28th July 2009

Did My Pediatrician Just Fire Me?

Melina Vocalization
Melina this past Sunday at Patricia’s House

The past three weeks have been frustrating.  While I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Melina had experienced some issues - and that I wasn’t happy with the pediatrician’s solution, I was further bothered by a phone call with the nurse last week.  A nurse made a comment about “I don’t want to discredit you because you are a first-time Mom, but I don’t think that cry that you heard is because ….” I became pretty annoyed with this statement.  I’ve heard a lot of Moms say, doctors will discredit you because you are a first-time Mom, but I’ve always been happy with my pediatrician’s office - in fact I really like my pediatrician and her staff.  But this particular nurse’s comments - it bothered me -enough for me to tell her that, and to “politely” end the call. 

I had scheduled a consult with an integrated care pediatrician to learn more about baby massage and if needed, baby chiropractics.  Melina was suffering from a minor medical issue - on a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this a 1 (meaning minor). 

 I’ve seen extreme benefits over my adult life from integrated care, and strongly believe in alternative medicine in addition to traditional medicine.  Whether it’s shiatsu (my favorite), massage, chiropractics, eating healthy (yes, alternative for some), or just good ole positive mindset and outlook, I’m a big believer in trying things other than drugs.   I believe that in some cases drugs create more problems.  Of course, if antibiotics are needed, I’m okay with them, but if we can alter our lifestyle instead of taking a drug, I’m in favor of learning more. 

I’ve put my animals through integrated care and believe in many cases it has saved their lives, or significantly extended their lives.  So, when I learned through my integrated pet care specialist, Dr. Donn Griffith and his son, Bryan Griffith, about Dr. Sant (Whole Kids Pediatrics) - I was curious to see what Dr. Sant could offer Melina and I.  But due to my overall happiness at current pediatrician’s practice (name withheld), I saw no reason to see Dr. Sant. 

Until Melina started having problems three weeks ago.  I didn’t care for the solutions that my current pediatrician was endorsing.  I knew it was minor stuff to them and in the big picture to Melina and I.  But seeing my child cry going to the bathroom, and after going to the bathroom, was doing me in.  In fact, it seemed as if she was sobbing after using the bathroom.  This worried me - and thus the call to the doctor/nurse.  Thus the answer of the nurse above -and thus, a call ensued with the doctor.

My ped doctor was very calm, kind, and patient.  She heard me out.  I like her very much.  But the doctor indicated that the nurse had apparently cried after my call with her two days previous - which I was somewhat questioning but hey, we all have our emotions and they are to be respected - and the doctor began to suggest that perhaps their pediatric practice was not a good fit for me.  Huh?  Did my pediatrician just break up with me?

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  So I might wonder if the practice stuck me with the new doc (new to the practice) because I’m a first-time Mom (although I ended up preferring her way over any other ped there), and the first time I have an issue with a nurse, is my pediatrician really suggesting I go elsewhere? 

Perhaps it’s because I wanted modified vaccine schedules so that Melina was getting no more than two shots at a time.  Perhaps it’s because I had called three times about my kid in the context of her pooping.  Perhaps it’s because I wanted to make sure this had nothing to do with sacral dimple, and the two ultrasounds she’d had.  Perhaps it’s because when someone mentions the possibility of tethered cord at one ultrasound, you don’t look upon that lightly.  You’d be an idiot if you did, and something happened later down the road.

I didn’t like the solution they were proposing for Melina (laxatives - albeit mild they said), and asked for other suggestions.  I’m annoyed about their suggestion I go elsewhere and that if I was going to see Dr. Sant, that I go there definitively - well, indicating that “I like Dr. S - and I’d have my own kids go there - blah blah blah.”  I’m shocked from a professional perspective - I am often approached by people new to search marketing.  I have to spend more time with them, and at times might admit, it’s hard to deal with.  When they suggest they are going to talk to another practitioner, I half fall off my chair pushing them in that direction.  I absolutely encourage 2nd and 3rd opinions.  More educated customers are better customers.  But I don’t typically tell them another place is better, unless of course the customer has no money…..

But to suggest I go elsewhere annoyed me.  I could be kinda flippant and say, “Holy Shit - did my ped just break up with me?”  Funny in a way.

So, here’s the good news - I am not convinced that I have to switch docs because of one thing.  But, since pediatricians seem to prefer that you switch due to care, protocol, okay maybe.  I took Melina to Dr. Sant on Friday.  She suggested spinach & kale, steamed, to be worked into Melina’s diet.  She showed me how to massage Melina’s tummy with some olive oil (yes, nothing expensive, just simple as your kitchen cabinet stock).  She suggested Probiotics because Melina was born under c-section and was exposed to antiobiotics.  She suggested Benefiber. 

Melina started going just fine on Saturday.  After a delightful lunch with a good friend, Patricia Bright (see picture below), Melina is on the go and enjoying life.  Patricia is one of those integrated care specialists that I began to go to years ago, after a doctor prescribed medicine that negatively affected me.  I started going to Patricia and things that no doctor could fix were fixed by Patricia.  She’s since moved onto mindfulness meditation for job seekers.  And she is always a warm gentle spirit for my child. 

As Patricia says on her blog entry dated the 29th of July -
“Beginner’s Mind:  with fresh eyes and an open attitude you can begin anything.”

Melina beginning to crawl - getting antsy about staying in one position for long

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