By Hannah Lee Flath | Thursday, May 30, 2019
Hannah is a Human Services Alum who works at IHI and shared her first hand experience navigating the health care system in the U.S.
Repost from IHI read the full article here.
Chronic pain affects approximately 100 million people in the United States, myself included. I’ve suffered from chronic migraines since I was sixteen years old. I have gone to a neurologist, physical therapists, massage therapists, and acupuncturists. I’ve also tried various medications, including oxycodone – an opioid used to treat severe pain. And yet, I am profoundly lucky. As a white woman, I’m privileged to have the support of an empathetic and loving caretaker community as I navigate a health care system that typically overprescribes pain medication and is fraught with stigma. I have a wonderful primary care physician and an incredible network that work with me to make my world a better, less painful place.
Read Hannah’s full post here.
