Antonia
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Antonia is a First Nations woman her 60s. She has bipolar disorder and a spinal injury. She works in academia.
‘I was in juvenile justice when I was a kid, not because I did anything wrong but because I was being abused,’ Antonia told the Royal Commission. ‘I’d been diagnosed with bipolar as a young person but, you know, managed to overcome it.’
A few years ago Antonia fell, injuring her back.
‘It also happened at the beginning of COVID so it was the worst possible time to have something happen like that.’
During her admission to hospital some staff thought she was pretending to be in pain.
‘It was said in my presence and when people thought I wasn’t listening, things like, “Oh you know what these people are like. She just is after, you know, opioids … They bung it on.”’
Antonia said she didn’t get the treatment she needed and was discharged ‘in so much pain’ and ‘in tears all the time’.
‘I had to go to work and say, “I’ve got to go to the hospital again.” And they did more scans and then they went, “Oh yes, you have fractures in your back.”’
During later operations, Antonia had an adverse reaction to medication.
‘The registrar … came in – this is a perfect example – he said to me, “So [Antonia] do you work?” and I said, “Yeah,” and he said, “Oh what do you do?” Really patronising tone, you know? “What do you do?” And I said, “I work at the university here,” and he goes, “Oh? So what, do you do cleaning or admin?” Not that there’s anything wrong with that either, but I said to him, “No, I’m an [academic].”’
Antonia had a long career in health care but said that, as a patient, staff treated her as if she was stupid.
‘It’s been quite shocking and demoralising and almost like betrayal. And disheartening to think that that’s been my whole career and then that this is the way people who, if they had been my students, I would fail.’
Antonia said she fell again in hospital and again had an adverse reaction to the same medication. She asked a nurse to have a specialist review the medication. She was told to ‘calm down’.
‘Next thing I know I’m in intensive care with multi-organ failure … I feel so lucky I survived that.’
Antonia said she asked for an Aboriginal Liaison Officer, but never received one.
Antonia now uses a wheelchair and is supported by the NDIS, but feels isolated because of the way people treat her when she goes out.
‘They don’t talk to you. They talk to the person who’s pushing the wheelchair and you go, “Hello, I’m here.”
One time Antonia was in a shoe shop and the sales assistant asked why she needed shoes.
‘I’m like, “I’m in a wheelchair. I still have feet.”’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.