Need to vent!

[admin]

Hi all! I know I just posted a happy letter yesterday, but today I had a bad experience with a doctor. I went to Loma Linda to see thier specialist that had seen Bobbi before surgery at T.C.H. and he said that she didnt look any different and he didnt see why we went to have the surgery since he wouldnt give the refferral we had to pay cash and he said all the babys that get recovery get it anyways or not no surgery nessessary. I was upset and told him that he was un-educated and needed to read all the information I received from Texas and this web site so that all of the poor children he was treating for this injury would have half a chance of getting a full recovery...or at least some recovery at all! I gave him 14 pages of info not that I think he will change his ways, but maybey it will make him think about the new proceedures that he is unfurmiliar with. I am never going back to him, he said he sees no change in my daughter that growth wouldnt have eventually changed anyways. I did call my ins. co. and asked for a new doctor in this field. I am verry upset with this one. How can you get a doctor to change his ways after 40 years? I guess you can only put the thought in their heads. Maybey he will read and learn. Thanks for listening Jennifer, Bobbi's mom.

[francine]

I recently met a doctor who said "with a medical certaintly" that the surgeries are baloney....what's with these doctors? Wish she lived at my house for the last 5 years - or I wish I taped the WHOLE last 5 years. Somebody should slap these jerks silly.

[Karen Hillyer]

We have these Doctors over here too! they KNOW that ALL children with a bpi get better, just like they KNOW that once you've had a shoulder dystocia delivery, it WON'T happen again ( ha ha ha)
when faced with these Doctors my personal favourite response is;
" would you mind writing that down in the medical records?"
the usual response is "why?"
the comes my answer;
"so that when Gavin's arm doesn't get better, I have it in his records that you have told me categorically that it will, so then it makes it much easier for me to sue the relevent authorities"

it's amazing the repsonse this request brings - you can be referred on to any one after that!!! LOL
Karen

[admin]

How frustrating! We have been in similar situations. It is a HORRIBLE experience and we have heard it from more then one doctor. Mindsets are a hard thing to change especially in old doctors who think they know it all. The one thing I have seen that does help teach an old dog new tricks is published research. For us, we have heard it sooooo many times from other doctors (that I could scream) that this field is in its infancy and that a lot of the outcomes have not been truly studied and followed. I think that even if they were not blind and could see the results in front of their eyes that it would take some data to convince them. I think that is why it is important so that we can get referrals, etc. The biggest JERK here in town has a very important position with our child rehab program and you should hear his opinions (or maybe you shouldn't), but he HIGHLY respects Gilbert and his work, and a lot of that is based on the fact that he studies and publishes his outcomes.

Did you share with him all the progress you have seen? How does he KNOW it would've happened without the surgery? What is he basing that on? Sometimes it is truly the case but not often.

[francine]

Karen - that is AWESOME - I will have to start doing that!!!

[Missy K]

Ooohh! Karen...awesome response! Love it!

Jennifer, I know where you're coming from too. Fustrating, isn't it.

[Cara]

We had a neurologist do the same thing. His veiw was that Rosalynn would have a good "helper arm" He also went on to act like I was an idiot to believe anything I read on the internet. I used my canned line that the internet is only a medium for transmitting information. By it being a medium, like any other form of mass communication, it is neither rare or well done. I know it has a great deal of junk, but I use reliable sites, check my sources. I have had animal physiology classes in college. I have taught animal science. I have a good understanding of how a body works and heals. If I, who has never gone to medical school, can understand how surgery can help, why can't a doctor? As a teacher I am expected to be a life long learner and continually better my craft. I expect no less from a doctor. Needless to say we are no longer seeing him. You have every right to vent/be upset. some people are educated beyond their intellegence and start to think they know everything.

[admin]

Thank you all for your comments I am so glad to have all of you!!! I cried all nite and reading these posts from you all makes me feel so much better lol,Jennifer Bobbi's mom.

[Mommyanders]

Karen, you have such amazing answers for doctor's! That's a really cool one! LOL!

Kari
http://www.calebsjourney.anderson-clan.org

[Mommyanders]

My aunt is a doctor. And she was one of the biggest advicates for me to get Caleb in to see an specialist. When I asked her why she was bugging me so much (this was when I was still in denial and listening to a very DUMB doctor who told me everything would be OK) she told me that as a Physician you only have to see one of your patients not recover to change your thinking completely. I guess she had a patient who did not recover and it was through that experience she was able to learn about specialists who can help our little one. I just wish we would have more docs who saw things as my Aunt does.

Hugs,

Kari
http://www.calebsjourney.anderson-clan.org