Work the Record · Step 01
Write Down What Happened
Start with the event before you start with the accusation.
Why this step exists
A record becomes useful when another person can reconstruct what happened without having to accept your conclusion first. This step separates the event from the theory about why it happened.
How to do it
- Write the date, time, place, institution, and people or offices involved.
- Record the exact words used when you can. If you do not remember the exact words, say that you are paraphrasing.
- List every document connected to the event: agreement, letter, portal message, prescription refusal, policy, discharge paper, email, or notice.
- Separate what you personally observed from what somebody told you and from what you believe caused it.
- Write down what you still do not know. Those unknowns become the questions later.
What it looks like when done correctly
Documents: Agreement copy and portal message.
Still unknown: Whether the requirement comes from Oklahoma law, a licensing rule, an insurer, or the clinic’s own policy.
What goes wrong
“The government forced my doctor to abandon me.” That may eventually become an argument, but it is not yet a usable event record because it combines the event, the responsible actor, and the cause before those things have been established.
Do not move on until you have this
A one-page factual chronology with dates, actors, documents, exact language where known, and a short list of unanswered questions.
If you get stuck on this step, use the Work the record route on the Seeds of Vice contact page. Send the smallest useful source or question you have. Seeds of Vice can help identify the authority, narrow the question, or classify what came back.