When you go into the ER, one of the first things they ask…
““When you go into the ER, one of the first things they ask you to do is rate your pain on a scale of one to ten, and from there they decide which drugs to use and how quickly to use them. I'd been asked this question hundreds of times over the years, and I remember once early on when I couldn't get my breath and it felt like my chest was on fire, flames licking the inside of my ribs fighting for a way to burn out of my body, my parents took me to the ER. nurse asked me about the pain, and I couldn't even speak, so I held up nine fingers. Later, after they'd given me something, the nurse came in and she was kind of stroking my head while she took my blood pressure and said, "You know how I know you're a fighter? You called a ten a nine." But that wasn't quite right. I called it a nine because I was saving my ten. And here it was, the great and terrible ten, slamming me again and again as I lay still and alone in my bed staring at the ceiling, the waves tossing me against the rocks then pulling me back out to sea so they could launch me again into the jagged face of the cliff, leaving me floating faceup on the water, undrowned.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Pain scales are subjective; people may underreport severity to appear strong, leading to inadequate treatment.
In simple terms: People hide true pain to seem tough.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge and communicate real pain.
Themes
health
vulnerability
communication
self-awareness
Mood
anxious
reflective
Type
narrative
personal
When to use this quote
- ER visits
- chronic illness
- mental health counseling
- patient advocacy
Key Concepts
subjectivity
patient-provider dynamics
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does fear of appearing weak affect health decisions?
- What can clinicians do to encourage honest reporting?
A Different Perspective
Underreporting can result in insufficient care.