When Becca was born in l989, they did not use pain medication. The just poked her time and time again. They somehow did not think babies felt pain. The early signs of Becca's PTSD hinted whenever she would see the blue scrubs approach her she would go catatonic and hide into the depths of her spirit. By age 8, I questioned that she seemed too fearful and her doctor visits complicated by misunderstanding doctors who wanted to take away her comforting items. Expecting her to grow up.
Those doctors would be shut out of her life and I would watch her sink into more and more of her autistic tendencies and the aftermath of the appointments... explosions or she wanted to control everything.
Years of close calls, misunderstanding medical professionals and medical mistakes continued to leave more triggers and more anxiety.
When she was l9 she would finally be diagnosed with what I had seen for many years. Post traumatic stress disorder. The vary care that would help keep her alive, would traumatize her.
But the medical community was not ready to know what to do to help her. I learned to trust my instinct and put into practice some of the lessons I had learned with my adopted children who also have Post traumatic stress. I also carry the disorder as parents of medically involved children can develop PTSD as well.
Becca cannot see a hospital gown, she can now verbalize that she needs it hidden. We plan ahead to make sure she has her own scrubs and it is noted on all her records that to make sure it out of sight. We work with the hospital staff to help them understand her trauma history and when they plan for it it lessens her anxiety.
I am posting this article, because it hit home. I could have written it myself. I look forward to her upcoming book and hope that I will find healing in sharing some of the same journey.
Writing about PTSD in Children Was Not on My Bucket List.
https://drgrcevich.wordpress.com/2015/09/03/jolene-september-3/
Anny
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