Today we were finally able to conduct our first home visits
which was very exciting. It felt to me that going into these people’s homes was
a way in which to step inside these people’s lives and actually begin to
understand. The second home into which we entered was a step into 'the real world'if i can call it that… Let’s
name the lady from this house Katy…
The depression in Katy’s household greeted us at the
doorstep. Katy, a middle aged lady is severely ill with cancer which has spread
through her breasts; lungs and is now progressing into her spine. She had an appointment
booked in February to see the Oncologist however she fell days before her
appointment and fractured her hip and so was physically unable to get to her
appointment. Her husband phoned to tell them that they would not be able to
make the appointment and requested that they be given another date. In his
words they were then ‘punished because they had missed their appointment and so
were given another appointment two months later for the 29th of
April’ which was yesterday. Yesterday Katy’s husband got her up and ready to go
to the hospital, they paid ridiculously over-priced transport to get to the
hospital only to be told when they arrived that the Oncologist was not in
today. Nobody phoned them to tell them not to come. And as if that wasn’t bad
enough they were then given another appointment for the 24th June,
another two long months away. So the question is now who is punishing that
Oncologist for not holding up her end of the deal? How many people had made
their way to that hospital yesterday, paid all the money they had for the month
for transport to get there only to be told sorry come back in two months’ time.
It makes me feel sick to think that we as health professionals can behave in
that way because I know for a fact that that Oncologist is not the only one. And
when our clients don’t attend therapy we get angry and wonder why? Because this
is the message that we as health professionals are sending out, why should they
care if we don’t? We do not deserve to be called “professionals” if this is how
we behave….
And there Katy sat in front of us with cancer literally
consuming her body as we spoke. What if June is too late? Here was a husband so
dedicated to get his wife better, he’d given up majority of his work so that he
can take care of her. I felt embarrassed and ashamed hearing what they told us
and I’m sure that running through her mind were negative thoughts of us “therapists”
and if we were really even going to help her.
I know this is what happens every day in this country but
today it became real for me. I have flu and I see the doctor a day later, Katy
has cancer and has to wait four months. I know I cannot save the world but if
anything I know I will never let myself be that kind of health professional.
I’m beginning to think some health “professionals” need to
get a degree in humanity because it seems like they’ve lost theirs somewhere
along the way.
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