When my daughter was about two she had to have tubes put in her ears. We were terrified, she thought it was great fun. The next year she had to have them again, she was so excited, until the nurse gave her a shot. When I asked why she had to have a shot, we were told it was to calm her before surgery, something the anesthesiologist ordered. I thought it sounded strange since she had been calm and ready to go. Anyway, she got the shot, was furious, and definitely NOT calm.
The next year she was four and needed tubes yet again. She was not happy this time. She didn't want that shot! When we went for her appointment with her ENT I asked him why she had to have a shot to calm her when she was already calm. He said she didn't have to have any shots. After a long conversation about the previous year's experience,he finally gave me the best medical advice anyone had ever given me. He said, " You're the mom aren't you? YOU never let anyone do anything you're uncomfortable with even if it's me!"
I have to say it had never occurred to me that I didn't have to do what the doctor said. They were supposed to be the ones that knew best. This sweet man had opened my eyes and taught me a valuable lesson.
A few years later on top of a very long hospitalization for pneumonia, we were told that Grace was going to have to have a permanent feeding tube because she was underweight. Yes, she was always a skinny kid, but the feeding tube seemed to be too much. After all, she had been sick for about 3 months, she had lost weight. I argued with her doctors and was told that she was just too skinny and had to have the surgery. My husband had gone home to work and I was at my wits end about this. He told me not to let them do anything until he got back in a couple days, which happened to be the day they planned on the surgery. After talking with our daughter about it and a lot of prayer, we asked to meet with the doctor and told him we wanted to wait 6 months for the feeding tube. We suggested that a nutritionist meet with Grace and we give her the knowledge and power she needed to put on some weight. She has to be the only person I know that is encouraged to run through the McDonald's drive through and order fries and milkshakes. It has taken a while, although still thin, she doesn't have the nutritionist telling her she needs to gain more weight. Now they just tell her don't lose any.
I don't think we would have had the courage to go against the doctor's recommendation on the feeding tube without the ENT's words echoing in my ears. We were just not comfortable with having an unnecessary surgery.
Oh almost forgot, back to the four year old that didn't want the shot. I'll admit it took insisting on talking to the supervisors and the anesthesiologist, but she didn't get that shot and walked into the pre-surgery room with a huge smile on her face.
The next year she was four and needed tubes yet again. She was not happy this time. She didn't want that shot! When we went for her appointment with her ENT I asked him why she had to have a shot to calm her when she was already calm. He said she didn't have to have any shots. After a long conversation about the previous year's experience,he finally gave me the best medical advice anyone had ever given me. He said, " You're the mom aren't you? YOU never let anyone do anything you're uncomfortable with even if it's me!"
I have to say it had never occurred to me that I didn't have to do what the doctor said. They were supposed to be the ones that knew best. This sweet man had opened my eyes and taught me a valuable lesson.
A few years later on top of a very long hospitalization for pneumonia, we were told that Grace was going to have to have a permanent feeding tube because she was underweight. Yes, she was always a skinny kid, but the feeding tube seemed to be too much. After all, she had been sick for about 3 months, she had lost weight. I argued with her doctors and was told that she was just too skinny and had to have the surgery. My husband had gone home to work and I was at my wits end about this. He told me not to let them do anything until he got back in a couple days, which happened to be the day they planned on the surgery. After talking with our daughter about it and a lot of prayer, we asked to meet with the doctor and told him we wanted to wait 6 months for the feeding tube. We suggested that a nutritionist meet with Grace and we give her the knowledge and power she needed to put on some weight. She has to be the only person I know that is encouraged to run through the McDonald's drive through and order fries and milkshakes. It has taken a while, although still thin, she doesn't have the nutritionist telling her she needs to gain more weight. Now they just tell her don't lose any.
I don't think we would have had the courage to go against the doctor's recommendation on the feeding tube without the ENT's words echoing in my ears. We were just not comfortable with having an unnecessary surgery.
Oh almost forgot, back to the four year old that didn't want the shot. I'll admit it took insisting on talking to the supervisors and the anesthesiologist, but she didn't get that shot and walked into the pre-surgery room with a huge smile on her face.
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