And now for the long story. My goal is to follow Romans 12:18 and “live peaceably with all men." But the first part of that verse is just as important, I think. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you...” There comes a point where it is no longer possible to roll over and allow people (in authority) to disrespect you and walk all over you.
I want to be clear about this. If I were being disrespected and treated like garbage because I am a Christian, I would wholly embrace the persecution. I would hold my head up and smile through the pain, knowing my Lord was persecuted worse and it is my pleasure to go through suffering for Him.
That is not what is happening.
To refresh your memory, here is what happened last week in my husband's words:
"My wife is unable to wear a mask or face shield due to a medical condition, and she was scheduled to get an EEG at Brookwood. We informed the hospital of my wife's condition. Dianne, the EEG tech, canceled the appointment claiming that Governor Ivey's mask mandate was still in effect in spite of the fact that the mandate was rescinded more than 6 months ago. I had to take our case to the department head and threaten a lawsuit just to get them to allow my wife in the building."
This went in a letter to the hospital today to set the stage for what happened yesterday. Here is what happened yesterday, originally in his words, edited to be in mine:
"When I arrived in the exam room, Dianne asked if I needed anything, so I asked to use the restroom. She said I couldn’t leave the room, as we were “under a mask mandate,” and would I like a bedpan. After refusing, I texted my husband about the situation, and I found out later that he had to again threaten multiple levels of personnel with lawsuits before they would let me walk 50 feet down the hallway and use the restroom. After angrily getting on to me for texting my husband about this, Dianne used excessively condescending language to tell me to make sure that I covered my mouth if I had to cough while on the way to or from the restroom, and to make certain that I washed my hands afterward. Dianne kept repeating that these things were vitally important to protect the other patients at the hospital from my germs. She also made it clear that I should feel very guilty that I was closing down an entire restroom and putting the cleaning crew’s health at risk since they would need to sanitize everything.
"After the EEG, I told Bill (since he wasn’t allowed in the room with me) that I had to turn off my phone (no ringing or vibrating, but I forgot how to do that, so off-off it went), and then Dianne proceeded to apply the cap so roughly that I ended up crying from the pain. She went through once pricking each spot with a needle and putting on the sticky sauce and electrode (which is what I've gathered is normal and was super uncomfortable but not tear-inducingly painful), and then she went back through a second and third time, forcefully digging around a bit at each spot. Several spots turned into bruises and 24 hours later are still red, swollen, and painful to the touch."
I don't share this to complain or ask for pity. I seriously considered just sharing the short version and leaving out ALL about the nurse. But this nurse let her need for others to comply with a mandate that doesn't even exist anymore get in the way of caring about her patient. When she saw me crying from the pain, she acted surprised and abhorred that she caused me pain--but I don't believe for one second she actually cared. Her entire vibe was that I was actively putting her life at risk (she wore 2 masks and a face shield) and how dare I do that. To borrow a word from the 1840s, she used vituperative language, and I felt every word in my heart.
I don't want to come across bitter or that I'm out for vengeance, because then I'd be no better than Dianne. So...pray with me for her to get saved! I'd much rather that than she "gets what's coming to her."
Praises:
-my side went numb during the scan!
-God gave me the strength to get through my ordeal
-God planned for revival to be this week so I would receive extra doses of truth and comfort from His Word
Prayer requests:
-the neurologist to get in touch quickly
-wisdom as he lays out our next steps