Imagine living with relentless pain, day and night, for two years. Every waking hour feels like an uphill battle as the pain consumes every inch of your face—your eyes, forehead, jaw, ears, nose, cheeks, and even your neck. Now imagine seeking help from professionals sworn to provide relief, only to be dismissed, handed incomplete treatments, or told your condition is “weird.” This is not a dramatic exaggeration; it is my reality.
For those of you who have been following my blog, you know I’ve been battling this pain since 2023. It’s a constant, unrelenting force in my life, stretching from dawn to midnight, seven days a week, 30 days a month. Over the past two years, I’ve reached out to countless healthcare professionals, desperately seeking answers. Yet here I am—still in pain, still searching for solutions, and still left feeling utterly helpless. Today, after another visit to the hospital that yielded little more than frustration,
The public healthcare system is a cornerstone of modern society, designed to ensure that even the most vulnerable among us receive the care they need. Yet my experience paints a far bleaker picture. Over the years, I’ve visited numerous medical officers (M.O.s) at public hospitals, only to be met with the same disheartening response: “I don’t know.”
When you turn to a doctor, you expect not just treatment but understanding. After all, isn’t the very nature of illness inherently "weird"? If diseases were simple and straightforward, there would be no need for years of medical training or advanced diagnostic tools like MRIs and CT scans. Doctors are meant to unravel the complexities of human ailments, yet I’ve often felt that my pain is dismissed as an inconvenience rather than treated as a pressing medical issue.
Let me be clear: I do not claim to know more than medical professionals. I respect their expertise, their training, and the countless hours they dedicate to helping others. But when a patient presents with unrelenting pain and repeatedly asks for diagnostic tests to rule out potential causes, is it too much to expect a thorough investigation? Instead, I am often sent away with superficial prescriptions—five pills to last 15 days, with instructions to take them "only when needed." How does that address a condition that afflicts me every single day?
There is a stark, undeniable difference between public and private healthcare. While public hospitals often feel like factories processing patients en masse, private clinics offer a more personalized, attentive approach. In my experience, private doctors have been willing to suggest possible causes for my pain, even with the disclaimer that further tests may be required to confirm their hypotheses. They’ve provided medications that last for an entire month and shown a genuine interest in alleviating my suffering.
But there’s a catch: private healthcare comes at a steep price. For someone like me, who is financially dependent on family and cannot afford the luxury of private care, public hospitals are my only option. And therein lies the problem—public healthcare should not be a "last resort" or a system of compromise. It is funded by taxpayers, including people like me who have worked and contributed to society. It is meant to serve everyone with equal dedication, regardless of anything.
Yet, when I turn to public healthcare, I am met with indifference. My medical file has passed through countless hands, each practitioner treating it as just another case to be filed away. There’s no continuity, no sense of accountability, and no genuine effort to address the root cause of my pain.
Adding another layer of complexity to my ordeal is the stigma surrounding mental health in healthcare. As someone diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression, I often feel that my physical pain is overshadowed by assumptions about my mental state.
When I tell a doctor that I am in pain, I am met with skepticism—as if my words hold less weight because of my diagnosis. But here’s the thing: I know the difference between physical pain and the delusions or hallucinations associated with my condition. I can distinguish reality from imagination. If I couldn’t, how could I write this blog, articulate my thoughts, or even engage in activities like coding, or watch tv or playing video games?
The stigma surrounding schizophrenia is particularly frustrating. Yes, there are those who struggle with violent tendencies or severe episodes of psychosis, but that is not the reality for every patient. The medical community must learn to treat each individual case with care and understanding, rather than lumping all mental health patients into the same category, if you dont know of my condition, please ask before hand. My pain is real. My suffering is real. And I deserve to be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else. Don't rule out my pain is rooted in my hallucination.
So where do we go from here? How do we fix a system that leaves so many patients feeling abandoned and unheard?
First, healthcare professionals must approach their work with compassion. Every patient’s pain is valid, and dismissing their complaints only deepens their suffering. Doctors should view each case as a puzzle to be solved, rather than a burden to be shuffled off to the next practitioner.
Second, public healthcare systems must prioritize thorough diagnostics. Whether it’s an MRI, CT scan, or blood test, these tools exist to uncover the root causes of illness. They should not be treated as optional or reserved for extreme cases. Isn't my cases considered extreme as it been prolongs for 2 years and yet only given 5 pill of loratardine, seriously?
Writing this blog is both cathartic and painful. It is a way to channel my frustration, to document my experiences, and to advocate for change. I do not write to humiliate or attack the healthcare system but to highlight its flaws in the hope that others will not have to endure what I have.
I am not asking for perfection. I am asking for humanity. For doctors to remember why they chose this profession—to heal, to comfort, and to alleviate suffering. For the healthcare system to treat every patient, regardless mental health diagnosis, with the respect and care they deserve.
In the meantime, I will continue to fight my battles, both physical and mental,