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Note: This stuff is very personal, but I have nothing to hide. While I'm not proud of my outburst here, I'm proud that I am strong enough to try to deal with things that life has thrown at me. See my signature.
I've had issues with my mental health provider people for a while now.
The lady who gives out prescriptions laughed at me when I told her what worked in the past. I understand that she needs to make sure that I'm not some junkie trying to get high powered pills, but I wouldn't lie about my safety and sanity. Because my safety and sanity is directly linked to the safety of my daughter, who lives alone with me.
She called out sick on THREE different days when I had appointments, even after I told her that it's VERY difficult for me to make it out to their location, so I have to plan a week in advance for every appointment.
When I was hospitalized in March, the outreach team came to talk to me after I was finally conscious (three days), and I expressed concern that they never put down my cell phone number as well in my file so I could get my appointment reminders. The girl assured me she would file the paperwork that day to get my number changed.
Never happened.
Finally, on Wednesday, I had a long awaited appointment, the SECOND time since MARCH when I overdosed that my case manager was willing to see me, and he called out and they never notified me.
This is where the self sighting came in.
************************************************** *
The receptionist told me that he had called out sick. I was visibly upset, so she called out a supervisor.
Me: I don't understand why it's been so hard for me to get treatment here. Since December, I've been trying to set up personal therapy -
Sup: *interrupts me* There is a waiting list a couple months long.
Me: You know, if Case Manager had told me that, I'd understand, but he didn't. He told me to expect a call from the assigned therapist within a week. This has been since DECEMBER. And your prescription writer has hardly been in. And now Case Manager is gone. You guys are in charge of MENTAL HEALTH. Do you think that flexibility in a routine for someone with serious mental issues is an option?
Sup: People get sick. I can't help the fact that you have some disease, and my employees can't help it if they come down with something.
Me: I understand that. But I've expressed my concern that I can't get all the way out here that easily, so when I make an appointment, I have to be seen. If this had happened once or twice before, yeah okay, but Case Manager never even called me after I overdosed. I had to have advocates try for DAYS to get a hold of him. How is that managing my health?
Sup: All I can tell you is to make an appointment for next week and hope he's in.
Me: I shouldn't have to HOPE that my DOCTOR who is PAID to help me get my head on straight feels it's appropriate to come into work. I should be able to rely on that. Why do you expect ME to come in whenever you feel like coming in, but you don't expect your own employees to show up at work? How is that fair?
This is where I started crying.
Ultimately, I ended up making a tentative appointment for Monday. I felt bad for losing control, but I've had a hell of a time getting seen by these people, and I really don't have the option of NOT being seen. My grades are slipping, my physical health is slipping, my relationships are failing...I really need more help than once every 3 months or so.
: /
I'm sorry.
I've had issues with my mental health provider people for a while now.
The lady who gives out prescriptions laughed at me when I told her what worked in the past. I understand that she needs to make sure that I'm not some junkie trying to get high powered pills, but I wouldn't lie about my safety and sanity. Because my safety and sanity is directly linked to the safety of my daughter, who lives alone with me.
She called out sick on THREE different days when I had appointments, even after I told her that it's VERY difficult for me to make it out to their location, so I have to plan a week in advance for every appointment.
When I was hospitalized in March, the outreach team came to talk to me after I was finally conscious (three days), and I expressed concern that they never put down my cell phone number as well in my file so I could get my appointment reminders. The girl assured me she would file the paperwork that day to get my number changed.
Never happened.
Finally, on Wednesday, I had a long awaited appointment, the SECOND time since MARCH when I overdosed that my case manager was willing to see me, and he called out and they never notified me.
This is where the self sighting came in.
************************************************** *
The receptionist told me that he had called out sick. I was visibly upset, so she called out a supervisor.
Me: I don't understand why it's been so hard for me to get treatment here. Since December, I've been trying to set up personal therapy -
Sup: *interrupts me* There is a waiting list a couple months long.
Me: You know, if Case Manager had told me that, I'd understand, but he didn't. He told me to expect a call from the assigned therapist within a week. This has been since DECEMBER. And your prescription writer has hardly been in. And now Case Manager is gone. You guys are in charge of MENTAL HEALTH. Do you think that flexibility in a routine for someone with serious mental issues is an option?
Sup: People get sick. I can't help the fact that you have some disease, and my employees can't help it if they come down with something.
Me: I understand that. But I've expressed my concern that I can't get all the way out here that easily, so when I make an appointment, I have to be seen. If this had happened once or twice before, yeah okay, but Case Manager never even called me after I overdosed. I had to have advocates try for DAYS to get a hold of him. How is that managing my health?
Sup: All I can tell you is to make an appointment for next week and hope he's in.
Me: I shouldn't have to HOPE that my DOCTOR who is PAID to help me get my head on straight feels it's appropriate to come into work. I should be able to rely on that. Why do you expect ME to come in whenever you feel like coming in, but you don't expect your own employees to show up at work? How is that fair?
This is where I started crying.
Ultimately, I ended up making a tentative appointment for Monday. I felt bad for losing control, but I've had a hell of a time getting seen by these people, and I really don't have the option of NOT being seen. My grades are slipping, my physical health is slipping, my relationships are failing...I really need more help than once every 3 months or so.
: /
I'm sorry.
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