Wanted: The Great Physician

I've come to the conclusion that in most matters, pediatricians are just about worthless. Because they're afraid of creating super bugs and getting sued, they won't give parents any medicine! Last year, Wyatt had 102 temperature for a couple days, but when I took him in, I went home without any medicine. So I now know why children get really sick and die: doctors have made mothers think it's worthless to drag a sick child into the office just for them to say, "Yeah, he's sick but probably just a cold. Lots of liquids. Go home. If not better in a few days, come back." And with insurance deductibles so high, it really makes mothers feel like, "Well, I could have paid myself the $100 and given the same diagnosis."

But today, I prayed my way through after-school teenage drivers to take Amelia to the doctor. I wanted something besides my grandmother's suggestion of whiskey to help her (and me) sleep tonight. Last night, she was up crying for 3 hours straight. I think her gums are sore: she doesn't want your finger in her mouth anymore, chews on objects with her side gums, is fussy more during the day, and tries to even suck on the bottle out the side of her mouth (which doesn't work too well). Ibuprofen and Tylenol and baby orajel just aren't cutting it at night.

My doctor wasn't in, so I saw the "other doctor," a mistake I won't make again. I think he made up his mind about Amelia as soon as she smiled at him. I argued against everything he said was causing her "sleep disruption." He didn't listen to me. He told me nothing was wrong with her, she might not get teeth in for 6 months, to just let her cry it out...and (here's the best part) if she continues waking up my 2-year-old, then move his bedroom for awhile. Sure! No problem! I'll just stick Wyatt in the other wing of the house that we don't use. Honestly! Are doctors that clueless that their patients don't all live in $100K houses? My babies live in the room we use as a closet for our clothes!

He said he thinks this "teething thing" has just been used as the scapegoat diagnosis for when they can't find anything wrong with the baby, that teething has no symptoms. Un hunh. And there's another $100 down the tube + a glorious drive home in rush hour traffic. Dr. Spock agrees that hurting gums can wake up babies, no matter what the genius I saw today said.

OH how this makes me so annoyed.....,but it also makes me thankful that I know the Great Physician who listens to me even though I'm a woman, who knows exactly what's wrong with my daughter, and who can fix the problem if He so desires. And with that, I'd better go pray about Amelia and ask Him to give her (and me) a good night's rest.