I am fed up with the racism I continue to experience with @UFHealth . There have been some helpful doctors that I’ve met along the way while trying to figure out my health issues but today was the last straw. I’m done being silent about how Black women are treated in healthcare.

I’m writing this after I cried for an hour after a 7:45 am telemedicine appointment. I’m really not the type to do this but after 1.5 years of the nonsense, I cannot remain silent.

Since the second semester of my first year in my PhD program, I have had various health issues including chronic pain & chronic fatigue. I have stomach issues so bad that I now eat 1 and maybe 2 small meals a day. I had a seizure during my sleep last Fall and consistently low WBC

I could write a book on the pain I experience in my legs and arms which get worse when I am cold. I have been given the runaround and I have still persisted in hopes to find out what’s wrong while trying to focus on my PhD program.

I have continued to have my pain dismissed and told that I should not be worried because I’m so young despite the debilitating impact this has had on my life.

After seeing various specialist, it was suggested that maybe it is something autoimmune or allergy related. So I scheduled an appointment with an allergist/ immunologist and had to wait months for this appointment. Hopeful that I may get some answers.

Instead, the provider was late to a 7:45 AM appointment, said they had not ready my chart, that I was probably fine and that I went to the wrong person and they could not help me. They asked me no questions and instead made me feel as though it was my fault.

When I cried because of the negative impact this has had on my life especially the chronic pain and fatigue, they had not empathy or sympathy and just said they could not help me.

As a Black woman, it is not remiss to me how Black women’s pain is often ignored and even while crying, this provider could not see my humanity enough to care even if she could not help me. @UFHealth , Black women deserve better.

I conclude this thread with the fact that I have been patient & tried to assume the best in all those I have interacted with even while suffering everyday. But at some point, I have to stand up for myself because the consequences of the dismissals of my health is the constant...

...pain that I have to push through everyday. Today, I could not be the strong Black woman and at this point, I don’t think I have any strength left.

@UFHealth, Black women deserve better treatment by healthcare providers.