Medical Visits: Get Used to Feeling Like an Ass
Every new parent has to debate on calling the Midwife/Doctor/OBGYN/Pediatrician for something at some point.
No matter how wonderful (or awful) your professional is, you can't help but sometimes walking away feeling like a dork. I once went to see my OBGYN for a weird rash on my side that I thought was shingles that turned out being the seam of my new "tarp" shirt rubbing on my skin. Then, when my son was born, I waited more than a week to take him in for what turned out to be a wicked yeast rash. I was told it was because I wasn't changing his diaper enough so I was clearly neglecting him on two levels. Great.
To this I say, "whatever". Everyone says to trust your instincts but often you really aren't sure what to do so I worked out these handy diagrams to remind you to suck it up, Buttercup and just shrug your shoulders and move on.
Odds are you're going to feel like either a Overprotective Worry Wart or a cast member from The Real Housewives of Shitty City, but sometimes you're right and that's just gold, Ponyboy.
8 Comments
Reader Comments (8)
If somethign hasn't physically fallen off me or my child, I just rub Aquaphor on it and call it a day.
With my youngest, I took him in for a cold... was told it was 'nothing'... tried what they said, brought him back, told it was just a cold... it would go away on it's own... told to go away. Took him to the ER three more times, got that 'Lord crazy mom'...
I really got to thinking that they thought I wanted something to be wrong with him. Sure, he always perked back up the minute we hit the ER doors.
The last time in that round, I ignored my inution that he really did need to be seen because that Sunday's chest xray was 'fine' and the fever was 'fine' and to 'quit worrying'. I was told if the fever continued for more than 3 days, then to bring him back in at that point.
I didn't sleep Tuesday night very well because I was sure he was going to die on me from that fever... cold my ass... I took him into the ER and the doctor was like- It's a cold, still, but we will humor you... and take another look at him.
We spent the next week (or just shy of a week) in the ICU... he had horrible, horrible pneumonia, and was drowning on the liquid in his lung, had to be suctioned, etc..
He was six months old. Mommy's intuition... maybe if they had listened better (or I pushed harder a few visits before, we would have caught it before it became life-threatening...). I will be that worrisome mom any day of the week...
I'm lucky that ob/gyns in France give you their cell phone number so you can call them up with concerns anytime, day or night. I guess they trust they're not gonna get a bunch of stupid phone calls or maybe they don't care if they do, but I know I loved it because I was on edge with my second pregnancy and instead of making me feel like an ass about it when it turned out to be nothing serious, my doctor always said, 'trust your intuition and call me anytime, I'd rather we're safe than sorry.' I will always be grateful to him for that.
I just wanted to say I loved the last part "...sometimes you're right and that's just gold, Ponyboy."
Great reference on so many levels.
Very true!!! I have added this webpage link to my blog about my emotional and sympathy weight struggles as a new father to be (she's 14 weeks) http://babyinmybaby.blogspot.com/ All the Best and thanks for providing this resource!
Hahaha hilarious, because it's so true. I've driven two hrs to the baby dr to him tell me she's fine....IDIOT!! (she didn't want to BF, well who would after they've been given a bottle for a few days, smart cookie...)
Ohhhh... I feel this. So far I've gotten rolled eyes, insinuations that I don't know what Braxton-Hicks contractions are (4th pregnancy here), scolded for not gaining enough weight (I've gained 27lbs), told that I was over-reacting to normal vaginal irritation of pregnancy (lab came back with an obvious infection, which I had been trying to tell her i was pretty sure I had again (I'd had it earlier on as well)- go figure), etc, etc...
But I'm almost done. I'm so looking forward to having my body back!
I love the reference to 'The Outsiders' too! That's golden, Ponyboy :)
So, so true - it's such a fine line between hysterical woman/parent and crazy/neglectful person! I love my OB but I think I might give him the link to this page...