Andrea first came to the clinic years ago. We helped her
access a maintenance medication, and that was really all she needed.
Until about six months ago. She had worked for a number of
years in an extended care facility. The work is tough – a lot of lifting,
moving people around, etc. She sustained a number of injuries, and ultimately
lost her job.
And, with that, she lost not only a way of making a living,
but lost who she was. She has always been a happy, upbeat person. Suddenly, she
had become quiet, frightened and began having multiple symptoms that concerned
her. That is what brought her back into our doors.
Fatigue, leg pain, back pain – a myriad of symptoms that
could be anything, or could be nothing.
We did several tests including x-rays and blood work. Someone told her
“it might be Lupus,” so we did some more tests.
It wasn’t Lupus. When she faced that possibility, and then
learned it wasn’t that, she was then able to deal with the very real issues
that she does have.
Fear is an awful thing. The fear of losing your health to a
chronic illness is beyond terrifying. It can be life changing.
The relief she felt when she was told it was not Lupus was
written across her face. She has the encouragement she needs to deal with the
pain she is experiencing. She was so afraid that something was seriously wrong,
that she lost her ability to cope.
She has been seeing the chiropractor here, working on an
exercise program, and is ready to move on with her life.
If she had access to primary healthcare, she could have
avoided some of this situation. She would have had a provider that knew her,
knew her story, and her history. That would have made the diagnosis so much
easier, and she would not have had the long wait for test results. Piecemeal
healthcare is a disgrace. We can do so much better, and Andrea is one of the
millions that could benefit from
Medicaid expansion.
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