This patient was not in a mental hospital yet, but well on the way. She came in with an angry face, and her facial expression said that she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
And when she started her speech — which she had tried out in her head for ages — the patient declared that it had all started with the TOT — the introduction of TransObturator Tape to fight her urinary stress incontinence problem. Because it was then, after the procedure, that her equilibrium problems started.
At this point, the urologist knew that her hunch had been right. And still, she kindly asked what precisely the connection was between the TOT and the patient’s equilibrium problems.
“They attached the tape to my tailbone. And now it hurts.”
The patient continued to explain that she had read that tailbone problems can lead to balance issues — “because tails are crucial for balance” — and so the TOT had compromised her equilibrium.
The urologist tried to explain that TOT was never attached to a tailbone — and certainly not in the patient’s case, since she had done it herself — but the patient hardly listened. And then shouted that she definitely felt that it was attached to her tailbone, that she knew for sure that this is what happened, and that this was what was causing all her balance problems.
The urologist then referred the patient to a staff member for a second opinion, because the patient demanded to see another urologist.
After a brief consultation, the second urologist kindly said:
“Ma’am, after thoroughly thinking about your case, and after consulting my colleague as well, I can only conclude that you indeed have a problem.”
The woman’s attitude changed at once, and she even smiled because this urologist acknowledged what was going on, and he would help her with the tailbone thing.
“This the wrong ward for you, ma’am — you do not have any urological issues. You need to see a psychiatrist, and rather sooner than later.”
And for some reason, the patient did not so kindly agree.