Some of y'all don't realize how much of a privilege it is to not need further medical care (including but not limited to fucking therapy) as a result of the medical "care" you receive. I don't want to hear a fucking word about this medical system working. It doesn't. 1/

This medical care routinely fails those that need it most. It works fairly well for those that are an easy case, especially if you're a cis white man. They don't want to work for their paycheck. They don't want to acknowledge that we're human fucking beings. 2/

And if you think I'm exaggerating then you haven't listened to a single fucking chronic illness patient, ever. If you think those are isolated cases, you've got it backwards. I could write a fucking trilogy and most of you wouldn't believe a word of it. 3/

One day, I'll die. We all do. But the difference for me is that it's extremely likely that my death will be from something completely preventable, something that could've been treated if a doctor took the time to listen. It's nearly happened already, several times. 4/

I've never once heard a doctor say they're sorry for something they actually did wrong. When it mattered. When it would require them admitting they are fallible and not a paragon of virtue. Y'all worship doctors, but they routinely fail their most vulnerable patients. 5/

And when they do fail us? What do they do? They continue with their lives. No ownership. Nothing. People think malpractice insurance exists because patients get vendettas over mistakes. "Mistakes" don't get lawsuits. They don't. You don't get sued for just "missing" something. 6/

A doctor closes my chart for the day and can go home and completely forget about my existence. And often, they do. I do not have the luxury of walking away from my health. I don't get to simply move on with my day. They have many patients. I have one life. 7/

And yet I'm demonized for this. For wanting to learn about my own health, my own medication, my own treatment, reading my test results, because how dare I think I know as much as a doctor.

Yet doctors ask me where I went to school when I talk, because I know that much. 8/

And no. They aren't being snarky. It's surprise, and genuine curiosity over this strangely knowledgeable patient.

The second I say it's just because I've been dealing with it so long, all respect for my knowledge goes out the window. Doctor Google, they call it. 9/

Spoiler, doctors use Google. It's just considered bad when we do it to keep them from fucking killing us. They don't want a patient who can argue back. They want to make their call, write their orders, walk away, and get paid. Because it's their job. 10/

Are there good doctors out there? Yes, and I'd be long dead if there weren't. But do you want to know what question I get asked more than any other?

Why did you wait so long.

Every time, they ask that. As though I ignored the problem, and not the doctors I've been seeing. 11/

So yeah. I'm bitter. I'm jaded. I'm angry. I'm hurt. I'm afraid. And none of it matters to most people. In fact, many people will forget about this thread shortly after they're done reading, if they even finish it. I'll be an outlier in their mind if anything. 12/

Y'all would be mortified if you had to just *watch* what I go through, let alone live it. There are plenty of people that aren't alive to tell the exact same stories. And one day, you may find yourself disabled, with no one to fight for you. You'll end up just like me. 13/

Or maybe even worse, because you'll still be thinking you can trust doctors to do what's best for your care. Y'all think this shit works like House. It doesn't. Doctors give up way quicker than that. Try a few things, then shrug, and send you on your way. 14/

No follow up, no continual brainstorming, nothing. Just off you go, because if they weren't smart enough to figure it out, then it must be because it was a trick question (ie that it's in your head). Sometimes you even start believing that, and accept it. 15/

Insurance is a big issue for Healthcare in our county but it is by no means the only problem. Removing insurance wouldn't change the amount of apathy or self inflation (not to mention bigotry and bias) that doctors have regarding many of their patients. 16/

You want it to be wrapped up in a neat little bow but the truth is that racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, ableism, ageism, classism, and all that shit I can think to list are MASSIVE problems. But because they treated you right, I'm the outlier. 17/

Next time you go to open your mouth about how someone just had a "bad experience" with the medical system, I'm gonna need you to go ahead and shut the fuck up and listen. You won't be able to sleep at night if I tell you everything I've been through with this. 18/18

Adding: 1) I should've put a CW, sorry spoonies.
2) My favorite part of this thread is gonna be watching all of the folx like me liking and nodding along and watching other people uncomfortably pass this by, and nothing will change.