Golden Girls Gets Real About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A beloved and timeless sitcom about four women in the golden years of their life, Golden Girls holds a place in many people’s hearts as a funny and touching show. Despite its comedic elements, the show has many heartfelt moments about family, friends, and aging. One such episode dealt with how Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can often be dismissed or ignored by medical professionals, leaving those afflicted feeling shamed, unheard, and hopeless.
Golden Girls Episode - "Sick and Tired"
In the episode titled “Sick and Tired” Dorothy (Bea Arthur) begins to experience the sudden onset of a condition that leaves her feeling inexplicably fatigued. When her friends Rose (Betty White), Blanche (Rue Deveraux), and mother Sophia (Estelle Getty) notice a big shift in her personality and level of energy, they take her to see the doctor.
Dorothy’s first doctor listens to her symptoms and performs a battery of tests - not discovering anything unusual about her results. When Sophia explains her daughter is just not the same woman she has always known, Dorothy is referred to a neurologist.
Doctor Suggests Dorothy Is Getting Old
The neurologist, Dr. Bud, disbelieves that there is anything wrong with Dorothy. He condescendingly questions her - if she was so tired, how is it that she could get in a cab to make her appointment? Dr. Bud suggests that she’s just “getting old” and she should probably just go and see a psychiatrist.
Dr. Bud makes Dorothy feel crazy and she collapses in tears. She knows that this is something affecting her body, and the next doctor she visits listens to her concerns and symptoms and diagnoses her with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
This diagnosis helps Dorothy feel vindicated - having a name for her illness means she can find the help she needs. Later on, when out to dinner with her friends and mother, Dorothy sees Dr. Bud. She confronts him, telling him that she has a real illness. In the emotional encounter, Dorothy puts into words the Dr. Bud made her feel: “I came to you sick. Sick and scared, and you dismissed me [...] You made me feel like a child, a fool, a neurotic who was wasting your time. [...] No one deserves that kind of treatment. No one.”
Watch A Clip From The Episode
When dealing with medical professionals and insurance companies, Dorothy’s experience mirrors how many with CFS go from doctor to doctor to find the answer. All the while, their insurance company works to delegitimize the severity of their symptoms.
At Share Lawyers, we have extensive experience working for those who are told their illness is not “good enough” for them to qualify for long term disability benefits. We are sad to hear when people just give up and feel like they can’t fight the company. But like Dorothy, we know that no one deserves to be treated that way. No one. That’s why we’re here with the support of a whole team to implement our legal services and knowledge to fight for you.
Has your long-term disability claim been denied? Contact Share Lawyers and put our experience to work for you. We offer free consultations and there are no fees unless we win your case. Find out if you have a disability case.
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A note from our long term disability lawyers
Taking a medical leave from work is not an easy decision to make. Concerns about providing for yourself and your family and keeping your job may cause you to want to push through your pain, but this won’t make your problems go away. Stopping work is often the smartest decision for your long term health and well-being, and your disability benefits are there to provide you with financial support until you can return to work.
If you have made the tough decision to stop working and apply for your short term disability or long term disability benefits, you may feel overwhelmed by the process and have questions that your employer and your insurance company are not able or willing to answer. Share is There to see you through and answer your questions.
Our Disability law firm knows what you have been going through
We understand that things have not been easy for you over the last little while. Your health has been suffering, you are unable to work, and now your insurance company, who was supposed to be there in your time of need, has decided they will not pay your disability benefits or respect your disability claim. These benefits exist to provide you with the financial support you need so that you can focus on your health and rebuilding your life. It is unfortunate that your insurance company has not lived up to its promise. If your disability claim has been denied, we will fight to get you the benefits you are entitled to. Our disability lawyers have helped thousands of Canadians get their long term disability benefits over the past 35 years, and we can help you too.
Our experienced disability lawyers can fight back on your behalf
Share Lawyers believes that every client who is dealing with a disability claim deserves superior personal service. To achieve that goal, we have developed our team of experienced, compassionate, and caring long term disability lawyers, law clerks, and administrative staff to meet all of your needs. Our team of experienced long term disability, life insurance, employment, and critical illness insurance lawyers have made successful claims against many insurance companies, third-party administrators and employers.
If you are unable to work, your disability benefits should be there to provide you with the financial support you need. While your insurance company may be focused on finding ways to avoid paying your claim, our focus is on what is in your best interest. When Share Lawyers gets involved, you have an entire team of lawyers that are there to support you and to fight for what is yours.
Our disability claim lawyers fight for your disability insurance claim by relying on our many years of experience to apply the best strategic planning and approach in each case, using the latest technology available. Experience matters, and with Share Lawyers, you are in the best hands with 35 years of success on your side.
In this video, we explain the role of a long term disability lawyer and how we can support you when you have been denied your long term disability benefits.
