Tragically hip

[judecorp]

I am so upset about the hip thing. So freaking upset. And I am pissed at my kid's pediatrician.

Yesterday Jen called the pedi's office to ask about her refusing to nap, to see if the nurses/pedi had any suggestions for getting a sleep-resistent baby to sleep. Today they called back and said that Jen had questions about reflux. I said no, sleep. They said I would have to come in to talk to the doctor about it. For real? To ask a question about sleep? But I kind of wanted to grill her about the hip thing (she wasn't the one we saw last week, we saw the head of the practice whom I love), so whatever.

Basically I spent a $25 co-pay for her to tell me to get blackout shades for the baby's room. WhatEVER.

So, I asked her if she saw in the chart about the hip thing that the other doctor found. She said she did. I asked her why it wasn't noticed before. She said a lot of blah blah blah that basically said 'sometimes you don't notice things like this right away.' But of course in this case 'not right away' means 'five months' and is the different between a soft splint they put on little infants who sleep all day anyway and a body cast from the chest down to totally immobilize an older infant who is learning to sit up and crawl. And she Does. Not. Get. It.

She had the most blase tone when she said, "Yes, they do casting," and "Yes, it would be for several months." When I told her that I was flabbergasted that this could go undiagnosed for so long when my child has been in that office at LEAST 20 times (8 in a row when she came home from the hospital for the nursing/weight/jaundice issues, 2 for the mystery rash, at least 6 for reflux, the usual well-baby check-ups, 1 today, etc.), she had nothing to say except to tell me that if I was not comfortable with my medical care, I "have to do what I have to do."

I'm not going to lie, if my 5-month-old daughter goes from trying to get up on her hands and knees to being in a body cast having to be flipped every two hours to prevent bed sores, I am going to seriously lose it.

Comments

[marshmelococoa.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

are you insurancely able to find another doctor for another opinion?

And yeah, I'd be so pissed too!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

We have an appointment with a specialist at the Shriner's hospital on Monday. I got the pedi (with my big bitch session in the office) to make the referral before the hip ultrasound.

[wendywoowho.livejournal.com]

Oh, HONEY. Oh!

I would be losing it already! Oh!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Well, it's pretty much already lost.

[cappucinogrrl.livejournal.com]

Sue.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Freaking law students. ;)

I don't think I have a case, though.

[changinglight.livejournal.com]

seriously?!

I am so pissed about this that I want to call and scream and throw things.

Can I?

Please?

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Sure! :)

[changinglight.livejournal.com]

Is your pedi office affiliated with a hospital?

And do they have a patient relations department?

Also, this is a bit of a QI/RM issue, I think...

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

They have rights at the local hospital but they are not affiliated. But we are going to write a letter, even if it doesn't get anywhere. The head of the practice is ridiculously nice (and is the doc who noticed the hip issue) and I have had good experiences with him before (like when I told him I couldn't afford all of the copays for the weight checks), so I am going to make him her pedi.

[amyura.livejournal.com]

Do something. Find a new doc, complain to higher-ups, something. You, Jen and the Punk do NOT deserve this.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

We are switching to the head of the practice, who is really awesome and found the hip issue last week. We will likely be writing a big long letter about everything, not the least of which is the blase attitude about everything today.

[tea-soaked.livejournal.com]

Can you get a second opinion?

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Well, we kind of are. I mean, we are going to get a hip ultrasound for her and we are also going to see a specialist at the Shriner's hospital. But really? We should have been doing this MONTHS ago.

Did you know that the two top "risk factors" for hip dysplasia are a) being a girl and b) being the firstborn? Pay attention to Carys's hip exams.

[ktmcda.livejournal.com]

I am in a hurry and havent seen the other posts, but I want to say what's surely been said by now: second opinion..

And if you are still in Boston, and need a great pediatrician, check out Janet Levatin in Brookline.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

We haven't lived in Boston for a year, but thanks for thinking of us! :)

We are switching pedis to the head of the practice (who is much nicer) and are headed to Shriner's on Monday to see a specialist.

[sassywoman.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry Jude. I'd be pissed and freaking out too. Damn doctors. I hope it's the best case scenario for Gus.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Me too, man, me too! This whole thing is seriously messing with me. I mean, I hang out with about 10 mamas from a mama/baby support group (that I had to quit because of Gus's screaming way back) but out of that group, I have the only baby with reflux... and now this! WTF? Why is it always my kid?

I just feel like my body is majorly, majorly screwed up. First I lost the twin, then the bleeding, then Gus's placenta and umbilical cord were small, and now my uterus may have effed up her hip. What is WRONG WITH ME?!?!?!

Ugh.

[violacat.livejournal.com]

Um...did they specify what kind of dysplasia they think it is? It looks to me from some quick research that hip dysplasia can happen at any time...is it at all possible that her hip went funny, if it did, between her checkups?

Remember to breathe. You and Jen are great moms, and this isn't your fault, and the attitude you received was totally unnecessary.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

They are not really giving me a lot of info. In fact, they keep going out of their way to tell me that it's "probably fine," although "probably fine" is relative because she DOES have limited motion in one leg, so if it's not the hip it's neuromuscular. So I get a lot of "let's see what the ultrasound says."

I asked if it was possible that something like this could happen between appointments, and she said likely not, that these are usually congenital problems due to baby's position in the womb - but that sometimes the ramifications aren't obvious at first.

*shrug* We'll see.

[indigodove.livejournal.com]

I am still praying for all three of you and sending good thoughts your way.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!

[evewasframed.livejournal.com]

That doctor sounds absolutely horrible. My heart goes out to you, Jen and the Punk! I will be praying that she doesn't need a cast! I will also be making sure that my doctor checks Ava's hips at her 2 month well baby appointment, so thank you for brining this to my attention!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

1. You have the funniest Santa icons ever. Kind of makes me scared to take the Punk to the mall Santa today!

2. Yeah, totally get on them about Ava. Apparently the biggest risk factors are: female, first born, breech, c-section.

[loretta78.livejournal.com]

Oh hun, I second this, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU!!! You're an amazing woman, and a great mother. Unfortunately, those things do happen, and it always feels like that it's a never ending stream of things going wrong. But guaranteed, and though it's not much of a consolation, there are troubles for those other nine families too, things that they don't speak of perhaps that may not be as bad but are stressful in their own way too. Just have faith in your abilities as a parent, and never doubt yourself and what you're feeling. You sound like you've got a good game plan. Stick with that and do what's right for your family. *HUGZ*

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

In my head, I know this is true. But it just seems like one thing after another after another! And then I feel so guilty because there are people who have WAY bigger problems than I do (like you guys, I mean, I can't even imagine) and I have to just shut up.

I'm sure the other families have troubles (I hear them griping) but it seems like all the usual stuff like not sleeping. None of them (so far, knock wood) has had any kind of medical issue.

[estrange.livejournal.com]

I wish I had a magic way to fix this, I am sorry. :(