07/22/2023
Just finished watching "Take Care of Maya" on Netflix. Based on my viewing experience, and through my clinically trained mental health advocate lens:
It's a documentary about medical gaslighting (which leads to misdiagnosis and harmful medical care), severe levels of overreaching by those in a position of power as well as those in assumed positions of power (but go radically unchecked and therefore not held accountable), and it's about the very broken systems in this country, specifically the medical, child protective services, and justice systems.
It includes a few, quite clear examples of the ethnic biases that are STILL very prevalent in our medical and justice systems. (Heaven forbid a European-American woman communicate in an assertive and direct manner when speaking to medical personnel.)
It is yet another story of "I'm a doctor, I am smarter than you, and you can't possibly know anything about your own body (or, in this case, your child's body)." [Been there, experienced that.] And even though the person advocating for their child in this specific story was also an educated and trained Registered Nurse, the doctors STILL took this stance.
It's yet another example of how a disease, disorder, or illness simply "can't" exist if the treating clinicians haven't heard of it or don't have any training or education specific to it. AND, in this case, even though there are two specialists that could have easily been contacted and consulted with, the treating clinicians had already decided to go a legal route and closed the doors to actually learning about a disease they were unaware of, which resulted in mistreatment and lack of appropriate, effective medical care for a child who could not adequately advocate for herself.
I'm disgusted, heartbroken, and very angry on behalf of the Kowalski family and plenty others who've been subjected to this type of harm by the medical community, followed by harm from a child protective services agency, and/or the justice system.
Yes, I am aware there are excellent doctors and hospitals in our country. Yes, I am fully aware there are hundreds of thousands of valid cases in this country where DFS/CPS is truly protecting and advocating for the child. Yes, I am aware there are attorneys and judges in this country who constantly strive for excellence in carrying out their duties to authentically uphold justice. This post, and this documentary on Netflix, are not about any of them.
I encourage you to watch the documentary. If you feel moved to discuss it, I encourage you to do so - and to join the communities of people who are hoping to help Maya's voice be heard in court.Please keep it respectful and focused on urging change and improvement.
