In presenting my lecture last month in four US states and two European countries, one story always got a big reaction. A woman of about 60 years of age had unexplained chest pains (requiring narcotics) for nearly two years that were linked to finding a letter from her emotionally abusive mother. She found the letter in the family Bible just after her mother’s funeral. Among other things the letter had a list of “10 Reasons Why I Hate You.” The woman’s chest pains faded rapidly after we uncovered this connection and she wrote her mother an emotional and cathartic reply.
Archive for the ‘Patient Stories’ Category
Stress Illness and Surprises
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010Tags: letter, medical education, PTSD
Posted in Changing the System, Patient Stories | 598 Comments on Stress Illness and Surprises
Stress Illness in Primary Care
Thursday, August 19th, 2010I’m not the neatest person. My love of learning leads me to hang on to more printed material than I have time to read. This causes clutter. Every so often I clean up the piles and yesterday was such a time. I came across an email from last year that, unusually, I had printed.
Tags: Stress History
Posted in Patient Stories | 900 Comments on Stress Illness in Primary Care
The Long Shadow of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Friday, August 6th, 2010I have interviewed thousands of adults about the long-term effects of sexual abuse when they were children but few stories have shocked me as much as one I heard recently from a colleague in another city. The patient was in the final stages of Alzheimer’s Disease and had not spoken for over two years. She had lost control of her bladder and wore a diaper that her daughter, with whom she lived, changed regularly. During a hospital stay, a male nurse changed her diaper and as he began she suddenly said, “No, Daddy, please don’t.”
Tags: childhood stress, sexual abuse
Posted in Patient Stories | 164 Comments on The Long Shadow of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Post-Traumatic Stress (4)
Friday, July 9th, 2010…continued from previous post.
There are so many lessons from the story of Patrolman Evans. I think about the many individuals who are first on the scene at traumatic events who have suffered in this way. Only recently has there been some official recognition of these burdens and some change in workplace cultures that previously neglected the need for support and treatment.
Tags: PTSD
Posted in Changing the System, Patient Stories, Stress Illness Causes | 514 Comments on Post-Traumatic Stress (4)
Post-Traumatic Stress (3)
Thursday, July 8th, 2010…continued from previous post.
Many years later, Homer Evans had this to say: “Still today the vision of that little boy haunts me. During my time in law enforcement I saw a lot of people die but that one incident made such a lasting impression on me. For years I had bad dreams recalling that little boy. I would wake from the dreams sobbing and in a cold sweat. I had mood swings that made it difficult for my wife and me. I tried for years to suppress the event in my work with the public, which meant the only place it could come out was at home. I thank God she stuck with me during those years. In those days there was no counseling available. You dealt with your problems. There would have been a stigma if anyone found out you were having issues.”
Tags: PTSD
Posted in Patient Stories, Stress Illness Causes | Comments Off on Post-Traumatic Stress (3)
Post-Traumatic Stress (2)
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010…continued from the previous post.
Evans arrived just after two other officers. As they approached the duplex, Violet burst out of the front door, holding her son. She screamed “take him” as she thrust the boy into Evans’ arms and then said “I shot the little bastard.”
Tags: PTSD
Posted in Patient Stories, Stress Illness Causes | 1,096 Comments on Post-Traumatic Stress (2)
Post-Traumatic Stress (1)
Monday, July 5th, 2010When people learn what I do, it is not unusual for them to share a story from their past or present. Patrolman Homer Evans (not his real name) agreed to share the story below in the hope that it might benefit others.
Tags: PTSD
Posted in Patient Stories, Stress Illness Causes | 922 Comments on Post-Traumatic Stress (1)
