What If No One Can Diagnose Your Illness?

Some weeks I can’t stop reflecting upon the real-life stories I come across that show how far we have to go to achieve more equitable and effective healthcare in the United States. This past week, I watched Netflix’s Diagnosis series for the first time.

Netflix’s website summarizes Diagnosis, “Dr. Lisa Sanders crowdsources diagnoses for mysterious and rare medical conditions in a documentary series based on her New York Times Magazine column.”

The compelling one-hour first episode of the series, “Detective Work,” portrayed 23-year-old Angel Parker who had been suffering with debilitating symptoms for nine years. Shooting pains throughout her muscles would render Angel unable to walk, in excruciating pain, and curled up in a ball

Nine years is a long time to go without a diagnosis and to never know when she would be incapacitated and for how long. She experienced enormous mental anguish due to the chronic, agonizing pain, the uncertainty, and the restrictions her undiagnosed illness placed on her life.

The questions that consistently ran through her thoughts were based on the circumstances she found herself in, not fear. Would she ever be able to work full time? Would she be able to have children? Would her illness lead to death before she reached the age of 30? Considering the circumstances, Angel continued to display resilience and courage.

The episode illustrated the glaring holes in our medical system and some sickening irony. Because none of the multitudes of medical professionals could figure out her illness, it gets progressively worse and she ends up with hospital stays, emergency room visits, and gargantuan medical bills for which she is sued.

(If you don’t want to watch the episode, here is a summary of “Detective Work.”)

An American Sickness

Dr. Elizabeth Rosenthal’s An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take it Back (2017) depicts horror story after horror story of medical care gone awry, causing bankruptcy, or both. Quoting from its front flap, “In only a few decades, the medical system has been overrun by organizations seeking to exploit for profit the trust that vulnerable and sick Americans place in their healthcare.”

Although this book discusses complex business, economic, and medical issues, its tone is conversational and it’s a quick read.

Story of true love

“Detective Work” is also a story about genuine love. Angel and her fiancé began dating in high school. He stands by her whether she collapses in pain and is incapacitated for hours if not days, whether she is in the ER, or whether she is dealing with her distraught, angry father. He stands by her every moment of every day.

“Detective Work” should be shown to high school students to demonstrate how difficult challenges in a relationship can strengthen commitment and lead to growth and mature love.

#storytelling #Netflix #healthcareisahumanright