ABC defends show against outcry by pediatricians
By Steve Gorman Mon Jan 28, 6:55 PM PST
The ABC network said on Monday it will go ahead with plans to air an episode of its new legal drama "Eli Stone" despite objections from pediatricians who say the show may discourage parents from having their children immunized.
The debut episode features the show's title character and hero, a trial lawyer for big corporations who decides to fight for the little guy, convincing a jury that a mercury-based preservative in a vaccine caused a child's autism.
On the show, a jury awards the boy's mother $5.2 million in damages after it is revealed the CEO of the vaccine maker kept his own daughter from getting the company's vaccine because of autism concerns.
The "Eli Stone" plot ventures into a highly charged debate between the U.S. medical establishment and some parents and advocates for autistic children over the safety of vaccines for youngsters.
Critics of childhood immunization have argued that thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative formerly used in vaccines, is a primary cause of an autism in young children.
Major health authorities, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), cite numerous studies that rule out any scientific link between autism and vaccines.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, reacting to a synopsis of the "Eli Stone" episode in a recent New York Times article, issued a statement criticizing the show as "leaving audiences with the destructive idea that vaccines do cause autism."
The academy also made public a letter to ABC, a unit of the Walt Disney Co., calling on the network to cancel the show's premiere episode, which is scheduled to air Thursday.
"Many people trust the health information presented on fictional television shows, which influence their decisions about heath care," academy president Dr. Renee Jenkins wrote in a letter to Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney.
ABC said it plans to broadcast the episode without changes, but would run a disclaimer at the opening of the show stating the story is fictional. A message at the end will refer viewers to a CDC Web site for information about autism.
The show's two creators, Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, disputed the notion that their show would frighten parents away from vaccines.
"We actually share the concern of the American Academy of Pediatrics. We believe that children should be vaccinated," Berlanti told Reuters. But he also said, "We hope that people do watch the episode and draw their own conclusions."
Jenkins, in her letter to ABC, said the pediatricians group is "alarmed that this program could lead to a tragic decline in the immunization rate."
"In the United Kingdom, erroneous reports linking the measles vaccine to autism prompted a decline in vaccination and the worst outbreak of measles in two decades, including the deaths of several children," Jenkins wrote.
(Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Todd Eastham)
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
What's Up Doc?
We went back to that new doctor that Easter Seals sent us to. She specializes in behavior problems. I really like her. She seems to have a good read on my son, and has picked up on a lot of his quirks already. He can be stubborn, and he can push back when he doesn't get things the way he wants them, sort of digging his feet in, and she has a real good feel for that and responds well to it. I'm amazed at how quickly she picks up on things!
I'm really glad she's working with Nathan. I do think she can help him, and this is the first person that really wants to understand him and improve how he responds to things.
She's going to go to the school to observe! YIPPEEE! Since Nathan acts differntly around me, any time I'm at the school he is on his best behavior. So having someone else go in to observe, someone who is not employed by the school district, will be incredibly informative! Now maybe we can start to find out how much of this is the school, how much of it is Nathan, and how much of it is something else (overstimulation?), or a combination of things. Maybe we can actually IMPROVE the situation, huh? That would be nice.
Ah, to have HOPE!! This is nice!
IEPs and Progress Reports
I forgot to tell you about the last IEP meeting!
I was not looking forward to that one. I was angry, because they were telling me a lot of garbage about how what they were doing was not restraint, and how restraint is not listed as a last resort in his IEP. (It most certainly is!)
I had contacted the special ed supervisor for the school, and asked her if my only options were to get my lawyer involved, or to go to the state board of ed to file a complaint. I also asked her what she would do, if she were in my shoes. How would she react to having her child restrained so often and so traumatically? How would she feel if she were repeatedly being told that her child was not being restrained, he was just being held down by up to five adults in a "calming chair?" And he was not being restrained, removed and secluded - he was being "transported"? How would she feel if she showed up to pick up her chid, knowing that he was being restrained, and then being uable to access your child because that restraint was being done behind LOCKED doors? I asked her a lot of questions like that, but the only response I got was that she would attend the next IEP meeting. I was not optimistic.
However, when I got to the meeting, they told me all kinds of good news (for a change!). They said that they are now using his "wellness chart," and using it consistently and often. They are not only getting good results, but they are amazed with how well it is working! YAHOO! I've been upset that they wouldn't use it, because I had hoped it would help teach Nathan when he is getting upset (self-awareness), and what to do when he feels that way. The idea was to de-escalate him before he gets out of control. I believed it would greatly reduce the frequency and the severity of his meltdowns, if they would only use it. And now they are! Thank God. And it seems to be working quite well.
They told me that Nathan has made a lot of improvement since the beginning of the year. That's news to me. I knew his grades were better than last year, but I don't really hear a lot of good things at these meetings.
Anyway, the IEP went well. And since then, Nathan has gotten very good reports about how he is doing in school. He is happier. The teacher seems happier. And I'm happier. Finally, they seem to be following the IEP. He has not been restrained in a long time.
His report card was very good! It was just the progress report, not the official report card. This is about mid-way through the semester. But nothing was "unsatisfactory." Phew! And most things were "excellent progress"! I'm so proud of him!
I know the school really hasn't changed their minds about restraint, and intend to use it just as they did before. But as long as they are helping Nathan to avoid restraint, and teaching him self awareness and self de-escalation, then I guess that is at least better than it was. He only has a year and a half left at this school, so I'm hoping we can keep him there if possible, but I am also ready to yank him right out if the garbage continues (and involve the lawyer).
I am also hoping we don't have to pull him away from his only real friend, who is in his class.
I have another IEP coming up. They are once a month now. And I am planning on bringing my tape recorder this time, just in case. I surely don't trust their note-taking.
I was not looking forward to that one. I was angry, because they were telling me a lot of garbage about how what they were doing was not restraint, and how restraint is not listed as a last resort in his IEP. (It most certainly is!)
I had contacted the special ed supervisor for the school, and asked her if my only options were to get my lawyer involved, or to go to the state board of ed to file a complaint. I also asked her what she would do, if she were in my shoes. How would she react to having her child restrained so often and so traumatically? How would she feel if she were repeatedly being told that her child was not being restrained, he was just being held down by up to five adults in a "calming chair?" And he was not being restrained, removed and secluded - he was being "transported"? How would she feel if she showed up to pick up her chid, knowing that he was being restrained, and then being uable to access your child because that restraint was being done behind LOCKED doors? I asked her a lot of questions like that, but the only response I got was that she would attend the next IEP meeting. I was not optimistic.
However, when I got to the meeting, they told me all kinds of good news (for a change!). They said that they are now using his "wellness chart," and using it consistently and often. They are not only getting good results, but they are amazed with how well it is working! YAHOO! I've been upset that they wouldn't use it, because I had hoped it would help teach Nathan when he is getting upset (self-awareness), and what to do when he feels that way. The idea was to de-escalate him before he gets out of control. I believed it would greatly reduce the frequency and the severity of his meltdowns, if they would only use it. And now they are! Thank God. And it seems to be working quite well.
They told me that Nathan has made a lot of improvement since the beginning of the year. That's news to me. I knew his grades were better than last year, but I don't really hear a lot of good things at these meetings.
Anyway, the IEP went well. And since then, Nathan has gotten very good reports about how he is doing in school. He is happier. The teacher seems happier. And I'm happier. Finally, they seem to be following the IEP. He has not been restrained in a long time.
His report card was very good! It was just the progress report, not the official report card. This is about mid-way through the semester. But nothing was "unsatisfactory." Phew! And most things were "excellent progress"! I'm so proud of him!
I know the school really hasn't changed their minds about restraint, and intend to use it just as they did before. But as long as they are helping Nathan to avoid restraint, and teaching him self awareness and self de-escalation, then I guess that is at least better than it was. He only has a year and a half left at this school, so I'm hoping we can keep him there if possible, but I am also ready to yank him right out if the garbage continues (and involve the lawyer).
I am also hoping we don't have to pull him away from his only real friend, who is in his class.
I have another IEP coming up. They are once a month now. And I am planning on bringing my tape recorder this time, just in case. I surely don't trust their note-taking.
Friday, January 25, 2008
About Those X-Rays...
A lot has been going on here, over the past few weeks.
After we took my father-in-law (FIL) to the doctor, we got a phone call from the doctor's office. They x-rays they took of his lungs showed some unusual spots, and they wanted to do a cat-scan to see what was going on. That cat-scan shows cancer.
FIL is 85 years old, and diabetic. His blood sugar has been out of control for about 3 months now, but that's the least of the worries. They did further tests, and some test they ran for his prostate ran unusually high. Now they suspect the cancer started in his prostate, and spread from there to his lungs. Oh sh*t. And the nurse asked my MIL if they had any family in the area, any kids in town that can help them out. Hooboy, that doesn't sound good.
My mother died of cancer, many years ago. Back then, the treatments were no where near as good as they are now, and most cancers were likely to be death sentences. I learned more about cancer back then than I ever wanted to know. I know enough to know that cancer spreading is bad. Very bad. I doubt that has changed much since those days.
In addition to the pneumonia (which has been greatly improved), and the cancer, and the out of control blood sugar, his kidneys are beginning to falter. He's been on severe potassium restriction, and has been able to keep it at bay, but now that is questionable again. He's going to the doctor about his kidneys next week. He's also going to a pulmonologist next week. He's having blood tests run, too.
All this is running through my head like a bad dream. It really hasn't hit me full blast yet, and I still feel that numb, denial feeling. Like waking from a nightmare, when things just seem surreal.
I warn Dh to call his siblings, and keep them up to date, but he doesn't understand why I make a big deal out of that; my urgency. (The siblings call my MIL and FIL quite often). I warned him that you can't let news like that just sit and wait. They would be royally P'd off if we found out their father had cancer and didn't bother to shoot them a quick phonecall. Dh listens to me, and calls them, but I can tell that he thinks I'm over-reacting. Hm. If my brother knew something about my mom's cancer, and didn't call me, I know I'd be ticked! But I've been through all this before, and Dh hasn't. In fact, he's never lost anyone really close to him.
My mind can't help but play the 'what-if' game, either. What if my FIL gets very ill. What if the worst happens. My MIL can't care for him. She can barely walk. She also couldn't live on her own, if something should happen to FIL. I've tried to carefully bring this up to Dh, but I'm mostly just planting that seed of thought, and not really getting into a discussion about it. He needs to start looking forward. Things could start to progress very quickly here, and we may find ourselves dealing with a lot more than we are prepared for, if we don't start to plan.
I don't think Dh wants to consider any of these things yet. But I don't think time is going to be a friend to us. I hope he will start to toss these ideas around. And maybe start discussing it with his siblings, too. Thank goodness his brother is coming to town next week for a very brief visit. He's coming here on a business trip, and won't have much time, but at least he'll be here. Maybe we'll get a chance to chat a little.
I've had the strong impression that Dh's siblings don't really see their parents as getting on in years. I guess everyone wants to believe their folks will be around forever. They easily blow off family gatherings, and act as if there is all the time in the world. NONE of his siblings showed up for FIL's 85th birthday! I couldn't believe it! How many birthdays will there be? How many major birthdays? But I guess I over-react because it was on my father's 85th birthday that we all got together. We never got the chance to do that again. And I don't want Dh's siblings to kick themselves for blowing off any family parties, holidays, etc. I just want to shake them and shout, "HEY! This could be the last one!" (And I didn't even know about the pneumonia, or the cancer then). But in their defence, it is a nearly six hour drive for them. And the weather was bad. They were playing it safe. They are really good people. And again, I'm probably over-reacting. (I've lost both of my parents.) And I don't want them to have any regrets, you know? I'm not mad at them. I just wish I knew how to make them see that their parents aren't immortal. They might blink their eyes one day and their parents might be gone...
But I'm glad everyone was here for Christmas. If the worst-case scenario comes to be, they will be really glad they were here for that holiday. A holiday when everyone was happy and healthy and here. They'll be glad they came.
Well, enough dwelling on the what-ifs. I need to remind myself that my past is not the same as their present. Just because I've dealt with cancer before, doesn't mean that this will be the same kind of experience. And how I felt isn't the same as how they will feel. So time to take a step-at-a-time forward, and quit dwelling on my past.
After we took my father-in-law (FIL) to the doctor, we got a phone call from the doctor's office. They x-rays they took of his lungs showed some unusual spots, and they wanted to do a cat-scan to see what was going on. That cat-scan shows cancer.
FIL is 85 years old, and diabetic. His blood sugar has been out of control for about 3 months now, but that's the least of the worries. They did further tests, and some test they ran for his prostate ran unusually high. Now they suspect the cancer started in his prostate, and spread from there to his lungs. Oh sh*t. And the nurse asked my MIL if they had any family in the area, any kids in town that can help them out. Hooboy, that doesn't sound good.
My mother died of cancer, many years ago. Back then, the treatments were no where near as good as they are now, and most cancers were likely to be death sentences. I learned more about cancer back then than I ever wanted to know. I know enough to know that cancer spreading is bad. Very bad. I doubt that has changed much since those days.
In addition to the pneumonia (which has been greatly improved), and the cancer, and the out of control blood sugar, his kidneys are beginning to falter. He's been on severe potassium restriction, and has been able to keep it at bay, but now that is questionable again. He's going to the doctor about his kidneys next week. He's also going to a pulmonologist next week. He's having blood tests run, too.
All this is running through my head like a bad dream. It really hasn't hit me full blast yet, and I still feel that numb, denial feeling. Like waking from a nightmare, when things just seem surreal.
I warn Dh to call his siblings, and keep them up to date, but he doesn't understand why I make a big deal out of that; my urgency. (The siblings call my MIL and FIL quite often). I warned him that you can't let news like that just sit and wait. They would be royally P'd off if we found out their father had cancer and didn't bother to shoot them a quick phonecall. Dh listens to me, and calls them, but I can tell that he thinks I'm over-reacting. Hm. If my brother knew something about my mom's cancer, and didn't call me, I know I'd be ticked! But I've been through all this before, and Dh hasn't. In fact, he's never lost anyone really close to him.
My mind can't help but play the 'what-if' game, either. What if my FIL gets very ill. What if the worst happens. My MIL can't care for him. She can barely walk. She also couldn't live on her own, if something should happen to FIL. I've tried to carefully bring this up to Dh, but I'm mostly just planting that seed of thought, and not really getting into a discussion about it. He needs to start looking forward. Things could start to progress very quickly here, and we may find ourselves dealing with a lot more than we are prepared for, if we don't start to plan.
I don't think Dh wants to consider any of these things yet. But I don't think time is going to be a friend to us. I hope he will start to toss these ideas around. And maybe start discussing it with his siblings, too. Thank goodness his brother is coming to town next week for a very brief visit. He's coming here on a business trip, and won't have much time, but at least he'll be here. Maybe we'll get a chance to chat a little.
I've had the strong impression that Dh's siblings don't really see their parents as getting on in years. I guess everyone wants to believe their folks will be around forever. They easily blow off family gatherings, and act as if there is all the time in the world. NONE of his siblings showed up for FIL's 85th birthday! I couldn't believe it! How many birthdays will there be? How many major birthdays? But I guess I over-react because it was on my father's 85th birthday that we all got together. We never got the chance to do that again. And I don't want Dh's siblings to kick themselves for blowing off any family parties, holidays, etc. I just want to shake them and shout, "HEY! This could be the last one!" (And I didn't even know about the pneumonia, or the cancer then). But in their defence, it is a nearly six hour drive for them. And the weather was bad. They were playing it safe. They are really good people. And again, I'm probably over-reacting. (I've lost both of my parents.) And I don't want them to have any regrets, you know? I'm not mad at them. I just wish I knew how to make them see that their parents aren't immortal. They might blink their eyes one day and their parents might be gone...
But I'm glad everyone was here for Christmas. If the worst-case scenario comes to be, they will be really glad they were here for that holiday. A holiday when everyone was happy and healthy and here. They'll be glad they came.
Well, enough dwelling on the what-ifs. I need to remind myself that my past is not the same as their present. Just because I've dealt with cancer before, doesn't mean that this will be the same kind of experience. And how I felt isn't the same as how they will feel. So time to take a step-at-a-time forward, and quit dwelling on my past.
The Answer Is "No"
Yahoo has replied to my request for Autism Gear for the avatars. The answer is "no."
Hi Joan,
Thanks for your suggestion. All of our Issues and Causes Avatar gear are actually associated with strategic annual campaigns. We are not planning on adding any additional gear to this section in the near future but will keep your idea in mind if anything changes.
Best,
XXXXXX
Hi Joan,
Thanks for your suggestion. All of our Issues and Causes Avatar gear are actually associated with strategic annual campaigns. We are not planning on adding any additional gear to this section in the near future but will keep your idea in mind if anything changes.
Best,
XXXXXX
Baby It's Cold Outside!
Wow, it is 10 below zero out here!
That's not "wind chill," or anything like that. That's the actual temperature.
Yikes. I don't even want to go out when it gets like this. I started wanting spring right after New Years, LOL! I don't like extremes in temperatures, hot or cold. My favorite times of the year are spring and fall. Geez, my heart goes out to my poor co-workers who have to go outside on a day like today and do physical labor. They are repair technicians, and must make housecalls. I've ridden with them on "ride alongs," and it is very cold work, even on the mild days that I shared with them. They had to spend much of their time in open construction, where they are lucky to have all the walls, let alone heat. I just want to tell them all to come into the office, stay warm, and I'll call your appointments and cancel or reschedule.
Well, I better get ready for work. I don't want my hair to still be wet from the shower when I go to leave. And I'll have to leave early, to drive my son to the bus. (Then he can wait in the car with me, and stay warm, while he waits for the bus.)
They're saying it's supposed to warm up today. It's expected to get into the 20s! That will seem like a heat wave after the bitter cold we've been dealing with all week.
Stay warm!
That's not "wind chill," or anything like that. That's the actual temperature.
Yikes. I don't even want to go out when it gets like this. I started wanting spring right after New Years, LOL! I don't like extremes in temperatures, hot or cold. My favorite times of the year are spring and fall. Geez, my heart goes out to my poor co-workers who have to go outside on a day like today and do physical labor. They are repair technicians, and must make housecalls. I've ridden with them on "ride alongs," and it is very cold work, even on the mild days that I shared with them. They had to spend much of their time in open construction, where they are lucky to have all the walls, let alone heat. I just want to tell them all to come into the office, stay warm, and I'll call your appointments and cancel or reschedule.
Well, I better get ready for work. I don't want my hair to still be wet from the shower when I go to leave. And I'll have to leave early, to drive my son to the bus. (Then he can wait in the car with me, and stay warm, while he waits for the bus.)
They're saying it's supposed to warm up today. It's expected to get into the 20s! That will seem like a heat wave after the bitter cold we've been dealing with all week.
Stay warm!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
No Offense Intended
I was on a group forum, and the discussion was the Five for Fighting video, that is trying to raise money for a cure for autism. Many were excitedly passing along the link, and I did so as well. But an autistic gentleman spoke up, and took offense at these efforts. He said, "As a person on the autistic spectrum, myself, I find it very appalling that anyone would want to raise funds to find a "cure" for autism without consulting those living with autism or within the autistic spectrum, in any way." He went on to discourage us from participating in watching the video and thus contributing money toward this cause.
It raised conflicting feelings in me. I do want there to be scientific research into autism. But I also support Neurodiversity.
This is what I wrote in response to his post. What are your thoughts on this topic?
***
I have an autistic son. I am not looking for a "cure," as most
people define it. I think my son is perfect, exactly as he is.
However, my son does struggle at times. Painfully so. And if I
could take that pain away, and help him to achieve the control over
himself that he desperately seeks, then yes, I would be interested in
helping him. Does that mean I want a cure? I don't wish to make
him "normal" or "typical," or to remove that which makes him so
beautiful and unique, but I do wish I could help him to live more
easily in this world.
I guess I wonder what is meant by "cure." Would it be a full out
cure, that takes an autistic and turns him neurotypical? I don't see
that as something we'll see in our lifetime. I can't even imagine
how that could be possible, since the autism affects so many aspects
of his person and his personality, his thinking and his actions.
Perhaps there will be smaller "cures," little things that improve
parts of the autism so that life is easier. Herbals to help with
this, vitamins to help with that, therapy to improve whatever.
That's not so different with what we all deal with in some form or
another. Not trying to "cure" the autism and make it vanish, but to
find ways to make life less abrasive, to make autistics more
comfortable and retain better control when frustration strikes.
I don't think the word "cure" means the same thing to everybody. But
I'm certainly not going to tell my friend, who is the father of an
autistic boy, that he shouldn't look for a cure. Not after he just
held his son to keep him from injuring himself while his son looked
up tearfully and asked, "Why can't I stop, Daddy?" And I'm not going
to take the hope out of a mother's dream of seeing her daughter speak
one day. Their children may never be looked upon as "cured," but
perhaps their lives can be made easier. Is that looking for a cure?
And if a musician wants to donate money that could benefit any and
all autistics and their families, by supporting research and
awareness, then I would applaud that musician, and support their
efforts.
That video by Five for Fighting is raising awareness. That benefits
us all, whether we are seeking a "cure" or not. And any research
that this band supports may eventually make your life easier, even if
it can't ever make you neurotypical, and even if you have no desire
to ever *be* neurotypical. Any "cure" requires research, and
research can enlighten. The deeper science delves into what autism
is, and how it affects us all, the more likely they will be to find
ways to assist us. That's a good thing. That can promote
understanding. Perhaps even acceptance. I don't think of it as
supporting a "cure." I do support research. They'll never rip the
autism from my child. It is part of who he is. And he is perfect,
just as he was created. But in the search for a cure, perhaps we
will all learn more about autism, and perhaps find new things that
can benefit us all.
So yes, I'll watch the video, and I'll pass it on to others. I do
support neurodiversity. I am not looking for a "cure." I don't wish
to banish autism into extinction. I do seek understanding. I seek
acceptance. I want research. I seek help for those who might need
some assistance in functioning comfortably in this world. And I seek
to make my son's life easier for him.
It raised conflicting feelings in me. I do want there to be scientific research into autism. But I also support Neurodiversity.
This is what I wrote in response to his post. What are your thoughts on this topic?
***
I have an autistic son. I am not looking for a "cure," as most
people define it. I think my son is perfect, exactly as he is.
However, my son does struggle at times. Painfully so. And if I
could take that pain away, and help him to achieve the control over
himself that he desperately seeks, then yes, I would be interested in
helping him. Does that mean I want a cure? I don't wish to make
him "normal" or "typical," or to remove that which makes him so
beautiful and unique, but I do wish I could help him to live more
easily in this world.
I guess I wonder what is meant by "cure." Would it be a full out
cure, that takes an autistic and turns him neurotypical? I don't see
that as something we'll see in our lifetime. I can't even imagine
how that could be possible, since the autism affects so many aspects
of his person and his personality, his thinking and his actions.
Perhaps there will be smaller "cures," little things that improve
parts of the autism so that life is easier. Herbals to help with
this, vitamins to help with that, therapy to improve whatever.
That's not so different with what we all deal with in some form or
another. Not trying to "cure" the autism and make it vanish, but to
find ways to make life less abrasive, to make autistics more
comfortable and retain better control when frustration strikes.
I don't think the word "cure" means the same thing to everybody. But
I'm certainly not going to tell my friend, who is the father of an
autistic boy, that he shouldn't look for a cure. Not after he just
held his son to keep him from injuring himself while his son looked
up tearfully and asked, "Why can't I stop, Daddy?" And I'm not going
to take the hope out of a mother's dream of seeing her daughter speak
one day. Their children may never be looked upon as "cured," but
perhaps their lives can be made easier. Is that looking for a cure?
And if a musician wants to donate money that could benefit any and
all autistics and their families, by supporting research and
awareness, then I would applaud that musician, and support their
efforts.
That video by Five for Fighting is raising awareness. That benefits
us all, whether we are seeking a "cure" or not. And any research
that this band supports may eventually make your life easier, even if
it can't ever make you neurotypical, and even if you have no desire
to ever *be* neurotypical. Any "cure" requires research, and
research can enlighten. The deeper science delves into what autism
is, and how it affects us all, the more likely they will be to find
ways to assist us. That's a good thing. That can promote
understanding. Perhaps even acceptance. I don't think of it as
supporting a "cure." I do support research. They'll never rip the
autism from my child. It is part of who he is. And he is perfect,
just as he was created. But in the search for a cure, perhaps we
will all learn more about autism, and perhaps find new things that
can benefit us all.
So yes, I'll watch the video, and I'll pass it on to others. I do
support neurodiversity. I am not looking for a "cure." I don't wish
to banish autism into extinction. I do seek understanding. I seek
acceptance. I want research. I seek help for those who might need
some assistance in functioning comfortably in this world. And I seek
to make my son's life easier for him.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Doctors and more doctors
Yesterday was a real doctor day.
Dh and I took Nathan to see a new doctor, first thing in the morning. Her specialty is child behavior. She was very very nice, and worked well with Nathan. Dh and I both had a good feeling about her. Unfortunately, since we were there together, I kept feeling like we were talking over each other, each trying to express their concerns, and really creating more confusion than helping. Oh well. Believe it or not, that was the first time we've been to a doctor, regarding Nathan's autism, together. Usually it's me alone. Rarely, it's dh alone. I felt like I couldn't get a single thought expressed completely without it getting verbally stepped on, interrupted, and sidetracked. It was frustrating. But I'm sure he felt the same way, too, and it's about time he got a chance to give his opinions as well. And in that spirit, I was very pleased that he was there. On the other hand, I do think it will be more productive if we get a chance to go singularly to the doctor. Maybe me one time, him another. The poor doctor, lol! But I'm sure she could see how we are both very involved, and both very concerned about all the school frustrations, and we'd really like to all work together to find a better way.
Right when we left the doctor, we were going to head over to dh's new workplace. His company was purchased a couple years ago, and they are now moving everybody into one building. Sadly, it is quite a bit further for dh to drive to work. I hadn't seen the new building yet, so we were going to take a little side trip past the new place. During the doctor appointment, my cell phone had gone off, and I just reached down and pressed the button to send the call to voicemail, without looking at the caller. I wish I had looked. As we left the doctor's place, I checked my phone to see that it was my MIL. She rarely calls my cell. I was instantly concerned. I called her back and found out that my FIL is quite ill, and they wanted us to take them to the immergency care clinic. Hooboy. This is not good. You have to be pretty much knocking on death's door for the to aggree to go to a doctor. We immediately turned around and headed back to town.
The immergency care clinic was unbelievably slow. Poor FIL looked awful, and seemed to be staggering at times. He has diabetes, and I worried about the high blood sugar levels he was getting, let alone this flu that had hit him particularly hard, and was not going away. I was pretty sure we would be soon heading for the hospital. Because of that possibility, dh instructed me and Nathan to follow in my car, as we all headed for the clinic.
Thank God we went. FIL has pneumonia. With some strong meds, he should be okay, and they felt that the hospital wouldn't be necessary. Though we were given strict instructions to keep an eye on that blood sugar, and if it didn't go down and stay down, we were to get him back to the doctor pronto.
We spent the next couple HOURS trying to get his script filled. MIL asked us to go to Walmart, since that is where they usually go, and their history is with them. What horrible service!! They were closed for lunch when we arrived, so we had to wait over 20 minutes to even turn in the script. That 20 minutes turned into another 15 minutes. Then they said it would be 25 minutes before it would be ready. That 20 minutes turned into another 15 minutes, which turned into another 15 minutes. Finally they had the script, but the had run out of the medicine! So they could only give us HALF the script. (You mean we have to go through this AGAIN???) At least they gave it to us at no charge, but still, it was not the money that was the issue here. It was the horrible service. And when we described what happened to MIL, she gave us the impression that this is not at all unusual. Oh for crying out loud! They live a half a block from a 24 hour Walgreens! With a Drive-Thru no less! We finally persuaded them to switch to that pharmacy after this. Hell, I'll gladly pay if it's more expensive. I can't believe they would deal with that crap every time they need meds. And the sad thing is that Walmart was surely not lacking in customers. They must be a lot cheaper, or why would anyone deal with that? That's just awful. Most of those customers were seniors, too. Very senior. Waiting around with no place to sit, some with walkers. They had one little bench, that could hold maybe three small adults, but the line was all the way through the department. It's not right to treat seniors that way.
So that took up most of our day. We were exhausted after that. We never did get to the errands we wanted to run. Oh well. At least FIL got to a doc. That always scares us, when he won't go. We tried to get him to go last week, and he refused. He's in his mid 80's, so you don't want to mess around, taking chances with health issues.
I'm hoping we don't have more doctor visits in the near future.
Dh and I took Nathan to see a new doctor, first thing in the morning. Her specialty is child behavior. She was very very nice, and worked well with Nathan. Dh and I both had a good feeling about her. Unfortunately, since we were there together, I kept feeling like we were talking over each other, each trying to express their concerns, and really creating more confusion than helping. Oh well. Believe it or not, that was the first time we've been to a doctor, regarding Nathan's autism, together. Usually it's me alone. Rarely, it's dh alone. I felt like I couldn't get a single thought expressed completely without it getting verbally stepped on, interrupted, and sidetracked. It was frustrating. But I'm sure he felt the same way, too, and it's about time he got a chance to give his opinions as well. And in that spirit, I was very pleased that he was there. On the other hand, I do think it will be more productive if we get a chance to go singularly to the doctor. Maybe me one time, him another. The poor doctor, lol! But I'm sure she could see how we are both very involved, and both very concerned about all the school frustrations, and we'd really like to all work together to find a better way.
Right when we left the doctor, we were going to head over to dh's new workplace. His company was purchased a couple years ago, and they are now moving everybody into one building. Sadly, it is quite a bit further for dh to drive to work. I hadn't seen the new building yet, so we were going to take a little side trip past the new place. During the doctor appointment, my cell phone had gone off, and I just reached down and pressed the button to send the call to voicemail, without looking at the caller. I wish I had looked. As we left the doctor's place, I checked my phone to see that it was my MIL. She rarely calls my cell. I was instantly concerned. I called her back and found out that my FIL is quite ill, and they wanted us to take them to the immergency care clinic. Hooboy. This is not good. You have to be pretty much knocking on death's door for the to aggree to go to a doctor. We immediately turned around and headed back to town.
The immergency care clinic was unbelievably slow. Poor FIL looked awful, and seemed to be staggering at times. He has diabetes, and I worried about the high blood sugar levels he was getting, let alone this flu that had hit him particularly hard, and was not going away. I was pretty sure we would be soon heading for the hospital. Because of that possibility, dh instructed me and Nathan to follow in my car, as we all headed for the clinic.
Thank God we went. FIL has pneumonia. With some strong meds, he should be okay, and they felt that the hospital wouldn't be necessary. Though we were given strict instructions to keep an eye on that blood sugar, and if it didn't go down and stay down, we were to get him back to the doctor pronto.
We spent the next couple HOURS trying to get his script filled. MIL asked us to go to Walmart, since that is where they usually go, and their history is with them. What horrible service!! They were closed for lunch when we arrived, so we had to wait over 20 minutes to even turn in the script. That 20 minutes turned into another 15 minutes. Then they said it would be 25 minutes before it would be ready. That 20 minutes turned into another 15 minutes, which turned into another 15 minutes. Finally they had the script, but the had run out of the medicine! So they could only give us HALF the script. (You mean we have to go through this AGAIN???) At least they gave it to us at no charge, but still, it was not the money that was the issue here. It was the horrible service. And when we described what happened to MIL, she gave us the impression that this is not at all unusual. Oh for crying out loud! They live a half a block from a 24 hour Walgreens! With a Drive-Thru no less! We finally persuaded them to switch to that pharmacy after this. Hell, I'll gladly pay if it's more expensive. I can't believe they would deal with that crap every time they need meds. And the sad thing is that Walmart was surely not lacking in customers. They must be a lot cheaper, or why would anyone deal with that? That's just awful. Most of those customers were seniors, too. Very senior. Waiting around with no place to sit, some with walkers. They had one little bench, that could hold maybe three small adults, but the line was all the way through the department. It's not right to treat seniors that way.
So that took up most of our day. We were exhausted after that. We never did get to the errands we wanted to run. Oh well. At least FIL got to a doc. That always scares us, when he won't go. We tried to get him to go last week, and he refused. He's in his mid 80's, so you don't want to mess around, taking chances with health issues.
I'm hoping we don't have more doctor visits in the near future.
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