear that today either. Finally she comes in and I begin to explain my symptoms. I start to say I have a couple things going on and I’m not sure which is causing the fevers. She had such a flat affect today. She stopped me and said tell me the main reason you’re here, top one or two, that’s the best I’ve got and best anyone will have to offer you. Because of my autism I struggle to understand sarcasm and jokes. Assumed she was kidding. She briefly checked me out, didn’t listen and continued to rush the visit along. She ask me to show her where the abdominal pain was. I kept having to ask clarification questions because she was being so short. These are a few examples of what she said to me. She told me it was in my head. It’s anxiety. Said I know your mom died when you were a child and said to stop playing the victim. She said I can tell by the look on your face you’re not being receptive to what I’m saying. She said just because you work with cancer pts all day doesn’t mean you have cancer. She said you’re just gonna have to make another appt I don’t have time for all these questions today. I was only responding to what she was saying. Told me to stay off google that it makes me worry. Told me I know your sister is sick but you’re not a sick person. She said it’s hard to help people who don’t want to help themselves. Told me you communicate just fine with your daughter. You don’t just have social problems with one person and not others. Said I have one of the easiest nursing jobs there is and I shouldn’t have trouble coping. I’m a hospice nurse. My husband and I have had some troubles lately and she said she said, it’s not like he hits you. I didn’t ever say he did! She was jumping from subject to subject so quickly. She even clapped her hands and kept putting them on her forehead like she was praying. I said I’m sorry this ain’t in my head. I can’t make up fevers. She said no, but why are you telling people you have Autism??
I began to cry as she continued. Eventually turning into an ugly cry. She looked me dead in the eyes and said all of this to me. No remorse whatsoever. I let her finish because I was honestly frozen in such shock. She basically called me a total hypochondriac. No one else was in the room with me. I trusted this woman. I’m still in shock, and still sick. I don’t know what provoked this.
Late last night I reached out to someone in her family and they told me they’re very concerned because something is wrong with her. Said the business is failing and people are leaving the practice. They mentioned thinking she has dementia. I’m concerned what she’s going to put about me in my medical record. I am so hurt and still don’t understand what provoked this. Does she really have dementia? Is that why? Am I really all those things she said?? Struggling to process this.