#robin the pediatrist is my fucking hero

[encryptedlunacy]

Healthcare Professionals Actually Suck: ✨️~An Experience~✨️

Storytime because this is actually insane-

So quick summary: yesterday I had my first appointment with my physio therapist who, to put it mildly, was a complete prick.

(It says on my file that I'm restricted to gentle excercise only because I'm only just starting out with my treatment/medication and they've confirmed deterioration of my joints in xrays)

So when my physio therapist asks me to do something, even though it is causing me pain, I figure that these directions and orders are something I should follow - because he's the professional right? - so this guy is checking my extensions and mechanics, running physical strength tests, etc, and says that I can over-extend my knees and elbows, etc:

Me: Yeah a few doctors recently have mentioned that I might have hypermobility-

Physio: NO, you AREN'T HYPERMOBILE, I'm just stating the difference between your two knees!

(Now I have never been diagnosed as double-jointed, etc, so I just believe him and try and ignore the fact he's just yelled at me and keep doing as he's asked)

Eventually he assigns me this excercise because my "shoulders are weak" - his words - and he has me use this elastic band to go over my hands to stretch out and pull my arms upwards, which basically makes my elbow shriek like the devil and I have to stop.

Me: is it supposed to hurt?

Physio: Well of course your muscles will ache when you're excercising!

Me, having built up strength on another doctor's orders and knowing damn well what the difference is: No, I mean is it supposed to hurt my joints? Like my elbow, I mean.

Physio, exasperated and condescending: well will it hurt all day?

Me: yes

Physio, throws his arms up in the air, grabs the band off of me and tosses it on to his desk as he slumps into his chair and starts typing furiously into his computer: Well forget it then!

- and then he said my body and joints were fine and I didn't need any physio therapy whatsoever because there was nothing wrong with me 🙃

AND HERE'S WHAT GETS ME-

I had another appointment today with a pediatrist and he did some mechanics and extensions tests, etc.

Pediatrist: Hey, you have hypermobility! You're double-jointed, and since you're already at risk of osteoarthritis because of your RA, this could cause you some serious problems in the future!

Me: What? But the physiotherapist yesterday said I didn't and dismissed me from physiotherapy?

Pediatrist: He did what-

- Anyway, I'm now getting rockerbottom shoes to protect my already damaged joints from aggravating themselves further, and launching a formal complaint because that physiotherapist also told me I shouldn't be using my stick on the side that provides me with the most balance and support because he thinks what's best for me is using it on the other side, which I've tried and tested and does not work, and this launched a 15 minute argument. Don't wanna go with the "he started it" thing but I was not the one yelling in that office...

TLDR; I got dismissed from physio cos a therapist 1. didn't read my file and 2. had a temper tantrum when his uninformed opinion didn't work. My pediatrist set the record straight for me the next day.

What a fun week I'm having, and it's only Tuesday!