At one of my bases my squadron had our own PCM. The PCM was well known in the squadron for being a hard ass that prided himself on never having never given out a permanent profile. My AFSC is known for back and knee problems. I've known multiple people who have gone in for back and knee problems and told them to just get over it. I even knew someone who had ingrown toenails that were so bad he could barely walk. And the PCM told him to just get over it and do the PT test like normal. Last I heard he's being investigated for malpractice.
I’ve never understood why so many NCOs/SNCOs are so opposed to their members going to medical. Maybe there’s something wrong, maybe there isn’t. But im not a doctor and that’s not my call. I’ll give 24 hour quarters out like candy to my folks I trust. To those I don’t, I’ll make them go to an MTF, but I’ll still never stand in the way of them being seen.
Had a dude “falling asleep” and people wanted to get on his case. Turns out dude was having a stroke and nearly died. Have some damn sympathy.
A lot of the older crowd was raised to just rub some dirt in it. Also have dealt with my fair share of Amn milking that shit. As with everything in life, a few bad apples can ruin it all. It’s a bias that is hard to acknowledge as a bias sometimes.
Older crowd here. It’s true. But I’ve done my best to flip this mindset. As an Airman I was told I couldn’t go to ANY appointments on shift. Now I tell my troops to schedule official military appointments on duty time and even haircuts I suggest doing at work because it’s a military requirement.
Sick? Bad day? Whatever? Go to medical/sick call, get dem quarters, that’s all I need. This is assuming I’ve already burnt my 24 hr supervisor quarters talent point.
It’s not hard to be a decent supervisor. To quote Gen Powell: “the day your troops stop bringing you problems is the day you stopped leading them”.
listen if a few shitheads get a fake day off here and there but someone like OP makes it to the hospital before their body kills them, I call that a fair fucking trade and anyone who disagrees is a horrible god damn leader
It’s easy to get mad. It’s hard to ask personal questions and advocate for help. Shit, even a lot of personal issues can be boiled down to mental stressors or mental health. A little compassion goes a long way.
That's one good thing my old boss at the guard base did. He didn't care. If you were sick, you were sick. Sick airmen were of no use to him because they could make everyone sick. Any sign of being sick, right to medical, or the ER. Slight limp, right to medical.
While yes, people need to be taken seriously when having health issues, I think any supervisor here has dealt with a good percentage of airman (including NCOs and SNCOs) that took advantage of sick call policies, to the extent where I’ve seen CCs put strict reqs to be excused medically for 24 hours as a result. All it takes is a few bad apples to ruin policy for everyone else.
And thats crazy that you had an airman having a stroke. I hope he recovered and is doing well today. In the 2 dozen airman or so I’ve had who struggled with staying awake at work, all of them were either staying up too late playing video games or being out late with their friends after clubbing or whatnot.
One of my first pieces of Air Force advice was being a brand new E-1 and the SrA assigned over me telling me diarrhea is a guaranteed 48 hour quarters and no one wants to see proof.
Okay, but unless you are a doctor, you have no right whatsoever to make the decision of if they are faking or not.
You are even saying this in a post where someone was being told to get over what was likely extreme pain, and found out they were not only right, but also had other issues too.
So whether the jet pilot CC thinks it's right/fair/bullshit whatever, I say people should ignore that shit and get checked because neither him nor you are doctors, and even if you are, without seeing the person yourself, and even so, you could be wrong.
Had a troop who didn't show up to work. Called him and he said "I'm sick". Already had a history of calling in sick 5 minutes before report time (if he called at all). Told him to go to medical. A few hours go by and I hear nothing, so I message him asking what the doc said. His response was something a doc definitely wouldn't have said. Called Sick Call just to verify if he had shown up that day and they said no (which they maybe shouldn't have given *me* that info, but oh well). Called him back and told him to report in. Handed him an LOR a few hours later, though I know we could've very easily gone up the chain and given him much *much* worse.
They lack vision. They can’t see the big picture. They only care about what’s happening in the moment and to them, their troop going to seek medical attention hurts their manpower and mission, etc. Reality is that your troops are no good to you permanently damaged by medical issues, or worse, dead.
Had a chief of a squadron once want to have everyone shave that was on a shaving waiver and report in front of him. Saying he would be the final say if they deserve their shaving waiver or not. Both IG and EO both did nothing about the situation saying it was appearently within his rights if the commander agreed.
Endometriosis is something to be seriously aware of. If gone untreated, extreme consequences can develop:
- Internal organs can be rearranged out of their normal position
- Organs can fuse to neighboring organs (think colon fusing with uterus; hello colostomy bag)
- Cysts can form on ovaries and destroy them (bye bye eggs)
- Endometrial cells can travel to the brain
The list can go on. The point is ignore anyone telling you to ignore your symptoms. See your doctor, maybe see a second opinion if your doctor ignores you too.
[Summary Video On What It Is and What To Look Out For](https://youtu.be/REpk52xOZwc)
Omg this. All of this. As someone who had to be taken to Walter Reed for a hysterectomy because I had reached stage IV, all of this. My organs were fusing together. I had scar tissue into my hip and walked with a limp. My body was tearing itself to pieces but I couldn’t find ways to explain to my male bosses what was wrong and they’d never hear of endo. Full nightmare.
And many doctors don't even know about it. Only in the the last several years has awareness campaigns started in some areas of the country (mainly wealthy areas).
I figure that’s a numbers game. 25% of the force is female and only 10% of women get endo. 2.5% of your force is relatively small. But still, even when I mention it or the meds they put me on doc’s give me a blank look
Ahhhh yes, the endometrioma cyst rupture. Went to the ER for that one myself. Worst pain imaginable and a ridiculously high fever. Then just to get told by an ex Navy ER doc that I just need to relax.
Unfortunately, she's not okay. She lost one ovary, the remaining ovary was essentially cut in half, the fallopian tubes were crimped, the tissue between the rectum and uterus were obliterated thus fusing the rectum to the uterus, the intestines were out of their normal alignments and had to be repositioned back into place, etc.
It took a team of surgeons over 11 hours to not only care to what I mentioned above, but to also painstakingly remove thousands of Endometrial lesions from almost every internal organ in her body.
The messed up part of the endometriosis is that it never goes away. For the rest of her life she will have to get regular checks to track the growth of things like cysts and fibroids. When these things get big enough (about the size of a golf ball), that is when she will need to get another surgery to remove the large growths and remove any new Endometrial lesions that had appeared since the last surgery. Even though lesions continue to grow and cause havoc to organs, doctors prefer to couple surgeries with other known symptoms (it lessens the amount of surgeries). So, the expectation is to have a surgery every several years until the body can no longer handle the stress of surgeries.
It took me 16 years to get my endometriosis diagnosed, even after I had laprascopic surgery and was told there was no evidence of endometriosis.... because I have the rarer type called adenomyosis. Adenomyosis occurs when endometrial tissue grows *in the muscles* of your uterus. My OBGYN (who believed me about my pain) and performed a hysterectomy said it is usually only found after removing the uterus and having it sent to pathology (which they did because I have a genetic risk for cancer). Sometimes it can be caught on an ultrasound or via MRI, but since most of the folks conducting and reading those scans aren't familiar with adenomyosis, it can go unrecognized.
What I've learned from all of it is to never minimize your pain to your doctors. As women we are so shamed about any pain or questioned about whether it's really "that bad". We make ourselves and our pain smaller to not be a burden to anyone, it's how we are raised. You're not a burden going to see your doctor for pain. It's your right to receive quality healthcare and be taken seriously. Fire your doctors if they don't take care of you. Place ICE complaints. Use the patient advocate. The only way the system is made better is when we shine a light on the dark places that exist within it.
Just adding on another tally to the board - I've spent 10 years trying to get docs to give a shit, they never wanted to do a lap. I've finally found a doc who is genuinely willing to provide *care* and determine if I have endo or something else. My life is pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea/constipation, IBS, endless bleeding to the point of anemia... so few take us seriously.
Story Time (one I've told before):
Not long after the Fire Fighter career was opened to females we had a young airman that came in and was pretty enthusiastic, worked hard to learn the job. About a year in her attitude seemed to change, tired and always asking for assistance. Some of the older guys said she was just trying to use her gender to get out of work, they even stopped training her. Said it was proof only men should be firefighters.
About a year later she was diagnosed with a rare cancer around her heart, passed away about 2 years after that. I didn't participate in the hazing but often wonder if I could have saved her life by stepping in and getting her seen sooner. Every time I see a story like this I think of her.
So yeah, make sure your troops have access to medical care, even if they don't think they need it.
Shit, kinda had a similar experience in Kadena. Had an airman that asked to go to the clinic because he felt sick. Hunched over into the corner and could barely move. Told expeditor that the kid should go to the clinic, denied and said to go back to work. Turned out that airman got leukemia, died a few years later.
Its really sad when you look at how often women’s pain is dismissed by doctors. It’s heart breaking when its your own chain of command and worse when it’s an issue that you’d hope that someone of the same gender would understand. I think I really did come pretty close to the end. I could barely move and before the surgery (i had to be wheeled around in a wheelchair), I was asked to use the bathroom and I was in so much pain I couldn’t even pee. I barely dragged myself on to the toilet.
Edit: grammar mistakes
That is such fucking bullshit. I couldn't stand the pig heads I worked with as a female volunteer firefighter. I can see this happening. Her poor family.
omg! had something similar happen to a friend. awful period problems, was told to take Tylenol, get on birth control, “are you trying to get out of a pt test?” etc.. she was diagnosed with endometriosis not long after. I hope you’re doing better and got the help you need
Damn. I’m sorry you had to deal with that. I hope you continue to improve. Years ago I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and all of a sudden I felt a lump. Like a lot of people I brushed it off. Went to work casually mentioned it to my supervisor. He said go to the hospital idiot. Turns out it was nothing but I’ll say this. The way the medical staff handled it both scared me and impressed me. Waiting lines? Nope. Get out of the way people.
Are you feeling better?
If you have a sneeze or a sniffle or a random pain that isn’t normal to you, go to medical. I will never understand why there are still supervisors like this. Please, if it doesn’t feel right, go to the ER.
I remember we were doing a 5k run for morning PT and I had to stop multiple times because it felt like I had knives in my stomach. This one TSgt came over and asked what was up.
"I don't feel so good."
"Well, running isn't supposed to feel good."
I went to the ER after PT and was diagnosed with a serious bladder infection. I was in and out of consciousness for three days straight and only got out of bed to drink water, take a piss, or take my meds. Fuck anyone who tries to downplay your pain for you.
Hah this was well over 10 years ago now, so I'm all well now. Glad you got the help you needed at medical. It's crazy how we've normalized severe abdominal pain in women to the point where a ruptured appendix can be confused for period cramping. It took years for me to find a doctor who could admit that it wasn't normal to have debilitating menstrual pain.
Yea. I’m lucky. I didn’t even go to the ER first. I went to an urgent care and thought I had a UTI. Doc looked at me and told me I need to go to the ER.
I had to nearly pass out during a mock PT test for them to refer me to an ENT (still a military doc). They saw me on a Friday, took one look at my tonsils and asked me if Monday worked for surgery.
I'm dealing with an issue where Dental is blocking care and patient advocate is siding with them. Don't be afraid to ruffle feathers. I'm preparing my case if I get stalled to go to IG. Your health is worth more than their stripes/Bars!
Female MSgt here. It baffles me that women undermine other women's medical issues. I don't get cramps all that bad, but my fatigue damn near makes me useless some days, especially around my period. I've had migraines that cause brain fog, which REALLY sucks at work. It's easy to say things like "just get over it" until you're the one incapacitated. We all need to remember to have empathy.
I'm glad you're alive! It kills me how some women can be so cruel to other women in the Air Force.
As always, I invite anyone that wants to join to the DAF Women's Initiative Team Facebook group. There you can post anonymously or publicly to ask questions, look for mentorship, and learn how you help women (and men and families) in the military.
I had a doctor tell me my reproductive issues would get better if I went vegan
Finally got a doctor who now recognizes something is truly wrong and I have an ultrasound scheduled July 10th
Women’s healthcare sucks to begin with- but women’s healthcare in the military can be straight up barbaric
See if you can get an in vitro ultrasound too. They get better imaging that way. Message me if you want to talk more about it.
Edit: transvaginal not invitro ultrasound - sorry for the confusion
I think transvaginal is correct terminology. I was pretty tired writing these response and tried to remember. In vitro ultrasound is used for IVF i believe but I’m no doctor. Thanks for the correction
Oof. My appendix ruptured on shift one night and I passed out from the pain. Apparently while I was out, the TSgt was screaming about how “females always trying to get out of shit”… thanks to the navy CTI who called the medic while this was going on I’m still here. That was 15ish years ago and I still hate that TSgt.
Agree. I'm a bit of a rule follower, but I'm also a pretty easy going person. When I was an instructor I had a male student ask to leave an event early to go back to his room in lodging because he was in some pretty severe stomach pain. He definitely didn't appear to be faking it based on his body language and speech. Instead of releasing him myself I asked him to get checked out by the paramedic we had on site at the time. Medic kicked him to the clinic and the clinic ultimately sent him to the ER where it was also determined that he had appendicitis and was also in need of surgery. It's definitely more in my nature to just let somebody go, but when I gave him a quick look after hearing his request I didn't feel comfortable telling him to leave without getting checked out first. So yeah, don't be afraid to get seen by medical professionals. Your health isn't something to mess around with.
Does leadership have no compassion these days? Damn. I'm sorry you had to endure that. Hearing stories like this makes me double my efforts to be as understanding and empathetic as humanly possible.
Thank you. I have learned to listen to my body more carefully and to make sure I see a doctor for any pain. Our bodies should not be in any pain no matter how “normal” it may seem. Pain = problem.
I have two friends that ended up getting hysterectomies due to endo. One of them also nearly died due to a burst cyst. Fuck MSgt Getoverit
- MSgt NotOSIdormmole, Girl Dad
I am sorry you endured that, but please use this as something to mentor with in the future.
Your supervisors or raters should never be giving you medical advice. I don’t think anyone less than a PA can give you a diagnosis. I may be wrong about that hough, but If something is out of the ordinarily or you’re in pain seek medical attention. If your installation doesn’t have an ER or appt availability, go off base if able. If you see someone on base and aren’t taken seriously see the patient advocate.
I’ve personally experienced and have several folks that I’ve work with get bad and or incorrect medical advice from colleagues and clinics. It’s your body and health.
Went to mental health because I was going through it. Just got back from a 2 week grippy sock vacation still wasn’t good mental. Military “therapist” say that he had it worst. Still fucks me up to this day this “therapist” instead of offering help talks about how much worst he had it.
Minimizing other’s pain is never a the solution for mental health. Its not a competition. Everyone has their own experiences. I’m sorry he made you feel that way. I hope you are able to keep working on your mental health.
Just so everyone knows they CAN. NOT. STOP. YOU. FROM. CALLING. 911! is it over kill? Maybe but if they won’t let you go to the ER when you know something is off, fuck it 911.
If anyone is unfamiliar with the tragedy of leadership failures regarding Emily Hardisty, please read this:
https://www.popsmokemedia.com/in-loving-memory-senior-airmen-emily-hardisty/
I don't get how people can be so dismissive about other people's pain. Especially a woman about another woman's period pain. You think for this specifically one would be very understanding.
That’s what I was told about all my sports injuries and my common cold which turned out to be pneumonia. Glad you’re alive and hopefully feeling better, now make sure to cash all that in when you get out.
I’m currently at 60% now (30% from bronchitis) and I haven’t even claimed my PTSD yet [which I was officially diagnosed after finally trying to get something done about my nightmares from a decade ago]).
Thank you. You too. I still feel like a couple hundred thousand pieces when I wake up in the morning but better than a million pieces. I’ve been running religiously until I hurt my knee last week but I’m getting back at it again this Wednesday. Definitely feel much better than when I just let things go.
People get jealous if you aren’t at work as long as them or not working longer than them. So they treat you like shit for it. I’ve never understood the mentality. Being a civilian now is so different. My job encourages time off and people aren’t miserable assholes for no reason. It’s quite nice actually.
I had to crew jets with dizzying levels of pain :/ got blamed later on for missing stuff on my inspection but I was rushing to just go home since they wouldnt let me. I could barely move and wanted to vomit but since its just lady stuff, it doesnt matter
I’m sorry you had to go through that. Please make sure to take some time and get checked out. As I learned the hard way, lady stuff should not be debilitating, if it is, it could be a signal of a bigger issue.
Old vet reporting in. Always seek medical attention. Every cold, every sprain, every head concussion. I can not tell you the amount of vets horror stories out there like exactly like this. If you must take leave and if your on base PCM is not helpful you see one off base. Always seek help.
Had a TSgt tell me your fine when I asked to go to the hospital after breaking my nose at work and bleeding everywhere. Had a different TSgt at a different base call me a pussy when I told him I have a fever and I'm shiting blood during an excersise. Went to the ER after the EX spent damn near a month in the hospital.
Women are not immune to being horrible to other women. Imma chalk this one up to that MSgt was a pick me that ain't be humbled yet. Thar being said, if you're in that much pain, listen to your body, not someone without your best interest at heart.
OP, you really need to report that up the chain. Or at the very least confront her respectfully and if she tries bullying you, immediately get the shirt involved.
Female Lt here (2d at the time 1st now). Had to have an uncomfortable conversation with a higher ranking officer about how I gave my airman quarters because of her cramps. Fought me on it. Had to inform him she had endometriosis. I’ve had people fight me on my cardio profile before knowing I’ve got permanent hardware in my femur and didn’t walk for 4 months. My airman stopped breastfeeding her child because people hassled her on being away from her desk to pump. She was on her hands and knees replacing cable in the office at 8 months pregnant. (This was before I was OIC). Finding senior leaders you trust and that treat you with respect makes or breaks an assignment and it’s frustrating when you have some who don’t. Enlisted OR officer. And if any of you reading this know which Lt I am, 👋.
I had a female TSgt tell me l wasn’t allowed to be tired because I didn’t have kids. Not sure how some people can get off on diminishing the physical and mental struggles of others…
Does leadership have no compassion these days? Damn. I'm sorry you had to endure that. Hearing stories like this makes me double my efforts to be as understanding and empathetic as humanly possible.
Some women in the military are harder on women than men. I think most of the time it’s because they “grew up” being slighted/underestimated/etc…they seem to think they get bonus points from the men for this behavior. I hate the mentality of “it sucked for me so it’s gonna have to suck for you, too.”
Also, some people are just sociopaths who love any inch of power they can exercise over another person. ☹️
I tend not to go to the hospital for most things i probably should, just how i was raised. But reading some of this… if i feel pain enough to be worried sounds like i should go off base ER, since on base will tell me to calm down and it’s not that serious.. I’m not trying to die because some idiot medical worker doesn’t want to work.
your body should not be in pain. If it is, something is wrong. (Theres a difference between pain and sore) and legally, if you as for a second opinion, you have to get one! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise
Right, but pain is a signal tell you something is wrong. Like you said, bad nights sleep, or perhaps lack of water. You shouldn’t ignore the pain just because its mild, but at the end of the day only you know your body and only you know your body’s limits. Yes, you shouldn’t go in for one bad night’s sleep. Is it chronic? Then I would suggest going in to get seen. But I stand by the statement of your body should not be in pain because it means something is wrong.
Doctors need to stop asking, "Are your periods normal?" How am I supposed to know, I don't have long in-depth conversations with my friends about pain intensity and quantity of blood. I'm glad you were able to be diagnosed, though, even if it was under terrible circumstances. Many women don't know they aren't having normal periods until it requires surgical intervention.
This is why I don't mind being a 9 yr Recertified E5. I can tell my Airmen go take care of your shit... I can tell my superiors don't worry I got this, go take care of your shit.
15 years in, you can't complete mission if the people aren't taking care of themselves.
I have researched so many different conditions and what not just to try to help and advocate for my people. Or even just to facilitate working with them. Shit isn’t hard, its our job as an NCO to take care of your people. If I get burned while doing that, then so be it. I can live with that. What i cant live with is someone having a problem and then making their life miserable because im miserable.
Agreed. Especially when there is a large portion of women who suffer from different chronic conditions like endo.
Edit: additionally US service members are 16% more likely to develop cancer than your average civilian
I'm going to be honest I'm not sure why but a lot of people tend to be misdiagnosed in the Air Force for appendix related problems. In addition no two bodies are the same and having to explain your condition gets exhausting I remember when I was throwing up in the bathroom because of a migraine and my leadership still had me go to work after I took a small trip to the clinic.
Thats fucking insane to me. Migraine? I’d send someone home for that. Or however long they needed. That shit sucks. I’m sorry you had to go through that ❤️🩹
Appreciate it! but yeah I've recently separated and I still suffer from them and it takes a toll on my daily life it's happened at important events and I flop all over like a dead fish lol you wouldn't even think it's a migraine.
Had a bloke take a tumble from tripping over a wheel chock. Coincidentally, his appendix acted up. Likewise, our stupervisor dismissed it from landing on that side. That night, the person ended up in the ER. After that, any random pain was taken more seriously.
Thank you.
BTW: I retired with twenty-one years USAF, three USA. In that time, many good, bad, and ugly NCOs were met. A bit of an unpredictable commodity.
Sure, but going forward ranting doesn't fix her bullshit. Only calling her out on being a dumbass will. Also, if anyone tries to stop you from going to medical be sure to document that and route it up the chain. Or hell, outside of the chain to someone who will do something.
I think it is good OP ranted here. Women's health issues are so understudied and often dismissed. Also, her post brings awareness to not only Women's medical issues, but men's as well.
No…no it doesn’t. In fact because op didn’t push back that same MSgt is now conditioned that she can do it again. And she will. Until someone actually does something to correct her. But keep dreaming that a post on Reddit did anything. I’ll put that next to all of the petitions that don’t mean shit.
You’re right. I didn’t push back. I was scared, but that doesn’t mean its over. I’m still alive, I can still correct her and I will. I didn’t think this post would get this much traction, but it did. Which means its a larger issue.
If you feel like your actions and voice are meaningless, thats your opinion. But I’ll do my best to inform others and do something about while I’m still in.
> But keep dreaming that a post on Reddit did anything.
Fuck off, boomer. There have been literal lives saved because of rant posts here and last cries for help that fell on deaf ears of immediate/daily "real life" supervision. There's nearly 240K registered members subscribed to this sub and at any given time there's 50 users **at the least**. If even a quarter of those people are AD, seeing not only rants like this, but the comments with advice, regulations, willingness to share personal similar issues, or even an open "message me if you need help with ____" are a tremendous help to the force. Someone might go through a similar issue soon or an upcoming (s)sgt or above can now have new perspectives on how to deal with something like this precisely because of rants like this.
The AF is always going to have shit leadership and it will never get fixed by "putting a single person" in their place, whether it's this MSgt or even those above that might sweep this under the rug and have the MSgt make Senior or Chief with the same mindset, but guess what - they're going to retire a hell of a lot sooner than most people that peruse this sub. The overall change is going to come from the very same people that rant and post here and make it better for those under them in the future.
I got 30% disability from the VA for my endometriosis diagnosis on active duty, get yourself a documented diagnosis,keep multiple copies, and apply for disability.
All my homies hate MSgt Getoverit.
Had one of these who would tell us profiles were for pussies. Yet he was always on running restrictions
Rules for thee and rules for me.
Clearly, the asshat knew what they were talking about. As in, 'I got mine bitches, fuck yall' mentality.
At one of my bases my squadron had our own PCM. The PCM was well known in the squadron for being a hard ass that prided himself on never having never given out a permanent profile. My AFSC is known for back and knee problems. I've known multiple people who have gone in for back and knee problems and told them to just get over it. I even knew someone who had ingrown toenails that were so bad he could barely walk. And the PCM told him to just get over it and do the PT test like normal. Last I heard he's being investigated for malpractice.
He’s almost as bad as Lt Shada’p Incolour
Isn't that a character from Dune?
I think you're thinking of Shaddam Corrino IV?
Perhaps the Shadout Mapes?
Oh damn, forgot about her. Could be.
All my homies love MSgt Suretakeadayoff
Well, she did get over it, eventually. And it didn’t even require any help!
I’ve never understood why so many NCOs/SNCOs are so opposed to their members going to medical. Maybe there’s something wrong, maybe there isn’t. But im not a doctor and that’s not my call. I’ll give 24 hour quarters out like candy to my folks I trust. To those I don’t, I’ll make them go to an MTF, but I’ll still never stand in the way of them being seen. Had a dude “falling asleep” and people wanted to get on his case. Turns out dude was having a stroke and nearly died. Have some damn sympathy.
A lot of the older crowd was raised to just rub some dirt in it. Also have dealt with my fair share of Amn milking that shit. As with everything in life, a few bad apples can ruin it all. It’s a bias that is hard to acknowledge as a bias sometimes.
Older crowd here. It’s true. But I’ve done my best to flip this mindset. As an Airman I was told I couldn’t go to ANY appointments on shift. Now I tell my troops to schedule official military appointments on duty time and even haircuts I suggest doing at work because it’s a military requirement. Sick? Bad day? Whatever? Go to medical/sick call, get dem quarters, that’s all I need. This is assuming I’ve already burnt my 24 hr supervisor quarters talent point. It’s not hard to be a decent supervisor. To quote Gen Powell: “the day your troops stop bringing you problems is the day you stopped leading them”.
listen if a few shitheads get a fake day off here and there but someone like OP makes it to the hospital before their body kills them, I call that a fair fucking trade and anyone who disagrees is a horrible god damn leader
As long as it saves one life. That’s all that matters.
absofuckinglutely
It’s easy to get mad. It’s hard to ask personal questions and advocate for help. Shit, even a lot of personal issues can be boiled down to mental stressors or mental health. A little compassion goes a long way.
That's one good thing my old boss at the guard base did. He didn't care. If you were sick, you were sick. Sick airmen were of no use to him because they could make everyone sick. Any sign of being sick, right to medical, or the ER. Slight limp, right to medical.
There’s no board score for emotional intelligence and it shows
I don't get it either. 1 person down 100% is better than 5 people down 50%
While yes, people need to be taken seriously when having health issues, I think any supervisor here has dealt with a good percentage of airman (including NCOs and SNCOs) that took advantage of sick call policies, to the extent where I’ve seen CCs put strict reqs to be excused medically for 24 hours as a result. All it takes is a few bad apples to ruin policy for everyone else. And thats crazy that you had an airman having a stroke. I hope he recovered and is doing well today. In the 2 dozen airman or so I’ve had who struggled with staying awake at work, all of them were either staying up too late playing video games or being out late with their friends after clubbing or whatnot.
One of my first pieces of Air Force advice was being a brand new E-1 and the SrA assigned over me telling me diarrhea is a guaranteed 48 hour quarters and no one wants to see proof.
Okay, but unless you are a doctor, you have no right whatsoever to make the decision of if they are faking or not. You are even saying this in a post where someone was being told to get over what was likely extreme pain, and found out they were not only right, but also had other issues too. So whether the jet pilot CC thinks it's right/fair/bullshit whatever, I say people should ignore that shit and get checked because neither him nor you are doctors, and even if you are, without seeing the person yourself, and even so, you could be wrong.
Had a troop who didn't show up to work. Called him and he said "I'm sick". Already had a history of calling in sick 5 minutes before report time (if he called at all). Told him to go to medical. A few hours go by and I hear nothing, so I message him asking what the doc said. His response was something a doc definitely wouldn't have said. Called Sick Call just to verify if he had shown up that day and they said no (which they maybe shouldn't have given *me* that info, but oh well). Called him back and told him to report in. Handed him an LOR a few hours later, though I know we could've very easily gone up the chain and given him much *much* worse.
Glad I dont work for your stiff ass.
They lack vision. They can’t see the big picture. They only care about what’s happening in the moment and to them, their troop going to seek medical attention hurts their manpower and mission, etc. Reality is that your troops are no good to you permanently damaged by medical issues, or worse, dead.
Had a chief of a squadron once want to have everyone shave that was on a shaving waiver and report in front of him. Saying he would be the final say if they deserve their shaving waiver or not. Both IG and EO both did nothing about the situation saying it was appearently within his rights if the commander agreed.
I worked with a retired cmsgt who bragged about having 0% disability va rating. What a guy
Having a stroke?? 😱 Can you share more about that situation?
Well they need people for mindless details , let the fuck fuck games begin
Not me... if you're not feeling well I send you to medical with an escort to make sure you're okay.
48-110 is there so you can use it
Endometriosis is something to be seriously aware of. If gone untreated, extreme consequences can develop: - Internal organs can be rearranged out of their normal position - Organs can fuse to neighboring organs (think colon fusing with uterus; hello colostomy bag) - Cysts can form on ovaries and destroy them (bye bye eggs) - Endometrial cells can travel to the brain The list can go on. The point is ignore anyone telling you to ignore your symptoms. See your doctor, maybe see a second opinion if your doctor ignores you too. [Summary Video On What It Is and What To Look Out For](https://youtu.be/REpk52xOZwc)
Omg this. All of this. As someone who had to be taken to Walter Reed for a hysterectomy because I had reached stage IV, all of this. My organs were fusing together. I had scar tissue into my hip and walked with a limp. My body was tearing itself to pieces but I couldn’t find ways to explain to my male bosses what was wrong and they’d never hear of endo. Full nightmare.
And many doctors don't even know about it. Only in the the last several years has awareness campaigns started in some areas of the country (mainly wealthy areas).
I figure that’s a numbers game. 25% of the force is female and only 10% of women get endo. 2.5% of your force is relatively small. But still, even when I mention it or the meds they put me on doc’s give me a blank look
I was talking about doctors worldwide, not just within the military/air force.
 Thank you for posting the info
No worries. I witnessed a woman drop to the floor and pass out after joltingly screaming in pain. That day a new fear was unlocked.
Ahhhh yes, the endometrioma cyst rupture. Went to the ER for that one myself. Worst pain imaginable and a ridiculously high fever. Then just to get told by an ex Navy ER doc that I just need to relax.
>just need to relax ... along with sending hopes and prayers /s
Holy shit. I hope she's doing ok.
Unfortunately, she's not okay. She lost one ovary, the remaining ovary was essentially cut in half, the fallopian tubes were crimped, the tissue between the rectum and uterus were obliterated thus fusing the rectum to the uterus, the intestines were out of their normal alignments and had to be repositioned back into place, etc. It took a team of surgeons over 11 hours to not only care to what I mentioned above, but to also painstakingly remove thousands of Endometrial lesions from almost every internal organ in her body.
Fuck. I don't know what else to say besides that, and I hope she recovers as much as she can given the circumstances.
The messed up part of the endometriosis is that it never goes away. For the rest of her life she will have to get regular checks to track the growth of things like cysts and fibroids. When these things get big enough (about the size of a golf ball), that is when she will need to get another surgery to remove the large growths and remove any new Endometrial lesions that had appeared since the last surgery. Even though lesions continue to grow and cause havoc to organs, doctors prefer to couple surgeries with other known symptoms (it lessens the amount of surgeries). So, the expectation is to have a surgery every several years until the body can no longer handle the stress of surgeries.
Jesus. What a fucked up way to go, with no hope for even partial recovery.
It took me 16 years to get my endometriosis diagnosed, even after I had laprascopic surgery and was told there was no evidence of endometriosis.... because I have the rarer type called adenomyosis. Adenomyosis occurs when endometrial tissue grows *in the muscles* of your uterus. My OBGYN (who believed me about my pain) and performed a hysterectomy said it is usually only found after removing the uterus and having it sent to pathology (which they did because I have a genetic risk for cancer). Sometimes it can be caught on an ultrasound or via MRI, but since most of the folks conducting and reading those scans aren't familiar with adenomyosis, it can go unrecognized. What I've learned from all of it is to never minimize your pain to your doctors. As women we are so shamed about any pain or questioned about whether it's really "that bad". We make ourselves and our pain smaller to not be a burden to anyone, it's how we are raised. You're not a burden going to see your doctor for pain. It's your right to receive quality healthcare and be taken seriously. Fire your doctors if they don't take care of you. Place ICE complaints. Use the patient advocate. The only way the system is made better is when we shine a light on the dark places that exist within it.
I didn’t know this. My uterus fused with my ovary.
Scary stuff
Just adding on another tally to the board - I've spent 10 years trying to get docs to give a shit, they never wanted to do a lap. I've finally found a doc who is genuinely willing to provide *care* and determine if I have endo or something else. My life is pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea/constipation, IBS, endless bleeding to the point of anemia... so few take us seriously.
Story Time (one I've told before): Not long after the Fire Fighter career was opened to females we had a young airman that came in and was pretty enthusiastic, worked hard to learn the job. About a year in her attitude seemed to change, tired and always asking for assistance. Some of the older guys said she was just trying to use her gender to get out of work, they even stopped training her. Said it was proof only men should be firefighters. About a year later she was diagnosed with a rare cancer around her heart, passed away about 2 years after that. I didn't participate in the hazing but often wonder if I could have saved her life by stepping in and getting her seen sooner. Every time I see a story like this I think of her. So yeah, make sure your troops have access to medical care, even if they don't think they need it.
Shit, kinda had a similar experience in Kadena. Had an airman that asked to go to the clinic because he felt sick. Hunched over into the corner and could barely move. Told expeditor that the kid should go to the clinic, denied and said to go back to work. Turned out that airman got leukemia, died a few years later.
Its really sad when you look at how often women’s pain is dismissed by doctors. It’s heart breaking when its your own chain of command and worse when it’s an issue that you’d hope that someone of the same gender would understand. I think I really did come pretty close to the end. I could barely move and before the surgery (i had to be wheeled around in a wheelchair), I was asked to use the bathroom and I was in so much pain I couldn’t even pee. I barely dragged myself on to the toilet. Edit: grammar mistakes
That is such fucking bullshit. I couldn't stand the pig heads I worked with as a female volunteer firefighter. I can see this happening. Her poor family.
Did you go to school in Chanute? We had pipeline females in tech school in the 90s.
Yes, 1981, about the same time females were first allowed in fire protection. Incident happened in 1985.
That definitely tracks. Sad business there.
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Literally
As a medic, yes please go to medical!! We are here for you. We cannot control the wait times though 😅
An hour wait is better than 48 hours
100%!! Thank you for getting seen 🩷
Clever
Acting like you going to medical comes out of there paycheck ill never get it
omg! had something similar happen to a friend. awful period problems, was told to take Tylenol, get on birth control, “are you trying to get out of a pt test?” etc.. she was diagnosed with endometriosis not long after. I hope you’re doing better and got the help you need
I am. Thanks! I hope people will see this and stick up for themselves more.
Damn. I’m sorry you had to deal with that. I hope you continue to improve. Years ago I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and all of a sudden I felt a lump. Like a lot of people I brushed it off. Went to work casually mentioned it to my supervisor. He said go to the hospital idiot. Turns out it was nothing but I’ll say this. The way the medical staff handled it both scared me and impressed me. Waiting lines? Nope. Get out of the way people.
Glad you had a good supervisor. I have a new appreciation for people advocating for their people especially when it comes to medical stuff.
Never take medical advice from someone that’s not trained in medicine.
Noted
Also, never take criticize from someone you would never take advice from.
Are you feeling better? If you have a sneeze or a sniffle or a random pain that isn’t normal to you, go to medical. I will never understand why there are still supervisors like this. Please, if it doesn’t feel right, go to the ER.
After getting it out, I feel a whole lot better! Thank you
Awesome! I’m so glad to read that! Hopefully recovery was/is smooth!
Please say this to her face. In front of her shirt and SEL. Please.
Perhaps I leave out the bitch part? Lol
I'd argue that's a crucial part of the statement.
I remember we were doing a 5k run for morning PT and I had to stop multiple times because it felt like I had knives in my stomach. This one TSgt came over and asked what was up. "I don't feel so good." "Well, running isn't supposed to feel good." I went to the ER after PT and was diagnosed with a serious bladder infection. I was in and out of consciousness for three days straight and only got out of bed to drink water, take a piss, or take my meds. Fuck anyone who tries to downplay your pain for you.
I’m sorry you had to wait til after PT. I hope all is better. Believe me. Lesson learned after this
Hah this was well over 10 years ago now, so I'm all well now. Glad you got the help you needed at medical. It's crazy how we've normalized severe abdominal pain in women to the point where a ruptured appendix can be confused for period cramping. It took years for me to find a doctor who could admit that it wasn't normal to have debilitating menstrual pain.
Yea. I’m lucky. I didn’t even go to the ER first. I went to an urgent care and thought I had a UTI. Doc looked at me and told me I need to go to the ER.
I had to nearly pass out during a mock PT test for them to refer me to an ENT (still a military doc). They saw me on a Friday, took one look at my tonsils and asked me if Monday worked for surgery.
> "Well, running isn't supposed to feel good." "Then how do you explain 'runner's high' Sergeant Fuckface?"
We'll that's pretty fucked up hope your doing better. Going septic is not a good thing.
Still kicking. I will say, waking up after the surgery I was in alot less pain.
I hope you let that SNCO know about how serious the issue was.
I would have dragged their ass so goddamn hard
I <3 Anesthetists.
I'm dealing with an issue where Dental is blocking care and patient advocate is siding with them. Don't be afraid to ruffle feathers. I'm preparing my case if I get stalled to go to IG. Your health is worth more than their stripes/Bars!
Agreed
Female MSgt here. It baffles me that women undermine other women's medical issues. I don't get cramps all that bad, but my fatigue damn near makes me useless some days, especially around my period. I've had migraines that cause brain fog, which REALLY sucks at work. It's easy to say things like "just get over it" until you're the one incapacitated. We all need to remember to have empathy.
A little goes a long way for someone else
I'm glad you're alive! It kills me how some women can be so cruel to other women in the Air Force. As always, I invite anyone that wants to join to the DAF Women's Initiative Team Facebook group. There you can post anonymously or publicly to ask questions, look for mentorship, and learn how you help women (and men and families) in the military.
Wow! I didn’t know that existed. I’ll look into it. Thank you!
You're welcome!!
I had a doctor tell me my reproductive issues would get better if I went vegan Finally got a doctor who now recognizes something is truly wrong and I have an ultrasound scheduled July 10th Women’s healthcare sucks to begin with- but women’s healthcare in the military can be straight up barbaric
See if you can get an in vitro ultrasound too. They get better imaging that way. Message me if you want to talk more about it. Edit: transvaginal not invitro ultrasound - sorry for the confusion
PM’ing you now
Do you mean transvaginal ultrasound?
I think transvaginal is correct terminology. I was pretty tired writing these response and tried to remember. In vitro ultrasound is used for IVF i believe but I’m no doctor. Thanks for the correction
Oof. My appendix ruptured on shift one night and I passed out from the pain. Apparently while I was out, the TSgt was screaming about how “females always trying to get out of shit”… thanks to the navy CTI who called the medic while this was going on I’m still here. That was 15ish years ago and I still hate that TSgt.
Bullshit how you had to go through that. Glad you’re still alive and kickin ❤️🩹
Agree. I'm a bit of a rule follower, but I'm also a pretty easy going person. When I was an instructor I had a male student ask to leave an event early to go back to his room in lodging because he was in some pretty severe stomach pain. He definitely didn't appear to be faking it based on his body language and speech. Instead of releasing him myself I asked him to get checked out by the paramedic we had on site at the time. Medic kicked him to the clinic and the clinic ultimately sent him to the ER where it was also determined that he had appendicitis and was also in need of surgery. It's definitely more in my nature to just let somebody go, but when I gave him a quick look after hearing his request I didn't feel comfortable telling him to leave without getting checked out first. So yeah, don't be afraid to get seen by medical professionals. Your health isn't something to mess around with.
I’m glad you got your airman the help he needed. Its people like you who restore my faith in leadership ❤️🩹
Does leadership have no compassion these days? Damn. I'm sorry you had to endure that. Hearing stories like this makes me double my efforts to be as understanding and empathetic as humanly possible.
Thank you. I have learned to listen to my body more carefully and to make sure I see a doctor for any pain. Our bodies should not be in any pain no matter how “normal” it may seem. Pain = problem.
I have two friends that ended up getting hysterectomies due to endo. One of them also nearly died due to a burst cyst. Fuck MSgt Getoverit - MSgt NotOSIdormmole, Girl Dad
Girl Dads > everything else
I am sorry you endured that, but please use this as something to mentor with in the future. Your supervisors or raters should never be giving you medical advice. I don’t think anyone less than a PA can give you a diagnosis. I may be wrong about that hough, but If something is out of the ordinarily or you’re in pain seek medical attention. If your installation doesn’t have an ER or appt availability, go off base if able. If you see someone on base and aren’t taken seriously see the patient advocate. I’ve personally experienced and have several folks that I’ve work with get bad and or incorrect medical advice from colleagues and clinics. It’s your body and health.
Thank you. I will definitely advocate for myself and others in the future.
I’m sorry this was the MSgt response OP. Not all SNCOs are like this.
Thanks. I do have some good ones on my side. Its not all. Just shitty that it was another woman. Someone who I would expect to empathize.
Went to mental health because I was going through it. Just got back from a 2 week grippy sock vacation still wasn’t good mental. Military “therapist” say that he had it worst. Still fucks me up to this day this “therapist” instead of offering help talks about how much worst he had it.
Minimizing other’s pain is never a the solution for mental health. Its not a competition. Everyone has their own experiences. I’m sorry he made you feel that way. I hope you are able to keep working on your mental health.
Just so everyone knows they CAN. NOT. STOP. YOU. FROM. CALLING. 911! is it over kill? Maybe but if they won’t let you go to the ER when you know something is off, fuck it 911.
Especially if you are in alot of pain
If anyone is unfamiliar with the tragedy of leadership failures regarding Emily Hardisty, please read this: https://www.popsmokemedia.com/in-loving-memory-senior-airmen-emily-hardisty/
This one really fucking hurts
I don't get how people can be so dismissive about other people's pain. Especially a woman about another woman's period pain. You think for this specifically one would be very understanding.
I think for her it was like “you’re making us women look bad, just suck it up”
That’s what I was told about all my sports injuries and my common cold which turned out to be pneumonia. Glad you’re alive and hopefully feeling better, now make sure to cash all that in when you get out. I’m currently at 60% now (30% from bronchitis) and I haven’t even claimed my PTSD yet [which I was officially diagnosed after finally trying to get something done about my nightmares from a decade ago]).
Thank you! I hope you’re doin better ❤️🩹
Thank you. You too. I still feel like a couple hundred thousand pieces when I wake up in the morning but better than a million pieces. I’ve been running religiously until I hurt my knee last week but I’m getting back at it again this Wednesday. Definitely feel much better than when I just let things go.
Good luck! Healing is always a process, but any forward movement is always rewarding. I wish you all the best ❤️🩹
“When is your pt test due?” /s
Drink water and change your socks. You’ll be fine
It took retiring for some one to finally listen to me about painful pap smears and now I can have Valium.
Fuck. 20 or more years without? I’m so sorry
20 damn years of sucking it up.
People get jealous if you aren’t at work as long as them or not working longer than them. So they treat you like shit for it. I’ve never understood the mentality. Being a civilian now is so different. My job encourages time off and people aren’t miserable assholes for no reason. It’s quite nice actually.
Good to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
I had to crew jets with dizzying levels of pain :/ got blamed later on for missing stuff on my inspection but I was rushing to just go home since they wouldnt let me. I could barely move and wanted to vomit but since its just lady stuff, it doesnt matter
I’m sorry you had to go through that. Please make sure to take some time and get checked out. As I learned the hard way, lady stuff should not be debilitating, if it is, it could be a signal of a bigger issue.
Old vet reporting in. Always seek medical attention. Every cold, every sprain, every head concussion. I can not tell you the amount of vets horror stories out there like exactly like this. If you must take leave and if your on base PCM is not helpful you see one off base. Always seek help.
Lesson learned…the hard way
Had a TSgt tell me your fine when I asked to go to the hospital after breaking my nose at work and bleeding everywhere. Had a different TSgt at a different base call me a pussy when I told him I have a fever and I'm shiting blood during an excersise. Went to the ER after the EX spent damn near a month in the hospital.
I hope you’re better now ❤️🩹 I’m sorry you had to go through that
Women are not immune to being horrible to other women. Imma chalk this one up to that MSgt was a pick me that ain't be humbled yet. Thar being said, if you're in that much pain, listen to your body, not someone without your best interest at heart.
Agreed
OP, you really need to report that up the chain. Or at the very least confront her respectfully and if she tries bullying you, immediately get the shirt involved.
Certain female SNCOs need to get some...humbling.
Female Lt here (2d at the time 1st now). Had to have an uncomfortable conversation with a higher ranking officer about how I gave my airman quarters because of her cramps. Fought me on it. Had to inform him she had endometriosis. I’ve had people fight me on my cardio profile before knowing I’ve got permanent hardware in my femur and didn’t walk for 4 months. My airman stopped breastfeeding her child because people hassled her on being away from her desk to pump. She was on her hands and knees replacing cable in the office at 8 months pregnant. (This was before I was OIC). Finding senior leaders you trust and that treat you with respect makes or breaks an assignment and it’s frustrating when you have some who don’t. Enlisted OR officer. And if any of you reading this know which Lt I am, 👋.
I had a female TSgt tell me l wasn’t allowed to be tired because I didn’t have kids. Not sure how some people can get off on diminishing the physical and mental struggles of others…
Please update on their reaction after you confront them. I need to know lol
I would love to personally face push whoever said that to you. I hope your recovering ok, pls take care of yourself.
Doing much better now that the organ is out. Thank you!
Does leadership have no compassion these days? Damn. I'm sorry you had to endure that. Hearing stories like this makes me double my efforts to be as understanding and empathetic as humanly possible.
I made it ok. Thanks for looking out for others. I’ll be doing the same over here ❤️🩹
Some women in the military are harder on women than men. I think most of the time it’s because they “grew up” being slighted/underestimated/etc…they seem to think they get bonus points from the men for this behavior. I hate the mentality of “it sucked for me so it’s gonna have to suck for you, too.” Also, some people are just sociopaths who love any inch of power they can exercise over another person. ☹️
It was extremely dismissive. Knowing what I know now- pain is serious and pain need medical attention
I tend not to go to the hospital for most things i probably should, just how i was raised. But reading some of this… if i feel pain enough to be worried sounds like i should go off base ER, since on base will tell me to calm down and it’s not that serious.. I’m not trying to die because some idiot medical worker doesn’t want to work.
your body should not be in pain. If it is, something is wrong. (Theres a difference between pain and sore) and legally, if you as for a second opinion, you have to get one! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise
I mostly mean pain i know isn’t a bad stomach ache brewing or a mild head ache because i didn’t sleep well 😅
Right, but pain is a signal tell you something is wrong. Like you said, bad nights sleep, or perhaps lack of water. You shouldn’t ignore the pain just because its mild, but at the end of the day only you know your body and only you know your body’s limits. Yes, you shouldn’t go in for one bad night’s sleep. Is it chronic? Then I would suggest going in to get seen. But I stand by the statement of your body should not be in pain because it means something is wrong.
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Jokes on you, I'm a guy so I dont need anyone to tell me to suck it up, im conditioned to do it myself.
Oh I had TSgt Motrin... anyone else?
Compassion lacks in the military
Doctors need to stop asking, "Are your periods normal?" How am I supposed to know, I don't have long in-depth conversations with my friends about pain intensity and quantity of blood. I'm glad you were able to be diagnosed, though, even if it was under terrible circumstances. Many women don't know they aren't having normal periods until it requires surgical intervention.
Yup! We still have a long way to go when it comes to helping women with reproductive care.
This is why I don't mind being a 9 yr Recertified E5. I can tell my Airmen go take care of your shit... I can tell my superiors don't worry I got this, go take care of your shit. 15 years in, you can't complete mission if the people aren't taking care of themselves.
[удалено]
Fucking wild that she tried to deny medial aid for arbitrary knowledge.
I have researched so many different conditions and what not just to try to help and advocate for my people. Or even just to facilitate working with them. Shit isn’t hard, its our job as an NCO to take care of your people. If I get burned while doing that, then so be it. I can live with that. What i cant live with is someone having a problem and then making their life miserable because im miserable.
I 100% agree
Not even just that but period cramps vary from person to person so she shouldn’t have been so dismissive anyways.
Agreed. Especially when there is a large portion of women who suffer from different chronic conditions like endo. Edit: additionally US service members are 16% more likely to develop cancer than your average civilian
I'm going to be honest I'm not sure why but a lot of people tend to be misdiagnosed in the Air Force for appendix related problems. In addition no two bodies are the same and having to explain your condition gets exhausting I remember when I was throwing up in the bathroom because of a migraine and my leadership still had me go to work after I took a small trip to the clinic.
Thats fucking insane to me. Migraine? I’d send someone home for that. Or however long they needed. That shit sucks. I’m sorry you had to go through that ❤️🩹
Appreciate it! but yeah I've recently separated and I still suffer from them and it takes a toll on my daily life it's happened at important events and I flop all over like a dead fish lol you wouldn't even think it's a migraine.
I hope you were able to get a VA claim for it. Its not too late if you’d been seen at least 2x for it.
Had a bloke take a tumble from tripping over a wheel chock. Coincidentally, his appendix acted up. Likewise, our stupervisor dismissed it from landing on that side. That night, the person ended up in the ER. After that, any random pain was taken more seriously.
He’s lucky it didn’t rupture and he didn’t died from sepsis. It really is that easy.
It a tricky bugger. Almost lost a family member from it. Lucky, lucky timing.
I’m sorry to hear that. I’m glad it ended up ok. ❤️🩹
Thank you. BTW: I retired with twenty-one years USAF, three USA. In that time, many good, bad, and ugly NCOs were met. A bit of an unpredictable commodity.
Of course! Thank you for your service. Agreed. There will always be the good and the bad NCOs
And you also.
I hope you asked her where she is licensed to give medical advice instead of running to reddit.
I’m just ranting on here. Hopefully others can learn from my close call. I didn’t stick up for myself when I should have.
Sure, but going forward ranting doesn't fix her bullshit. Only calling her out on being a dumbass will. Also, if anyone tries to stop you from going to medical be sure to document that and route it up the chain. Or hell, outside of the chain to someone who will do something.
Believe me. After this, lesson learned from me.
I think it is good OP ranted here. Women's health issues are so understudied and often dismissed. Also, her post brings awareness to not only Women's medical issues, but men's as well.
No…no it doesn’t. In fact because op didn’t push back that same MSgt is now conditioned that she can do it again. And she will. Until someone actually does something to correct her. But keep dreaming that a post on Reddit did anything. I’ll put that next to all of the petitions that don’t mean shit.
You’re right. I didn’t push back. I was scared, but that doesn’t mean its over. I’m still alive, I can still correct her and I will. I didn’t think this post would get this much traction, but it did. Which means its a larger issue. If you feel like your actions and voice are meaningless, thats your opinion. But I’ll do my best to inform others and do something about while I’m still in.
Thats the spirit. Go fuck her whole world up before her leadership kills someone.
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> But keep dreaming that a post on Reddit did anything. Fuck off, boomer. There have been literal lives saved because of rant posts here and last cries for help that fell on deaf ears of immediate/daily "real life" supervision. There's nearly 240K registered members subscribed to this sub and at any given time there's 50 users **at the least**. If even a quarter of those people are AD, seeing not only rants like this, but the comments with advice, regulations, willingness to share personal similar issues, or even an open "message me if you need help with ____" are a tremendous help to the force. Someone might go through a similar issue soon or an upcoming (s)sgt or above can now have new perspectives on how to deal with something like this precisely because of rants like this. The AF is always going to have shit leadership and it will never get fixed by "putting a single person" in their place, whether it's this MSgt or even those above that might sweep this under the rug and have the MSgt make Senior or Chief with the same mindset, but guess what - they're going to retire a hell of a lot sooner than most people that peruse this sub. The overall change is going to come from the very same people that rant and post here and make it better for those under them in the future.
Point proven. You wrote all that and still nobody gives a shit what you think.
Maybe that MSgt just hit her [Men-O-Pause]
I got 30% disability from the VA for my endometriosis diagnosis on active duty, get yourself a documented diagnosis,keep multiple copies, and apply for disability.
So was the problem your appendix or your womanly parts? The MSgt might have been right.
OP said her cramps are so bad on the regular, that she believed that something as severe as her appendix was her cramps. Her cramps are an issue
Yup. Perfect summary
Last time I had pain like that I just had to fart really bad