If you suffer from an invisible illness, the frustration of not being taken seriously is all too familiar. One young man visited the emergency room for a severe anxiety attack, only to be verbally and physically abused by a doctor. 20-year-old Samuel Bardwell, a student at West Valley College, had been prescribed Klonopin to manage his anxiety. After collapsing at basketball practice from a severe anxiety attack, he was taken to the ER, where he was accused of faking his illness and physically abused by the ER physician, Dr. Beth Keegstra. The hospital has since issued an apology and removed Keegstra from the work schedule, pending further investigation. This incident is not the first time Keegstra has faced disciplinary action, highlighting the importance of prescription drug monitoring programs in identifying and preventing abuse of prescription medications. Bardwell’s experience is a disturbing example of the impact of invisible illnesses and the need for greater understanding and compassion in medical settings.
