TRIGGER WARNING!
I'm pretty triggered while writing this I must say.
Hello, Lovelies!
I'm sorry, this topic might be a little heavy, and although I can't speak for others I can share my thoughts and experiences.
Now according to this statement: [qouted]
BLACK PEOPLE ACROSS THE U.S. HAVE SHORTER LIFE EXPECTANCY, HIGHER RATES OF STRESS-RELATED MEDICAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, AND UNMET MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, HIGHER RATES OF CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES, DEVASTATING RATES OF BLACK MATERNAL AND INFANT MORTALITY, AND HIGH RATES OF MORTALITY AMONG OUR TRANS AND GENDER NONCONFORMING FAMILY. (-M4bl.org)
Now as you all know by now I have multiple chronic illnesses, and with that comes a lot of doctor appointments. I face a lot of ableism*, and rudeness when going to these appointments (as I'm usually alone.) I hate to say this seems to be the norm for people like me, but that's the world we live in.
I am Black, Deaf(HOH), a woman, and I use a wheelchair/walker.
When in the hospital due to heart problems or other complications of my illnesses, I am usually ignored or only given half information due to them not having an interpreter, even though in my chart it states that I have hearing loss and use bilateral hearing aids. Their reasoning is usually that they "don't want to pay for one".- This is Ableist*, Audist* and against the ADA*, so they are continuously breaking the law!.
Also, they tell me things like " I'm young and thin so I must have an eating disorder and am only asking for pain meds for attention".
Yet it turns out I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis (my stomach is paralyzed), and have spinal cord compression and compressed nerves in my lumbar spine that affects my legs. I also have a heart condition and chronic pain.
Yet, the blatant disrespect I face because of my skin color and age have been damning, to say the least.
In my last appointment all my Dr kept telling me was he "isn't concerned". All my questions were met with a kind of quiet, snippy, hostility. When addressing that I cant hear him facing the computer and not me, his response was "Yea masks suck". I then pointed to my ears and said, "yeah, I'm Deaf". The nurse then reminded him, that it's in my chart. (He was being snippy because I didn't want to talk about the white people storming the capitol building, I wanted to know if my cancer had returned.)
This type of ableism/Audism* has lead me to have late or misdiagnosis, a heart attack, etc and for many others unjust harm and even DEATH!
Many places aren't accessible in more ways than one. No access to ADA-compliant ramps, ASL interpreters for the Deaf or Hard of hearing, or not enough space for wheelchairs, walkers, or other medical equipment to fit in that space or just short-tempered Drs whose negligence has lead to medical mistakes, that have hurt and killed many!
With the latest things going on in the government and media ( I won't go too deep into it), there has been an increase in medical negligence toward blacks and people of color. (I don't know about others, but most of my doctors are white.) Black people are dying at alarming rates due to the lack of care they are getting for the Covid-19 virus. The years and recent increase of medical abuse have left many black people/poc distrustful of the "vaccines" for covid, me amongst them!
Racism in medicine, a problem with roots over 2,500 years old! [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The medical field needs more Black doctors and compassionate white doctors. New ways of teaching that look at the illnesses and not the societal status or race of a person needs to be taught in medical schools and practices!
Hopefully, sometime soon we will see real equality.
*Ableism- Discrimination in favor of able-bodied people. (able bodies- healthy, not disabled.)
*Audism-Discrimination toward those Deaf/ Hard of hearing, and people with hearing-loss.
(The belief that the ability to hear makes one superior to those with hearing loss.)
*Ableist-A person or people who discriminate against people with disabilities.
(also who use ableist language.)
*Audist-Person or people who discriminate against Deaf or Hard of hearing people.
*ADA-Americans with Disabilities Act.
-Stay Lovely.