That is the question I have been asking myself the last few weeks.
It is comical really, the amount of times we’ve visited the doctor in our new town.
Ten days after we moved in, on Faith’s third day of school, she woke up with an excruciating ear-ache which always means infection. She has an amazing ability to diagnose herself.
Since that morning we have also had strep, a routine physical (that they reminded me about-good one mom) and the Leper Rash that turned out to be viral but required four visits in six days.
Since that morning we have also had strep, a routine physical (that they reminded me about-good one mom) and the Leper Rash that turned out to be viral but required four visits in six days.
Needless to say my best friends here are the women at the doctor’s office and my Rite Aid Pharmacist.
I really like the doctor. She’s extremely thorough and spends a good deal of time explaining to me and the kids what she thinks is wrong and why. It feels like a good-old-fashioned family doctor. Remember those? The offices that really knew you and took time to figure out what was wrong and fix it. You got in and out in an appropriate amount of time and no one was surly. They were great-no? That’s what this one is like.
Except for one thing. Every time we go-no matter which kid-she recommends allergy medication. It’s weird. They all have seasonal runny noses, itchy eyes etc. both in DC and here. But, no one complains about it. They all sleep fine and no one has to keep tissues in their pockets or eye drops at the school nurse. So, why the allergy medicine?
As an adult, I am wrapped in the never-ending struggle over which to choose, the sleepiness of allergies or the clockwork coma that allergy medicine throws me into every afternoon. Not to mention that every time I find something that works and doesn’t give me Mono sleep disorder, insurance stops paying for it. Now, I’m not suffering from debilitating allergies like some of my friends for whom medicine is a no brainer as it allows them daily life.
The fact is, my kids and I fall into the same allergy camp. For a few weeks every spring and fall they get runny or stuffy noses and a little rasp in their throats. If I give them meds during that time there is no real difference. My question is then, why does this doc think allergy meds are necessary indefinitely? Does she see something I don’t? Does she know something I don’t?
I get a bit “crunchy” when it comes to medicines-tending to err on the side of less is more. As a mom I worry that if they start now they’re doomed to a life of pill popping. My reasoning is, if it isn’t medically critical (insulin, motrin for fever etc.) there just might be a better way for now.
I also admit I might be totally crazy. Therefore, I am always open to other opinions and advice (probably too open-hence the crazy).
These are the things that fill my brain on a daily basis.
No wonder I keep forgetting to turn in the school volunteer packet. 😉
I should lighten up…take a pill- if you will.
P.S. Looking for more parenting guidance and tips for self-care? Check out From Chaos to Calm a guided training to help you feel better in this tough season.
I have found that the answer is a nice Chardonay. A proper vintage of course impudent but with a subtle undertones, I dare say flacid but yet unyeilding. Properly chilled and decanted I have found that a bottle okay perhaps two cures most ills. And you will find that the next morning your children are still alive a bit healtier than you therefore requiring no medicine or medical care from a doctor or even someone who plays one on tv.
Today is the first day we were off Steroids and antihistamine and IT”S BACK!!! Damn, I cursed us. That will teach me to question medicine. We’re back on the steroid. I guess in this instance I’m way wrong. Faith however is still holding strong against the allergy meds.Fight the Power.:)
Perhaps the answer is for you to take the meds and than the stress will just melt away:)
I have no children, so really don’t listen to me, but I think less is definitely better. That is how I was raised and I totally believe it. I think doctors are so quick to put patients on pills for any little thing. I don’t know if it’s the drug companies that push them or we’ve just become an over medicated society or a little bit of both.
Cathy