Whatever happened to doctors who made house-calls or checked in on their patients when they knew they weren’t feeling well? I’ve heard tales like that, but in my life I’ve never actually seen it, and if recent events are any indication, I doubt I will see it anytime soon.
In the last couple of weeks, I have had quite a few opportunities to visit my favorite medical professionals. I know they have a difficult and sometimes thankless job, but my only advice is know when you’re going to get sick, and plan ahead. It may sound impossible, but if you see what happens when you don’t, you’ll understand why.
For months and months and months, my 16 month old baby has been suffering with horrible allergies. We tried one doctor after another (many of whom refused to even entertain the idea of allergies), who suggested everything from eating only organic, wheat-free, dairy-free foods to investing in humidifiers and dehumidifiers and air filters to “cleansing our auras” – but nothing seemed to work. It took months, and finally someone said, maybe it’s just allergies and prescribed some medicine.
Although I was quite annoyed that no one had listened to my allergy theory at the beginning and saved us some time, I was thrilled to see my baby stop looking like the slime monster from an episode of Scooby-Doo, and even more excited that we could both finally get a full night’s sleep.
That is until last week when farmers began cutting hay and the worst pollen-spreading flowers begin to pop up on every hill, lawn and garden. So with my little slime monster back in full force, I called an allergist to make an appointment. They got us in, but it will be December before anyone can see him. So, if he’s allergic to Santa Claus, snow or Christmas cookies, then we’re in luck, but if it’s a seasonal allergy, I’m not really sure what they’ll find.
I also had to go to the doctor’s office recently. After being rushed in for some blood tests that had to be done “as soon as possible,” I’ll admit, I was a little nervous about what the doctor was looking for and what she would find. I waited until the following day to call and get the results. Apparently that was a big mistake.
The girl on the phone sounded sweet, as she assured me that the doctor would have a nurse call me as soon as she got back from her two-week vacation and found time to look at the test results and write down what they meant and give them to her nurse.
As it turned out, nothing was seriously wrong, but for two weeks I wasn’t too sure.
So, I’ve learned an important lesson, plan ahead. In fact, I’ve already called the allergy specialist to make an appointment for next summer, just in case the allergy problem still hasn’t been solved. That way we should get in to see them sometime before 2012.