Surely they must be dissatisfied too?
So today , for the second time in three days we (me and the boys) made the not insignificant trek to the big health insurance company clinic so that mainly, Eldest could get cought upon a few vaxes and also so that I could have Naughty's toe evaluated as it's been suppurating on and off for ten days. But I get ahead of myself.
You may have caught from earlier posts that I have a deep and abiding dislike for the healthcare system in the States. Sadly, the clinic which I am forced to frequent (by insurance company dicate) with my family is a large part of this. I HATE being told who I must see, I hate even more being told who I may not see - as with my strep vignette - I wanted to see a doctor but was told I was only able - or they'd only let me - to see an RN. Perhaps it's the midwife in me, but this doesn't engender trust of my "caregivers". The parent in me becomes downright protective and defensive around these people who I don't know, who don't know me, or my children, or anything else about us. But they sure like taking the goddamn $20 co-pay. Grrrr.
Anyway so the story begins a week or so back when a blister was rubbed on Naughty's third toe as he frolicked outdoors in rubber boots with NO socks. His request, and one I wasn't energized enough to fight for the 47 millionth time - I was lucky he had any footwear on at all. Not a big blister, just a little one. 'Bout three days later we noticed it was red and a bit swollen as he was bathing. Naughty dubbed it "Owie-boo-boo". We left for Canada for an overnight stay, he cried all the way up there in the car, and when we arrived at the hotel, he's divested himself of his shoes and socks and was limping. 2y/o's don't limp unless something really hurts. His toe was swollen about three times it's usual size and a scarlet line trailed up his foot towards his ankle. Any examination was met with serious drama. So I did what I do when small stuff gets infected. I put it in hot salty water and let it soak. Soak we did until, with a little encouragement from yours truly it drained magnificently. Pus central. I applied some antibiotic ointment to the resultant crevice, whacked a bandaid on and gave him some ibuprofen for the pain. Next day, swelling is gone, creepy red lines vanished, and we're no longer limping.
We have repeated this process about three times in a week though. Toe gets better for a day or so then swells up again and must be drained. Clearly something's infected, soaking's not working, might be time for a little pharmaceutical goodness. So, feeling more than a little silly to be making a doctors visit for an infected toe we headed in. I did so in the knowledge that the soaking treatment last night was very effective, the swelling and heat (for the moment) are gone, and while it is red (or purplish, really) it doesn't hurt.
I explained the situation to the nurse she agreed that it was probably infected. Then doctor walked in. I tried to explain the situation, he took one look at it, cut me off and tried to tell me that he had a blister. He suggested I take a pumice stone to it.
"No," I said "listen to what I'm saying"
He listened, a vaguely confused look on his face, then scolded me for treating his foot as I had. "That's our job." he said.
Exasperated?!?!
I told him I was there to have it assessed because clearly as it kept coming back I wondered if it needed an antibiotic.
"You did such a good job it's fine now, I can't do anything. Bring him back if it starts swelling and oozing again."
And then he walked out.
So to just spell out where that left us
It all makes me wonder what these doctors were thinking about when they went into medical school. Did they seek to build relationships of caring with their patients and their families? Or did they see their role as being like workers standing by the cattle shute jabbing drench down passing throats?
You may have caught from earlier posts that I have a deep and abiding dislike for the healthcare system in the States. Sadly, the clinic which I am forced to frequent (by insurance company dicate) with my family is a large part of this. I HATE being told who I must see, I hate even more being told who I may not see - as with my strep vignette - I wanted to see a doctor but was told I was only able - or they'd only let me - to see an RN. Perhaps it's the midwife in me, but this doesn't engender trust of my "caregivers". The parent in me becomes downright protective and defensive around these people who I don't know, who don't know me, or my children, or anything else about us. But they sure like taking the goddamn $20 co-pay. Grrrr.
Anyway so the story begins a week or so back when a blister was rubbed on Naughty's third toe as he frolicked outdoors in rubber boots with NO socks. His request, and one I wasn't energized enough to fight for the 47 millionth time - I was lucky he had any footwear on at all. Not a big blister, just a little one. 'Bout three days later we noticed it was red and a bit swollen as he was bathing. Naughty dubbed it "Owie-boo-boo". We left for Canada for an overnight stay, he cried all the way up there in the car, and when we arrived at the hotel, he's divested himself of his shoes and socks and was limping. 2y/o's don't limp unless something really hurts. His toe was swollen about three times it's usual size and a scarlet line trailed up his foot towards his ankle. Any examination was met with serious drama. So I did what I do when small stuff gets infected. I put it in hot salty water and let it soak. Soak we did until, with a little encouragement from yours truly it drained magnificently. Pus central. I applied some antibiotic ointment to the resultant crevice, whacked a bandaid on and gave him some ibuprofen for the pain. Next day, swelling is gone, creepy red lines vanished, and we're no longer limping.
We have repeated this process about three times in a week though. Toe gets better for a day or so then swells up again and must be drained. Clearly something's infected, soaking's not working, might be time for a little pharmaceutical goodness. So, feeling more than a little silly to be making a doctors visit for an infected toe we headed in. I did so in the knowledge that the soaking treatment last night was very effective, the swelling and heat (for the moment) are gone, and while it is red (or purplish, really) it doesn't hurt.
I explained the situation to the nurse she agreed that it was probably infected. Then doctor walked in. I tried to explain the situation, he took one look at it, cut me off and tried to tell me that he had a blister. He suggested I take a pumice stone to it.
"No," I said "listen to what I'm saying"
He listened, a vaguely confused look on his face, then scolded me for treating his foot as I had. "That's our job." he said.
Exasperated?!?!
I told him I was there to have it assessed because clearly as it kept coming back I wondered if it needed an antibiotic.
"You did such a good job it's fine now, I can't do anything. Bring him back if it starts swelling and oozing again."
And then he walked out.
So to just spell out where that left us
- Out $20.00
- Toe still probably infected
- Toddler screaming after toe has been well prodded
- Me: scolded, pissed off and likely to have to make another visit (with all the telephone, vehicular and time logistics that entails), spend another $20.00 and probably most upsetting, I have to wait until my kids toe is inflamed, painful, red, oozing and infected AGAIN before he can get treatment for this.
It all makes me wonder what these doctors were thinking about when they went into medical school. Did they seek to build relationships of caring with their patients and their families? Or did they see their role as being like workers standing by the cattle shute jabbing drench down passing throats?
posted by Louisa at 5:08 PM
3 Comments:
That is how I feel everytime I go to the doctor too!! I wish midwives could practice family medicine too, that would be soo great.
So sorry for you and your little one. I hope all is better soon and without having to go back to the doctor/nurse office.
Oh goodness. What a humongous pain in the ass. I'm sorry your clinic sucks it.
We found a doctor we like and still go there, even though it is now over an hour away, because it is such a huge gamble trying to find a decent practice. I think that your experience is very, very common. I don't think that doctors are trained to trust what comes out of their clients' mouths, much less act like their clients are intelligent people.
Would you care, for the edification of us US-born'd peoples, to outline how it would have happened whereabouts you're from?
that totally sucks, Louisa. yes, health care here is not even for the birds!
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