To say I was thrilled would be an understatement! ...but I was over the moon to receive the text messages, this morning, from my son-in-law (the 3rd year medical student) that read:
Text 1 - Hi Melissa, I hope you are having a good day. Quick question; before you had GCA did you suffer from headaches? This week we are looking at headaches and GCA is coming up quite a lot."
Text 2 - " And sorry to ask again, what were your initial symptoms that you presented to A&E/GP before your official diagnoses."
HURRAY! He's learning about GCA!!!!!! WOOOO HOOOO!
We texted back and forth for more than several minutes and he attentively listened and responded to the "overload" of information that I thrust upon him!
He asked all the relevant questions and very sweetly apologised for the UK medical system in missing my initial PMR diagnoses (by about 2.5 years!) and for being misdiagnosed at A&E and told I had a "migraine," when in fact it was GCA! (This, after, a Junior doctor had diagnosed it as GCA and wanted to start me on steroids and send me to Eye Hospital the next morning for eye exam... The CONSULTANT said it was a "migraine, and sent me home!) 🤬
Text 3 - "GCA is being discussed as a medical emergency and something that we need to look out for when consulting with patients about headaches"
Ahhhh, I am so proud! My daughter chose wisely. He is a bright, empathetic, compassionate, young man who, frankly, takes more of an interest in my health issues, than my daughter does 🤔... What's up with that?
I told him that I had every faith that he would never "discount" a patient or attribute her/his symptoms to them being a person of a "certain age."
He thank me for that and said, "I will NEVER miss GCA."
I responded, "Nope, not if I can help it!" 🤣🤣🤣
How fabulous on so many levels! You being able to inform him and “teach” him about GCA, him eagerly learning (which will benefit his future patients), validation of your misdiagnosis, and finally having such a fine young man in your family married to your daughter. Win, win, win, win.
It must have felt great to impart such wisdom and share your story.
So happy that you are able to play a such a positive role in an otherwise negative experience. Sounds like a Restorative Justice Health experience to me. Congrats!
Thank you PMRCanada, Yes, it was truly an incredible experience... he is such a lovely young man. It was a win, win, win!!! Future GCA patients will be lucky to have him!!!! ❤️
What PMR Canada said 👆 You must be very proud of him 🤩
Yes, I am. He will be a great doctor and so far is a good husband and dad! That's all I can ask for really....
Exactly. I feel lucky to be able to say that both my sons in law are good daddys and husbands. Can't ask for more.