Dr. Eugene Linwood Shannon, MD

He was working in the hospital this particular day, and I had the misfortune of being his patient. This was about 24 years ago. I was a 20 year old pregnant woman. I looked like I was about 15. He took it upon himself to berate and verbally abuse me. I was in the hospital room alone because my husband walked out to get some food. The "good doctor" decided that since I was on Medicaid that I didn't deserve to be treated like a human being. He didn't even examine me. He started telling me that I was crazy and I should seek mental help. My baby almost died two weeks later.

This morning I was thinking about my daughter's birthday and was reflecting on the past. While on my trip down memory lane, I stumbled upon a memory that I tried to forget almost exactly 19 years to this date. It was 1996 and I was a 19 year old mother-to-be. My husband drove me to the Forest General E.R. because I felt something was wrong with me. It was around dinner time and after waiting there for so long, my husband got hungry and stepped out to get some dinner. I told him I would be ok by myself. Dr. Shannon went in my room. He did not examine me. I repeat. Did not examine me. He looked at my chart and started asking me questions that had absolutely nothing to do with my health or the health of my unborn baby. He asked me if I was married. (none of his business). I explained to him that I was married and my husband went out to get something to eat and he'd be back in a minute. He was like "Uh, huh. Yeah. Right." Then he tried to make me feel like I was crazy and I… had an imaginary husband. Then he asks me if I have a job. I pointed out the fact that I was an 8 month pregnant diabetic and that no one would hire me. He looks at my chart and says with a condescending tone, "Ooohh, aaand you're on Medicaid. What a surprise?" "So...you're not married, you don't work, and you're on Medicaid...hmmm". Me: "I am married, I told you he went to get something to eat." Shannon: "I don't believe you. I think you're lying. I think you're a lazy person who wants a free ride in life. There's nothing wrong with you. You've wasted my time and the taxpayers money by coming here. " I'm flabbergasted. He didn't examine me. He didn't even walk near me. I asked him how he came to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong with me. "I just know. I know your type." I'm in shock at this point. He proceeds to ask me if I'd ever been evaluated by a psychiatrist. I asked him what psychiatry had to do with me being in pain and the fact that he hadn't examined me or done any tests whatsoever to prove that I was or wasn't experiencing a medical problem. He told me that I was crazy and I was making up things to get attention. He told me that I needed to see a mental health professional, because there was nothing wrong with me. Then repeated the comments from before about wasting his time and taxpayers money. He walked out of the room. A week later I went into labor. I nearly died because my child was in an awkward position. The doctor induced labor without checking the position of the fetus. They were basically forcing a upside down, sideways baby out of my body. If it weren't for my mother pleading with an female R.N. to examine me, my child and I would probably be dead right now. I never got a chance to thank her.

He is a great doctor, better than some that I have had previously.