By Greg & Trenna
This wasn’t the first time that it was suggested that Trenna might need to see a psychiatrist. See also this anecdote from when she was a child.
The recent post “The Key to Happiness and Fulfilment” got me thinking of a visit to Trenna’s cardiologist, which ended up turning into a trip to see a psychiatrist. Here’s what happened…..
It was Monday, 12 June 2017 at 9:30am (actually from about this point we never made appointments, for anything before 10am) and we had an appointment with Trenna’s then cardiologist Dr Susan Kuruvilla, at the Cardiovascular Institute in Hollywood (a suburb of Perth).
Then I hear Susan say “How are you?”
As was usual with these visits she had an ECG soon after arriving. I usually didn’t accompany her to those, although I had been a few times. Trenna always found them quite uncomfortable experiences but recognised their utility.
Before long Susan greeted us and showed us into her consulting room. As usual as I sat I looked at a striking artwork on the wall by Leon Pericles. It seems to be a print and collage of small old pill bottles, medical documents and other medicalabilia. That has GOT to have been made specifically to sell to doctors, SURELY?
Then I hear Susan say “How are you?”
Here is an unedited extract of Trenna’s notes about where the consultation went from there…
“SUSAN: how am I going?
ME:. Crying, not coping, not just heart but all!
SUSAN: offers tissues oh, I’m usually so positive, Did usual ankle check, HR, stethoscope listen to heart & lungs
ME:. Have come to end of viable life, not suicidal but want there to be physician assisted death when there is nothing but decline ahead.
SUSAN: Have I seen a pain management specialist? I have depression, will refer me to a psychiatrist @ Hollywood.
ME: Yes, Dr Chin-wern Chan. Do I need a clinical psychologist?
A. No, a Psychiatrist.
ME: Reducing fluid – constipation, unable to swallow food (Sjögren’s also drys out)
SUSAN: A little bit more salt to aid swallowing is ok, I do need to eat! May help constipation.
ME: I got up to leave, still crying, thanks, she didn’t suggest a next consult“
Susan prepared a referral letter and we soon had an appointment to see Dr Singh, a psychiatrist who practiced on the same medical campus.
I reminded Trenna that she was under no obligation to see yet another specialist and that I would support her decision to go, or not to go. Our view was that Trenna wasn’t depressed but that as we aren’t experts – and as we had access to an expert – we might as well give it a go.
Dr Singh’s Rooms
As we waited in the psychiatrist’s waiting room we talked about whether Dr Singh was likely to let me come in for the consultation. Trenna wanted me there but we agreed that if the doctor preferred me not to be there that would be fine.
Trenna’s name was called and I just walked in with her. Dr Singh didn’t seem the least bit phased.
I don’t recall how long the consult took but we didn’t feel rushed. She found out a lot of information about Trenna’s background and how she felt. The doctor asked my opinion on a couple of issues.
At the end she said something like “you’re definitely not depressed. I think you are sad about a number of things, and who wouldn’t be in your situation? I don’t need to give you any medication and I don’t need to see you again.”
So that was Trenna’s only visit to a psychiatrist.
It is very interesting to me that this appointment appears to be one of the very few doctors’ appointments about which Trenna has made no notes.
At the time of the appointments, 2017, there was no physician assisted death in Western Australia. Much more recently (December 2019) Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation has been passed. Quite a few people have been able to avail themselves of this option but the legislation is so restrictive that it would not have applied to Trenna.