Post by Sabeine on Jul 8, 2003 1:57:38 GMT -5
A lot has been written in the past on this board and another that the medical care system may not be as good as one had hoped. I would like to write a bit about my experience yesterday with the wonderful people at Karolinska Sjukhuset here in Stockholm.
After a very difficult 6 months of ups and downs regarding my mother's stroke, my job, my school, my dad getting cancer, and yesterday hearing that my beloved cat has a fatal kidney disease that gives her very little time to live, I had my meltdown. I utterly lost it. I called various hospitals around Stockholm asking to speak with someone, they all gave me another number to call. Finally I reached an emergency line in the psychiatric part of Karolinska. A wonderful man answers the phone and talked with me for nearly 45 min, basically calming me, and asking questions. He asked me if I felt that I needed to speak with someone in person? I said yes, I'd like to if possible. He said for me to wait a minute and he would look to see when an appt was available. I was put on hold for a few minutes. While I hold I thought to myself that I would most likely get an appt in a week or two or maybe longer. He gets back on the line and says, "would 19:30 tonight be okay for you?" I couldn't believe it! I said yes, of course, and went and met with a wonderful doctor there who was from Iraq. He was sweet and understanding and so was the two others phone operators (the ones I spoke with on the phone) as well. The entire staff was exceptional. I felt like I was listened to, and that my anxiety and depression mattered to them. I was given a prescription and now have a referral for future visits to a psychiatrist.
I am not proud that I had my meltdown, although in truth it was coming it was just a matter of when. I am glad though that there was a net there to help break my fall. The Swedish medical system may not be perfect for everyone, but my experience yesterday makes me certainly think positively about it today.
After a very difficult 6 months of ups and downs regarding my mother's stroke, my job, my school, my dad getting cancer, and yesterday hearing that my beloved cat has a fatal kidney disease that gives her very little time to live, I had my meltdown. I utterly lost it. I called various hospitals around Stockholm asking to speak with someone, they all gave me another number to call. Finally I reached an emergency line in the psychiatric part of Karolinska. A wonderful man answers the phone and talked with me for nearly 45 min, basically calming me, and asking questions. He asked me if I felt that I needed to speak with someone in person? I said yes, I'd like to if possible. He said for me to wait a minute and he would look to see when an appt was available. I was put on hold for a few minutes. While I hold I thought to myself that I would most likely get an appt in a week or two or maybe longer. He gets back on the line and says, "would 19:30 tonight be okay for you?" I couldn't believe it! I said yes, of course, and went and met with a wonderful doctor there who was from Iraq. He was sweet and understanding and so was the two others phone operators (the ones I spoke with on the phone) as well. The entire staff was exceptional. I felt like I was listened to, and that my anxiety and depression mattered to them. I was given a prescription and now have a referral for future visits to a psychiatrist.
I am not proud that I had my meltdown, although in truth it was coming it was just a matter of when. I am glad though that there was a net there to help break my fall. The Swedish medical system may not be perfect for everyone, but my experience yesterday makes me certainly think positively about it today.
