When a person is chronically ill, often it becomes that person’s greatest challenge to be believed. It seems that because medicine (western and alternative alike) has such a hard time addressing the pain that comes with chronic illness, physicians and practitioners become very jaded in their interactions with these kinds of patients. 

A person having IC is an ER doc’s worst nightmare. I have heard countless stories of internists and urologists mocking patients in their quest to find a way out of their misery.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that all physicians and alternative practitioners are heartless, but, it happens all too much that they come off that way.

Some of the things that I have heard over the years: “you should smoke a cigar each day, that will fix your IC.”, “you should find a boyfriend and get laid, that will help you hormonally.”, “there is absolutely nothing wrong with you, your blood work results are pristine. I think it is in your head”. ” “Not everyone needs to have a bowel movement more than once per week.”, “There is always something wrong with her, I think it is in her head.”

I wish I could remember all the horrible things I have heard over the years. I remember when I myself had health challenges for years on end and the ridiculous things I was told-told I would never again be well. I was made to feel that I was depressed, when, I knew I wasn’t. One doctor actually gave me antidepressants without telling me, and I couldn’t understand why I was so happy, but still in so much pain. I was furious when I found out that he had given me something without being truthful regarding its true function.

The other day someone said something to me about one of my patients, and, it brought back a flood of thoughts and feelings of how I felt when once no one believed me. I vowed to never treat anyone that way and to my knowledge, i never have. I have always tried to be a bridge between illness and wellness and not judge.

As I have said before, soon I will form a non-profit organization that will establish a halfway house for those in need of treatment who cannot afford it or who do not have support from their families. Sadly, this happens all the time. My heart breaks in such cases. But, often in these cases, there is nothing I can do to help. But, my plan is, to create a way that I can.

That is my greatest ICAMA vision in addition to endeavoring to do at least one thing for everyone who walks through these doors–BELIEVE.