One of my longest, dearest and most loyal friends and I are no longer talking because of this crap. His mother has glioblastoma multiforme and he's convinced that a) she will have a full recovery if he can just take over her care b) her doctors are idiots c) her nurses are evil. Further, he considers the fact that they recommend pain and anxiety meds to treat her pain and agitation is proof of b and c.
I went to visit her recently and she was in agony and nowhere close to the same person I knew growing up. My buddy referred to himself as her nurse (he does not have an RN) then explained to me that he should've gone to medical school, because all of the doctors he's met are idiots, so clearly he's fit for the job. He then told me of the book he was planning to write on how medicine should be practiced, based on the extensive notes he's taken throughout her illness. He's also intending to sue EVERYBODY. Our mutual friend is a lawyer and he told me that he was torn over the choice between refusing our pal's request for a referral to a law firm Vs subjecting any of his lawyer colleagues to the baseless rants of our bereaved buddy.
We basically can't talk anymore because he is so angry with the medical establishment that he gets stirred up into a rage whenever I give him a realistic answer to a question.
I miss him.
I have a friend like him... started with homeopathic remedies - most of which would only harm a pocketbook.... but then home births, then anti-vax (though her kids are partially vaxx'ed, same paperwork etc), then no vitamin k/eye drops/washing of the baby after delivery, then about 1 year ago she schooled me on the horrors of "medical kidnapping".
i was driving for a while so i just listened. i'd never heard of it. neither have any of my MD/DO/RN/app friends. if you google it, same crazy logic and mistrust of anyone with actual credentials.
I miss her, and her family. she has 4 kids, i'm not married w/ no kids and have my own BS going on, so we haven't talked in a long while. now nearly all of her friends are like-minded, so i can't even go see her with others.
we've been friends since 7th grade, so i do miss her 🙁
I'm lucky so far I haven't had any close friends lose the plot over western medicine to that degree. It frustrates me enough when some random person starts spouting that level of idiocy, I don't know how I'd react if a friend did it (especially because I'd find it incredibly difficult to just stand by and watch them causing harm to themselves or others).
Unfortunately with some people there's just no reasoning with them. This is an actual paraphrased conversation that happened on a Pagan and Wiccan discussion group several months back:
Child's Mother: "Hi, my three year old son keeps losing his balance and falling over, plus he seems to have some weakness in his legs. I'm sure there's a negative entity in our house that's targeting him, does anyone know a good banishing or cleansing spell?"
Group Majority: "Have you taken him to see a Doctor?"
Child's Mother: "No, he's under spiritual attack, a Doctor's not going to be able to help...*something about the 'entity' targeting him because blah blah blah psychic powers, my child is a super special snowflake, blah blah blah more BS*
Group Majority: "Well he could also just be a typical clumsy three year old, but the symptoms you're describing definitely warrant being checked out by a Doctor. Even if you don't think it will help what's the harm in at least taking him along for an appointment? It could be something serious, I wouldn't waste time doing banishing and cleansing spells. Doctor's, pronto!"
Child's Mother: "He doesn't need a Doctor, now is someone going to actually help me with what I asked for?!"
Group Majority: "OMFG, JUST TAKE HIM TO THE FREAKIN' DOCTOR'S ALREADY!!!"
Child's Mother: "Hmmph! I thought you guys were supposed to be Pagans!"
Group Majority: "We're Pagans, we're just not idiots."
*And cue the thread delete and flounce*
