I'm not really the type to give people a piece of my mind. I really do like to give them the benefit of the doubt unless really provoked.
But today I served up a big giant piece of my mind on a silver platter to the nurse at our pediatrician's office.
First of all, do not insinuate that I don't care about my daughter's health if I just want to drop off her urine sample instead of coming and waiting endlessly in the after-hours care when there are no day-time appointments available. Of course I care about her health, that's why I'm calling.
I also know that waiting in a waiting room to have a doctor say "we need a urine specimen" creates the exact same results as walking in and leaving the specimen with the nurses before closing time...I'm already well aware of the fact that "we need a urine specimen." I know from two years experience exactly what a UTI smells and looks like. There's no question in my mind.
I also know that the doctor can't diagnose which bacteria are involved in the infection simply by looking at her sweet face covered in cold sores again because of the stress these darn things cause. So why in Heaven's name to we have to "see" a doctor to leave a specimen??
And of course, I also know that I have to adhere to some small-print rule in the crazy doctor/insurance-agreement-to-get-as-many-co-pays-from-you-as-possible-conspiracy that I have to have our pediatrician diagnose the darn UTI before I can take her to the urologist specialist once again who told me last time that he thought she had finally outgrown her reflux.
I should have known better.
After all, I am her Mother.
This "talking-down-to-me" nurse is the same one who acted like I have no sense in my brain whatsoever when I was dealing with Lucy's syndrome diagnosis and what further steps need to be taken. And again on a mild diaper rash I didn't take Lucy in for the instant it showed up since we were up in the mountains away from doctors or phone reception. It was a diaper rash for crying out loud! One of dozens that this particular girl has had and I knew waiting a day wasn't going to kill her.
I let her know on no uncertain terms that I am a Mother. I have five children. I have dealt with everything from ear infections to insomnia to rare syndromes and mysterious rashes. I do know a thing or two from my hundreds of trips to various specialists and time and time again to my pediatrician. And I know my kids much better than she does.
After the poor nurse digested the piece of my mind I offered she came to her senses. The specimen is on it's way to culture and Dave's picking up yet another round of our trusty antibiotics I can't stand to have filling our fridge.
Whoa! That sure just spilled out but I feel much better now. I know this nurse was probably just trying to do her job. And I really don't think she was intentionally trying to be smug. I just felt like she really needed to know that Mothers DO know a thing or two. Sure, she's gone to school and she knows much more than I do about the nuts and bolts of medical matters. I respect that. But I hope she'll think twice before she talks down to a Mother again.Labels: health, mothering, thoughts