OK, so I have a bunch of posts I have to post on my blog but my Mom told me today that I am having more, “Bad days” than I am, “Good days.” It’s the scary truth but that’s how it is! Let me let you go all in on what I dealt with this past Saturday.
I had an MRI scheduled for November 6th and I was not able to make it and my Mom was able to reschedule it for me for this past Saturday, November 30th. I was bummed that I would not be able to watch the Michigan v Ohio State game but we took the L so…
Let me explain that I was born into the same health system I currently attend. I was born in 1982 and my Mom took me to the satellite Fairlane clinic for my entire life as I grew up. We got our glasses there and my pediatrician was there. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the downtown Hospital of that same health system in 2000.
I started seeing a neurologist annually back then. In 2002, I changed neurologists and saw him every year until he retired a couple years ago. I have seen my new neurologist at the same clinic for the past couple of years. She wants to get an updated MRI for me. I have had many MRIs and I am very familiar with the drill.
My Mom and I headed to the Fairlane clinic to get the MRI. It is adjacent to the emergency room where my Dad died 13 years ago. Not a lot has changed structurally since I last went there but the eyeglass store is no longer there and the clinic where I had my ultrasound to find out the sex of my son has changed over to a place with a phone at the check-in desk where my Mom called the listed number to notify them that we were there to get the MRI.
It was at this juncture where things started to go badly. My Nom called the number and spoke with the MRI clinic which was located in the basement of that building. My Mom was told that I needed to go down the stairs to get the MRI done. My Mom, being my caregiver and champion let the woman know that that was not possible. I have Multiple Sclerosis and use a wheelchair. It is impossible for me to use the stairs. The woman told my Mom that I needed to use the stairs because the only elevator to the basement was out of commission.
I immediately began to see red! The only thing keeping me from the 8 o’clock news that day was the fact that the woman came up the stairs and was so apologetic to me. She told me that I should’ve been notified that there was no way for me to get to the basement. I told her that I was born into this health system and was diagnosed with MS in 2000 and started using a wheelchair full-time in 2006 after my Dad died. All of this was in the computer!
So, of course I did not get my MRI. We need to call and reschedule that appointment but what was glaringly obvious is that that building is completely inaccessible to me. It’s a hospital! Sick people go there! Wheelchair-bound people go there! How was I not thought of there of all places?!
It is such a sad commentary of our society and then it’s inaccessibility for people like me who use wheelchairs every day! I am still trying to recover from that incident on Saturday and I need to call and reschedule the appointment. Actually, my Mom will call and I will be present with her. I’m glad that I didn’t cry but I am so saddened by this occurrence!
