I think sometimes we expect too much from doctors and forget that they are human. We put them on a pedestal and expect that they are going to have all the answers to all of our health problems. We expect that they are going to remember every detail of our case and that they are going to work tirelessly to fix them.
Don’t get me wrong. Most doctors are wonderful people who are smart, caring, and compassionate. But they are also people who have medical problems of their own, kids, spouses, vacation to plan, home repairs that need to get taken care of, school plays to attend and aging parents who need help.
Doctors see a lot of patients. Several an hour. It’s not uncommon for doctors to see twenty plus patients in a day. Accordingly, it’s just not possible that they are going to remember every detail of your particular case. If you go a month or two without seeing your doctor for a particular issue, such as SIRVA, they may have seen a thousand other patients since they’ve seen you last. The details of your case are fresh in your mind, but they aren’t in the mind of your doctor. Your case is one of one to you but one of hundreds or thousands to them. It’s not that your case isn’t important to them, rather it is that all cases are important to them and yours is just one of many.
So, the best advice I can give to anyone is to be your own advocate. You know your body better than anyone. You remember all of the details of what you have been going through. You have to speak up for yourself. Your doctor may not remember anything about your case besides what he or she has written down on their chart that they are glancing over. Remind them of the details. Remind them of what happened to you. Remind them of what has been tried. What has been successful. What has failed. Tell them what you think and why you think it. Share with them that you are in a Facebook group with other people whom you have similar problems with and tell them what has worked for some of those people and how you would like to consider doing the same. If you feel physical therapy isn’t working and you need a MRI, tell them you would like an MRI. If they don’t want to order one, ask them why not.
We would all like to believe that our doctors go home and think about our cases and try to come up with solutions for our problems. That’s just not realistic. In fact, it’s an impossible expectation to place on doctors who are after all human beings and only capable of so much. You have to advocate for yourself. You know your body better than anyone.
If you don’t think your doctor is taking you seriously, or doesn’t know about SIRVA, or doesn’t believe in SIRVA, or is unwilling to educate themself on SIRVA, then it is time to find a new doctor. Like I said, doctors are human. As much as they are smart, caring, and compassionate, some can also be curt, close minded, and arrogant. In the end, you have to find the doctor that works for you and advocate for yourself. If you want to feel better, sometimes you simply can’t afford to be passive. You have to be an active participant in your self-care. Fight if you have to. It’s worth it.
Alholm Law PC represents individuals nationwide who have SIRVA from the improper administration of vaccines. If you have been injured by a vaccine and have SIRVA, please feel free to reach out to Daniel Alholm at 773.412.3320 for a free consultation.