I just had the worst experience with a doctor in my life, and that’s saying a lot! I went to Loyola to see a rheumatologist. I saw them before in February. We never had the follow up appointment like she said. I needed to make sure my diagnosis of fibromyalgia was in my record, find out of there were any other treatments she could help with, and to see if she would fill out an opinion report for my Social Security Disability.
She tried to put words in my mouth, describe my symptoms for me (incorrectly), she couldn’t understand the basic symptoms I described. She examined me and in the process sent me up to a 10/10. She got angry with me because she couldn’t examine me any further. Actually angry. She then lied to me and said Loyola doesn’t treat fibromyalgia and it’s not something she could help me with. She said she told me that before, which she did not. She said she wouldn’t manage medication for it. That’s it. This was after she listened to my symptoms and did an examination. And read my list of 22 things I’ve tried to treat the disease myself. Why waste the time? She sat there completely uncaring and unfeeling as I was crying from the pain she put me into. It was amazing to see how robotic she was. Totally unaffected. I asked her questions about the illness, and she wouldn’t even answer them. She kept saying “I don’t treat it”.
I told her I understand there aren’t many treatments. I understand not all patients can be helped with medication or procedures. But there is one way to help me today, and that is to get this diagnosis onto my medical record and to fill out an opinion report for my SSD claim. She flat out refused to do either. She said “Maybe try Rush. I think they treat it”. She had the opportunity to help a patient today, and she refused. She turned her back and failed to do her job. She just didn’t care, and it was completely obvious. She cared so little that she even lied to me. I just received her after visit notes and she lied on her notes too. She said she did examinations she didn’t do, she said we had an agreed upon treatment plan, which we don’t, and she also said the fibro flares relieve with rest. All of this is untrue. No wonder I got denied for disability. When doctors straight up lie in the medical record to protect themselves, I don’t have a chance.
Getting healthcare from Loyola has been an absolute curse for me. None of the doctors have cared about me or even cared to treat me. The spine surgeon and the pain management doctor just refer me somewhere else. Send the trash to another doctor. Not their problem, right? The pain management doctor actually already tried to dump me off to, wait for it…Rush! It must be a common dumping ground for them. When doctors just refer you somewhere else for something they are able (and supposed to) treat, that means they don’t want to have anything to do with you. It’s code for “Get lost jerk”. Something about today’s visit though was very different. The way she was angry with me, lied to me, and was just so incredibly unfeeling and uncaring was over the top. She just sat there angrily and asked, “Are you done?” when I was crying from all the pain she put me in. Waiting for me to drop back down to a 9 so I was coherent enough for her to send me away.
While this is clearly a systemic problem with Loyola, I don’t think it is specific to them. The further down the healthcare road you get, the more doctors you will encounter who are like this. They just don’t care, and they don’t have to. They make more money turning patients away than they can ever make by taking every case that passed through their office. Maybe you get the unethical doctor who won’t treat you this visit, but tells you to continue doing nothing for another 6 weeks, come back, and they’ll treat you then. Why not pad the bill and get 2 visits instead of 1? That does nothing to help patients. It drags out treatable problems, and ends up raising insurance premiums for everyone. At least in this example, you finally get treated. All the doctors I end up seeing won’t even bother with that. They see a patient at their worst and most desperate for help, and they lie. Anyone with a heart would be concerned and offer up whatever help they could. Not Loyola!! “Loyola Medical Center. We don’t give a shit, and we don’t have to! Get fucked!” Imagine working so hard to become a doctor, only to not help anyone. That just doesn’t make sense. Cause pain, cause problems, send them away. What a shame this happens to people. I feel so sorry for them. They have completely lost all compassion and empathy. At this point, they have simply sold their souls for money.
Let me end on a positive note. On my way home, there was a pick up truck next to me with the tailgate open. There were a bunch of tools in the back, and they looked like they could slide out. I got the driver’s attention and told him his tailgate was open. His eyes widened with a look of worry, and he said, “Are you serious?”. Yes I was. He got out at the stop light and closed the tailgate. He didn’t look concerned about missing tools, which meant it was the best result possible. He said thank you and that was that. This is how one should treat human beings. That wasn’t anything special – just basic manners. I was concerned, however, by how many other drivers were around him and didn’t say a thing to him. It kind of makes me think it’s a regional thing, because in California, there would have been 10 people all at the same time trying to get the guy’s attention. But anyway, when people need help, you help them. That’s the point, and it’s such a simple, basic thing. I’m always shocked when people don’t get that. It’s kind of the whole point of life – learning to help people when they need it, and when you’re able. Whether you’re next to someone on the road who needs a hand, or you’re a doctor whose job it is to help people, you always give the fucking help. Especially when they ask.