At a new doctor’s office and faced with the usual adoptee bullshit—only in iPad version with no possibility to scrawl in the margins I’M ADOPTED I DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MY FAMILY MEDICAL HISTORY which ≠ NO FAMILY HISTORY which this electronic firm defaults to so now I have to yell at everyone. 🥚 - ThreadSky

ssteingraber1.bsky.social • 93 days ago

At a new doctor’s office and faced with the usual adoptee bullshit—only in iPad version with no possibility to scrawl in the margins I’M ADOPTED I DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MY FAMILY MEDICAL HISTORY which ≠ NO FAMILY HISTORY which this electronic firm defaults to so now I have to yell at everyone. 🥚

Comments

anniegirl.bsky.social•93 days ago

Even now that I have some family health history, doctors treat it as sus because I don't have first hand knowledge as I didn't grow up with the family. It's a no win scenario.

ssteingraber1.bsky.social•93 days ago

Wow. Yeah.

agreatsound.bsky.social•92 days ago

Ooof I didn’t know that. I still put down I’m adopted on forms because I still don’t remember the details.

duckduckalpaca.bsky.social•93 days ago

My dad was adopted, and when given a paper form, I always write in the margins to explain this, but you are 100% right that the digital versions give no wiggle room!

laurafurlan.bsky.social•92 days ago

This happened to me again last week. Do you have a family history of x? The form is blank.

ssteingraber1.bsky.social•93 days ago

UPDATE: receptionist looked scared when I told her about the colonoscopy in 1995 that may have saved my life and for which I had to INVENT a fictional family history for health insurance to greenlight. Doctor himself just laughed, said “of course!” and gaslit me about WHAT HIS OWN INTAKE FORM SAYS.

ssteingraber1.bsky.social•93 days ago

Real time reaction to an iPad informing me that “Looks like you have no family history.”

😂

☠️

🫥

adopteerights.bsky.social•93 days ago

That’s such bullshit. Is it that particular office’s intake or some medical software company?

ssteingraber1.bsky.social•92 days ago

Good question. I am going to pursue this and report back.

janinebaer.bsky.social•93 days ago

The form should at least say "no KNOWN family history." I've been thinking of how much money the health care companies save by not testing us for lots of conditions, which would be one way to compensate for many of us our not knowing our family health history.

adopteerights.bsky.social•93 days ago

There are at least two huge issues with this stuff: 1) a basic form that doesn’t even acknowledge complex family histories; and 2) a medical professional’s (usually the Dr’s) response to raising adoption as the reason. You got both. Ugh.

ssteingraber1.bsky.social•92 days ago

Yes and then I got diagnosed with a serious problem—macular degeneration—and the first question that same physician asks is “anyone in your family have this?” As if I hadn’t just given him the adoptee speech.

So, in fact, it was the whole trifecta of fuckery.

kirkmurphy.bsky.social•92 days ago

So many of my colleagues with the MD & Board certification were not around for the basic humaning exams.
Sigh.

chrisquixote.bsky.social•92 days ago

My brother told me that in med school he was taught there are two things you should never say: “oops” and “oh shit.” I guess they figured laughing went without saying, but ….

ssteingraber1.bsky.social•92 days ago

Not sure why doctors aren’t leading the campaign to end secrecy and anonymity in adoption practices and open our records, given how many questions they ask us about our family medical history. But when it comes to adoption, all that knowledge is suddenly unimportant and can be laughed off.

janinebaer.bsky.social•93 days ago

He laughed? There's nothing funny about having to lie to get lifesaving health care.

rlmiller.bsky.social•93 days ago

If there's a short answer section, just write "adoption is trauma." Which is true. #AdopteeProblems

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