Similarly, my husband has tattoos and a beard. He’s also in chronic pain from old injuries and some other health issues. He doesn’t drink or do drugs, barely takes OTC stuff either because it interferes with his medication for HBP and stuff. Staff and doctors usually assume he’s drug seeking and just want to send him home without trying to help.
Finally found a doctor that actually sees him and not his tattoos and tries to help. It has taken years.
My stepdad died this way. He had a heart attack, but kept standing. According to my mother, he could barely stand straight and breathe. He didn’t go to the doctor and my mom believed he was fine when he said so. I was there when he got the another heart attack 3 days later. He came to, but had another heart attack later that day and died in the hospital.
And what for? To uphold an image? Is an image more important than the people who love you?
Applies to young males, too! if you look able to work, doctors don’t give a shit. Mine even gaslights me about the pain I am in
Similarly, my husband has tattoos and a beard. He’s also in chronic pain from old injuries and some other health issues. He doesn’t drink or do drugs, barely takes OTC stuff either because it interferes with his medication for HBP and stuff. Staff and doctors usually assume he’s drug seeking and just want to send him home without trying to help.
Finally found a doctor that actually sees him and not his tattoos and tries to help. It has taken years.
Adding, we are not young.
Especially young black males
Weirdly old men, in my experience at least, tend to need to be in dire straights for THEMSELVES to acknowledge they need to see a doctor.
My stepdad died this way. He had a heart attack, but kept standing. According to my mother, he could barely stand straight and breathe. He didn’t go to the doctor and my mom believed he was fine when he said so. I was there when he got the another heart attack 3 days later. He came to, but had another heart attack later that day and died in the hospital.
And what for? To uphold an image? Is an image more important than the people who love you?