April 28, 2011

Infirmities


My kids have been surprisingly healthy this winter. I knew that it was a matter of time until one of them got sick.

As fate would have it, my daughter woke up with a fever and sore throat on the same day that we noticed that our cat had chewed off all the hair on its ears.

"Have a fun day," my husband smirked as he left for work.

We went to the vet first. The vet tech who collected our information became very excited when she saw our address.

"You live right by Samantha and Louie and Veronica!" she cried.

The names didn't ring a bell.

"I love those little snoogums," she continued. "They were just in last week for their shots."

That's when I realized that the neighbors to which she was referring were cats.

The vet could tell right away that our cat had an ear infection. "Poor kitty cat," she purred as she rubbed her face against my cat's cheek. "We're going to make you all better. Yes we are."

The vet tech practically started crying when she went to take the cat's temperature. "This hurts me as much as it hurts you," she told her new furry friend. She visibly cringed as the thermometer went in.

Next up was the pediatrician.

The doctor barely looked at us when she walked in. "Open your mouth," she said. My daughter complied. After swabbing Camber's mouth, the doctor left the room. And never returned.

Fifteen minutes later, I poked my head out the door. "Hello?" I called. Eventually a nurse acknowledged my presence.

I asked her about the results of the culture. She looked at me like I was stupid. "It was positive," she said. "There's a prescription for you at the check out desk."

While I was swiping my credit card, Camber asked the receptionist for a sticker.

The woman stared at me blankly. "We're out," she replied.

42 comments

~Christine~ said...

I hate going to the doctor. It seems like you are "herded" in like cattle and out as fast as they can. What ever happened to "bedside manner" or even house calls! ha ha

Life by Cynthia said...

Wow.

I was a little annoyed at first with the vet and the over the top "cutesy-ness" but man - the pediatricians office sucks. It surely is apparent when someone actually LIKES their job and cares about how they do it. It's crazy that our pets get better care and attention than our children!

Great Post!

Cynthia
Mommied Life by Cynthia|My Life as Mom

Lisa said...

Yikes. Time to find a new pediatrician? Sheesh.

I hope Camber is better soon. (And kitty too)

Morgan Hagey said...

Maybe you should see if the vet will see kids...

Catie said...

Oh my word...I would have had to hold my tongue at the doctors office...it is like they think "our time" isn't valuable!

Arizona Sun said...

Yeah. I hate it when you sit and wait for the doctor longer than you actually see the doctor.

KK said...

Ha ha, that cracks me up--and pretty much sums up healthcare and everything else in FL!

Thanks for always making me laugh.

Anonymous said...

I am thankful we have wonderful pediatricians for the kids... but it always gets me how we wait 1/2 hour for a 5 minute visit! I hope she is feeling better and got a sucker!

Jennifer said...

UGH THAT DOC IS A QUACK! I love my Dr Ive been blessed to have one that enjoys his job, and doubly blessed that he went to school for over 24 years to become an all around dr. Hes our gyno, obstetrician, pediatrician, family doc and surgeon. If your ever in West TX hit me up and Ill give you his number. Hes great with my kids even when they go in with me they get rewarded for good behavior and they love to go see him even if it means they have to get shots! At least the vet was compationate!

Mal said...

Ugh! I have been to that doctor before. Seriously, I've like sat in a number of waiting rooms just sitting there. Minutes--like, 30 of them--pass by until finally I look out and someone's like, "Oh, you're still here?" YEAH! Why would I leave when I didn't even know the apparition who swooped into the office while I was blinking was a living being, much less a licensed doctor?

Unknown said...

Good grief! I'd have said something by now for sure! That's is terrible ... lucky kitty had a good vet.

Sorry you had to endure such a cold Drs. office.

Hope the wee one feels better & kitty heals quickly.

Have a wonderful weekend.
TTFN ~
Marydon

Anonymous said...

When we moved a few years back, my husband was quick to point out that I'd found an awesome vet for the dog before I looked for a pediatrician for the kids. Oops. :)

Unknown said...

Yeah, I know the feeling. Went to the doctor today and the doctor barely looked at me to talk to me and went off of my diagnosis to diagnose me, wrote me a prescription and sent me out the door. He didn't look at my nose, throat, ears, feel my lymph nodes or anything! I've been sick for over two months! Must be the wrong day to go to the doctor!

A Musing Mother said...

But did the pediatrician take her temperature? There are so many options for this procedure in a human girl...

Jenner said...

Wow, it's sad when the vet is nicer than the child's doctor!

deila taylor said...

Maybe we should all go to the vet for our checkups from now on -- better bedside manner.

The Miller Five said...

Are you sure you aren't in DC? That sounds like every doctor I've seen out here. Bedside manner is dead.

Chelle said...

Sounds to me you should take your daughter to the vet next time.

Nancy at EmbroideryIt.com said...

Oh that stinks at the pediatrician's office. I havve to make one comment on your cat's picture. Are you familiar with the Star Trek episode "Trouble with Tribbles?" Yes, in this picture, your cat looks just like a tribble. Very cute.

Rachel said...

go figure the doctor with more personality is the vet! We used to have a pediatrician like that, until I switched...now the one we have is super nice, and takes the time to talk to my daughter (even though she's not yet 2) and make sure all my questions are answered.

maybe leave a comment card about the lack of stickers? :) great blog.

christine said...

I think you need a new Pediatrician. If your doctor treats you or your child like that, than he/she shouldn't be your doctor.

There are lots of good pediatricians out there. I'm married to one.

Jensamom23 said...

Wonder if your vet could see your kiddos. Hope everyone is better doon!

Unknown said...

Maybe if you had dressed the kid in a cat suit the service would have been better or you could have smuggled into the vets for a check up. Either way I'm thinking win win.

eliana23 said...

The kids will totally survive if you switch them to the vet.

Beth in GA said...

Your vet sounds awesome! I'd have been ticked off at the pediatrician visit though. I'm very thankful that our ped's office is fantastic, except for one doc (out of 5) that doesn't have the best bedside manner... we choose to see the nurse practitioner if he's the only one with available appointments. Oh, and I agree with other comments, you should see if your vet takes kids!

Owl Bee said...

We have strep here this week too :(
And a little unsolicited advice is try out:
All about Kids Pediatrics. They are awesome! Dr. Fransisco in the Windermere office is the BEST(and it is in the same shopping center as Boyds LDS books, across from the Temple). Make the switch!

Sara Lucinda Bell said...

That kind of attitude/behavior makes me prefer animals to people!
And thus the cycle repeats!
=P

Unknown said...

That is just sad. I understand that with exorbitantly high medical malpractice insurance prices that doctors are limited in the amount of time they can spend with a patient, but not even coming back to tell you the results?? You should have gotten snippy, at the very least.

I agree with several other commenters, time to find a new pediatrician!

Mary Downey said...

I'm in the Central Florida area and know of a couple of FANTASTIC Pediatricians offices. Just E-mail me if you'd like me to give you the info.

Catherine Dabels said...

How does a cat chew it's own ear hair?

Gabrielle Mappone said...

You should have said "What a coincidence, I am out of checks today"

Shay said...

This is why I'm so grateful our girls' pediatrician knows my husband personally! We get all the attention and love our kids need. Are you terribly irritated, because I'm really irritated. and it wasn't even my child's appointment! LOL

Unknown said...

Oh, my word! I love reading your blog. Just sayin...

Lanie said...

I have 4 children and live just outside of DC... I love that all the communities pride themselves on being pet friendly and most of the residents of the area glare at me and my 4 children while out walking their dogs... Really... What is wrong in the world when pets are so much more important then children.

Joanna Wilson said...

next time tell them you are a lawyer-works every time (course i am a lawyer-but what's a little lie between friends?)

The Turn-Around said...

Sorry about your kitty and your kids! I am a vet tech and we really do love animals...maybe a little too much for some people. :)

I have been in and out of a hundred doctors' offices...and I hate the waiting. Sometimes they just LEAVE and expect you to know where to go. Just because they work there every day doesn't mean that a brand new patient knows to take their own chart and deliver it to the person in the 3rd door down the hall... My best personal experience was sitting in the gyno office, naked, for 15 minutes before they came in and wondered why I wasn't dressed yet.

Anonymous said...

vet sounds super. story about the dr makes my blood boil. never ever never go back! there are so many better docs out there!

Not so typical said...

Geez- I'd find a new doctor office

Robert Michael said...

HAHA this post made me laugh out loud. People can be so unpleasant without any need or they can be so perky it makes you want to vomit. lol. Sounds like you did have a "fun" day.

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Anonymous said...

I really hate the doctor. I don't take my kids. If they get sick I research the symptoms, make a few calls and remedy it myself. Yes, my family is really healthy so far, we do a lot of preventative - so I have not had major issues which need a specialist- I count my blessings. But really--lots of things we can care for ourselves, and then we don't waste our money and time and sanity.

Notcathy@ Happy Nappers Review said...

Sometimes, I am afraid to trust doctor's but thanks god I've found the good one, she is really great. I think you would need to find another pediatrician. :) By the way, thanks for sharing this post with us..:)