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Dear All,

This subject of finding qualified Doctors, hell, any Doctors that will treat

us is a huge problem. I had not realized this until I read more of the posts

on more of the groups boards.

This is a subject that I never touched on, but now I see that I definitely am

not alone in the/on the subject. The fact that you all, have also been turned

away by Doctors.

I have been to so many Doctors that I have exhausted my resources here in the

town in which I reside.

Below are a few of the responses I have gotten from the physicians that were

available for me, and taking new patients. These are just a few of the

comments, I received:

1) You are mentally ill, when you get better, perhaps I will treat your

RSD/CRPS. ( this from the head of the Dept. of the Pain Management Clinic at

the Un. of Michigan w/25 years of experience.)

2) I went into this appt. crying because my mother was in ICU, just across

the street, dying of congestive heart failure, and my entire back was in

horrible spasms, and I had not had a proper nights sleep in several nights.

This Dr. first asked me why I was there? Which I found very rude. I stated

" to review the tests you had ordered, " which she had obviously forgotten

about. She, then asked me what was wrong and why was I crying? I shared

with her about the condition of my mother. And then, my back. In the mean

time, she kept leaving the room, and returning. She did this several times.

Then, she came clean about what she was doing. She was ordering, that I had

to go immediately to the Mental Health Department Emergency Room. She had

called the State Dept. of Mental Health, and told them she was sending me

right over, but that I might resist so to be ready to send the officers to

come and get me. She then shared this fact with me. And, I was furious.

She told me if I did not go right away that they would send the officers and

haul me away and that, that would make my case only worse. I asked her, what

she meant by my case? She said that she was committing me. Oh God, I

thought, and I had to laugh! This was just frosting the cake! And I asked

her, if she did not think that these circumstances were a bit different,

considering what I was going through. And she replied, no, that I was in

need of immediate mental help. Hello, God help anyone who gets upset because

one of their loved ones is dying.

I'll tell you, my primary care physician almost blew a gasket. And he called

her and read her the riot act.

3 & 4) I made appointments with two of the Internists whose care I was under

in the Hospital. ( These appointments were independent of each other.) After

a bout with very severe edema in my legs and feet. Well, Sara they said, I

have reviewed your records and feel that there isn't anything that I can do

for you. I suggest that you return to your primary care Doctor and see what

he suggests. Well, I told each of them, YOU are what he, suggested, and if

this is indicative of the kind of treatment I am going to receive. I will

gladly leave. As you are obviously, quite inept. And I wouldn't send anyone

here that I cared for, for even a hang nail.

What is going on with RSD/CRPS and the medical world, today. They all think

we are a bunch of junkies, drug seeker, etc., and that we seem to enjoy what

we are faced with. My condition has now spread to my heart and there is not

one place in my body that is not affected by this God awful affliction. I

don't know what to do. I have been told that I am a walking heart attack and

stroke victim just looking for a place to happen. Aside from getting my

affairs in order, I don't have the slightest idea of what to do.

I neglected to mention the few Doctors, who did want to treat me. Well, they

were something else, and just short of performing Voodoo, they were complete

Quacks.

They continued to use me as if I was their human guinea pig, I got very tired

and frightened by the thought of being treated like another lab rat. And

having been subjected to test after test that they had no idea of what they

were doing. I found out, at one of the clinic's where I had almost sought

help. The Doctor their had killed 2 people and was being charged with

crippling several others. I don't care to elaborate on the grizzly details of

that one. It suffices to say he is no longer in business.

What are we going to do? We have a very dangerous dilemma here, on our hands

.. That has to be addressed. Who do we need to see? What do we need to do?

Who's attention do or can we bring it to? For if it continues as it is.

Many, many more people are going to die. And, I for one, do not, nor can I

sit by and watch this happen to others, without giving it everything I have

left in me, to make sure that it is brought to " that appropriate someone's "

attention. And, that the other people who are going to be afflicted with

this condition, not have to be subjected to what we have. I personally, do

not want that on my conscience.

With Great Concern for All,

Sara Crites

SBCrites@...